Tracking the Trails
- "Tracking the Trails" originally appeared in the October 2024 "Finance" issue of COMO Magazine.
Local parks, old rail corridors provide a plethora of hiking paths.
Columbia is known for its trails and outdoor activities. There are many popular trails in and around the city such as the Katy Trail, MKT, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, and Cosmo Park. However, there are many more trails scattered around and hidden gems that aren’t as frequently used.
Local adventurer, hiker, nurse, and author Ginger Schweikert gives an overview of scores of trails in her book, Over 300 Miles of Hiking, Biking, and Horsing Around in Mid-Missouri, and a wealth of trail information is readily available from Columbia Parks and Recreation’s website. Here are a few places to take a stroll or a long hike.
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Katy Trail
Difficulty: Mild
Length Options: Varied
Maintained By: Missouri State Parks
The Katy Trail is the longest developed rail-to-trail park in the country, spanning 240 miles from Clinton to Machens near St. Charles. The Katy Trail State Park was built on top of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT or Katy) with twenty-six trailheads and four fully restored railroad depots enroute. The double-wide, gravel trail is fit for bicyclists, walkers, nature admirers, history enthusiasts, and even cross-country skiing during the snowy, winter months.
There are many access points between Boonville and Jefferson City, however, the Providence access point is most convenient for those in Columbia. From the intersection of Providence Road and Stadium Boulevard, take Providence Road/MO 163 south for 6.6 miles. At the traffic circle, take the third exit to Old Plank Road for 1.1 miles to the Katy trailhead. The city’s portion of the MKT Trail also intersects with the Katy Trail about eight miles from the trailhead at Flat Branch Park.
Pro tip: Stop at Cooper’s Landing for live music, food, and drinks after time spent on the trail and soak up the stunning view of the Big Muddy. Be sure to check out the food truck and live music updates on the Cooper’s Landing Facebook page.
Bear Creek Trail
Difficulty: Mild
Length Options: 4.8 miles one-way
Maintained By: Columbia Parks and Recreation
Bear Creek Trail is located in northern Columbia, linking two of the city’s most popular, large parks: 533-acre Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Area and the 81.5-acre Albert-Oakland Park. The double-wide trail merges between gravel, wooden boardwalk, and paved sidewalk to follow the natural drainage system of Bear Creek, running in an east/west direction. The trail’s concept began in the 1990s while planning for Columbia’s greenbelt. There are greenbelt trails all around the city that will eventually connect, and Bear Creek Trail is a major connector for the northern part of Columbia.
There are many access points to the trail. There is parking located at the north end of Cosmo Park, Creasy Springs Road, Garth Nature Area, and Albert-Oakland Park. There is also neighborhood or street parking accessible at W. Prairieview Drive, Python Court, Blue Ridge Road, Providence Road, Big Bear Boulevard, Northland Drive, Alaska Court, and Parker Street.
Pro tip: This is a good trail for rainy days. A bike repair station is located near the middle of the trail at Garth Nature Area.
Cedar Creek Trail System Loop
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Length Options: 42+ miles of trails
Maintained By: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service
Multiple trails make up this hidden gem of a trail system: Cedar Creek, including Moon Loop, lower Loop of the Moon, Smith Creek Loop, Paris Fork Section, Devil’s Backbone section, Dry Fork Trail, Pine Ridge Trail, Pine Ridge Campground Loop, Cedar Creek South section, Bob to Beard section, and Benedict to Backbone section. The trail system is located within Mark Twain National Forest and comprises 16,500 acres of oak, hickory, and pine forests.
Almost one hundred years ago, this land was intensively farmed, resulting in erosion and depleted soil, which was aggravated by the high winds and drought from the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. President Franklin Roosevelt’s Soil Erosion Service was established to rebuild destroyed land by replanting grasses and trees to stabilize erosion. The U.S. Forest Service took over in 1953 to continue to rebuild wildlife and recreation in the area.
To find trailheads, consult Schweikert’s book or forest service maps, as many of the trails are in remote areas and not clearly marked as a trailhead. To reach the Moon Trail — the more popular trail in the system — drive 7.6 miles south on Highway 63 from the US 63/I-70 interchange, make a U-turn and drive another half mile to turn right on Route AB East. After the road passes South Ginn Lane, it changes name to East Barnes Chapel Road. The trailhead is on the right, 0.7 miles past Ginn Lane.
Pro tip: This trail system is for experienced hikers and adventurers due to its remote location and more difficult terrain. In the spring and summer months, beware of ticks and poison ivy. Find a stick to knock down spiderwebs for the less used trails.
MKT Nature and Fitness Trail
Difficulty: Mild
Length Options: 8.9 miles one-way
Maintained By: Columbia Parks and Recreation
The MKT Nature and Fitness Trail is Columbia’s most popular trail in the city. It was ranked second in the nation for “Best Urban Trail” in the 2016 USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice award. It is a double-wide, gravel path built on top of the old connector rail line from Columbia to the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railway. It is a mainly tree-covered trail that runs along open farmlands, Flat Branch, Hinkson, and Perche creeks. It is 8.9 miles from the start of the trail at Flat Branch Park to the end, where it meets the Katy Trail. It is a great all-season trail for hiking, walking, biking, running, and even cross-country skiing if there’s enough snowfall.
The Flat Branch Park trailhead is located at 101 S. Fourth St.
Pro-tip: After working up an appetite on the MKT Trail, visit one of Columbia’s many restaurants downtown. Flat Branch Brewery, Shiloh, and Addison’s are nearby the Flat Branch Park trailhead.
Kiwanis Park Trail
Difficulty: Mild
Length Options: 1 mile of trails
Maintained By: Columbia Parks and Recreation
The Kiwanis Trail is situated in a nineteen-acre park that was donated to the city by the Kiwanis Club in 1958. The trail is made of gravel and dirt pathways, traversing steep hillsides. The trail connects two large reservable shelters within the park, with restrooms for visitors. It is nearby many other trails such as the MKT trail.
Kiwanis Trail is located close to Columbia’s downtown. From Providence Road and Broadway, go south on Providence for 1 mile. Turn right on Stadium Boulevard and travel another 1.8 miles. Turn right on College Park Drive and the eastern parking lot is located on the right after 0.3 miles.
Pro-tip: The heavily wooded area is good for nature lovers wanting to observe mid-Missouri’s native flora and fauna.
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
Difficulty: Mild to moderate
Length Options: 15 miles of trails
Maintained By: Missouri State Parks
*biking not allowed on Devil’s Icebox trail.
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park offers many hiking and biking trails: Devil’s Icebox Trail, Sinkhole Trail, Spring Brook Trail, Deer Run Trail, Karst Trail, High Ridge Trail, and Grasslands Trail. These trails differ widely and are unique to the terrain found at Rock Bridge. The history of the area dates to the Woodland period (1000 B.C. to A.D 900) where arrowheads were found, indicating the presence of Paleo-Indians hunting and traveling through the region. It is also the only known location on the planet for the Pink Planarian, a flatworm species.
The state park is located a few minutes south of Columbia. To get to the park’s most populated trail, Devil’s Icebox, travel south on Providence Road from the Providence Road and Stadium Boulevard intersection for 3.3 miles. Turn left on MO 163 and continue on for 1.5 miles to the parking lot on the right.
Pro-tip: Devil’s Icebox trail is a great hike during the hot summer months, offering cave-cooled air in the heat. This trail is a boardwalk with many stairs.
Here’s a quick selection of other trails to check out:
Waters-Moss Memorial Wildlife Area- Grindstone Creek Trail
Difficulty: Mild to moderate
Length Options: 1.75 miles one-way; 0.6 miles diversion
Maintained By: Columbia Parks and Recreation
Garth Nature Area Trails
Difficulty: Mild
Length Options: 1.6 miles
Maintained By: Columbia Parks and Recreation
Cosmo Nature Trail/ Rhett’s Run/Rhett Walters Memorial Mountain Bike Trail
Difficulty: Mild to difficult
Length Options: 6.3 miles
of trails
Maintained By: Columbia Parks and Recreation
*Dogs leash-free on Rhett’s Run only.
Clyde Wilson Memorial Park Trail
Difficulty: Mild to moderate
Length Options: 0.8 miles
Maintained By: Columbia Parks and Recreation and University of Missouri- Columbia