KCRI-09. KC Airport (MCI) or Downtown Amtrak Station to Rock Island/Katy Trail LS BIDIRECTIONAL (51 miles)

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Kansas City, MO, US

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Route Overview

Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation

Road, trail, gravel, touring, and bikepacking routes in and around the state of Missouri

101 mi.

4,726 ft.

A low-traffic, low-stress route from the Kansas City International Airport and KC Amtrak Station to the 300+ mile Rock Island Trail/Katy Trail system. 52 miles, bidirectional (ride it either direction).

The easiest/best/lowest traffic/most scenic way to connect from the airport/Amtrak to the Rock Island Trail--but also a tour through the heart of the culture, history, art, scenery, food, BBQ, breweries, and fun that make KC a great place to visit and live!

This is a RideWithGPS Ambassador Route - find out more about route details and features on its Ambassador page: https://ridewithgps.com/ambassador_routes/1923-kcri-09-kc-airport-amtrak-to-rock-island

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Route Details

This is a low-traffic, low-stress, trail and low-traffic street connection from @point[Kansas City's international airport](d,28.27) and the @point[downtown KCMO Amtrak station](d,117041.74) to the @point[Rock Island/Katy Trail system](d,82199.29). Along the way, you'll enjoy the best of Kansas City BBQ, microbreweries, culture, and history.

The @photo[Rock Island/Katy Trail system is over 300 miles across Missouri](8754169)--and growing. But getting FROM the airport or Amtrak station in Kansas City TO the trail has not been easy--until now.

Now you can **fly into Kansas City, ride the Katy Trail to St Louis, and fly home.** Or **take Amtrak** to KC's Historic Union Station and bicycle to the Katy/Rock Island from there--and take Amtrak home from St. Louis--or one of six other Amtrak stations along or near the Katy.

Or, start anywhere close to the route in Northland, North KC, Downtown, the Plaza, Brookside, Waldo, etc--and have a beautiful route from there to the Katy/Rock Island trail system.

It's a practical transportation route--but a lot more: **You're taking a trip through the heart of Kansas City's history, culture, music, art, scenery, food, neighborhoods, and more.**  With hundreds of points of interest along the way to guide you: Where to eat, what's the best local attraction, where to stay, what's the local history that makes this place or this neighborhood special or interesting.

Where's my Kansas City BBQ? And my microbreweries?  You ask.

We've got you covered there, too: No fewer than a dozen of KC's best BBQ joints *and* a dozen of best breweries are right on the route--with a few more you'll have to work for.

So, take some time, linger, and take them all in--or just put your head down and get to the Rock Island and Katy Trail in record time.  It's your choice

## MAJOR BICYCLE CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE KANSAS CITY METRO AREA: AIRPORT-AMTRAK-KATY TRAIL

The route is a seamless, low traffic/low stress road and trail connection to connect
### **From:**
* **@point[KC International Airport](d,129.31)**  
* **@point[Downtown KCMO](d,43586.81)** 
* **@point[Downtown Amtrak Station](d,117041.74)**
* and **all points in between**!
###
### **To:**
* to the **@point[Military Club Road trailhead/entrance to the Rock Island Trail](d,82199.76)** just north of Lee's Summit
* and from there to **[Rock Island Trail State Park](https://bikerockisland.com/) and [Katy Trail State Park](https://bikekatytrail.com/)**
##
## SEAMLESS, LOW-STRESS CONNECTIONS FROM MOST MAJOR REGIONAL TRAILS TO THESE MAJOR DESTINATIONS

Along the way, the route connects to these major regional trails--making it a spine that can take you from almost anywhere in the metro area to the airport or the Katy/Rock Island Trail system:

* the @point[Hwy 152 Trail](d,22193.85)
* the @point[Southern Platte Pass Trail](d,27296.66)
* the @point[Line Creek Trail](d,23240.65)
* the @point[Missouri Riverfront Trail](d,33704.93) in Riverside
* the @point[Riverfront Heritage Trail](d,46261.8) connecting downtown KCK to downtown KCMO
* the @point[River Market](d,45545.39)
* the @point[Missouri riverfront area](d,45423.87)
* the @photo[Cliff Drive area](8744038)
* the @point[Brush Creek Trail](d,111107.55)
* the @point[Trolley Track Trail](d,56698.9)
* the @point[Indian Creek Trail system](d,66055.65)
* the @point[Blue River Trail](d,66066.64)
* @point[Blue River Road](d,66066.64)
* the southern portion of the @point[Little Blue Trace Trail](d,82121.68)

So if you can access ANY of those regional trails you can use this route to seamlessly connect from there to the Kansas City International Airport OR the Rock Island Trail/Katy Trail systems across Missouri--using exclusively low traffic, low stress routes.

## 51-MILE BIDIRECTIONAL ROUTE - RIDE IT EITHER DIRECTION

The route is BIDIRECTIONAL, meaning one file includes guidance for both directions: Airport -> Rock Island Trail ***and*** Rock Island Trail -> Airport. You just jump on the route and ride it either direction.

Length: 51 miles each way.

## MORE THAN JUST A RIDE TO THE AIRPORT: HISTORY, CULTURE, GREAT FOOD, LODGING, NIGHTLIFE

The route is a great ride from the airport to the Rock Island Trail. But if you want it to be--it can be a lot more than that.

The route takes you through a cross-section of Kansas City history and culture that is hard to beat.

You'll visit many of the most historic and vibrant areas of Kansas City, including:

Tiffany Springs, Riverside, Briarcliff, North KC, Lewis & Clark in Missouri, Columbus Park, Town of Kansas/Westport Landing, The historic Missouri Riverfront, River Market, The Crossroads, Southwest Boulevard, American Royal, Historic neighborhoods, The Country Club Plaza, Brookside, Waldo, Santa Fe Trail historic sites, Civil War historic sites, Historic railroads, and of course the historic Rock Island Railroad corridor--our destination!

As impressive as that list is, there are *even more* places worth a visit that are just a few blocks off the main route--there just waiting if you want to take a little more time to stop and enjoy:

Zona Rosa, the National Airline History Museum, Downtown KCMO, The historic West Bottoms, Kaw Point, Kansas City Kansas, historic Cliff Drive, the 18th & Vine Jazz District and national Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the National World War I Museum and Memorial, Historic Westport--Gateway to the West, A complete Civil War Battle Tour, Historic Union Station and the National World War I Memorial, Harry Truman's family home and farm--a National Park Service National Historic Site, a complete tour of the Santa Fe/Oregon/California Trails in the region--the trails that built the West, The extensive Blue River mountain bike trail system, Longview Lake, Art, music, parks, lakes, recreation, and more.) to Kansas City, ride the Katy to St Louis, take Amtrak home. Or do a variety of bike/plane/train round trips and excursions.

Numerous Points of Interest embedded in the route along the way tune you into what is interesting about the local area, just when you need it--historic sites, scenic areas, places to visit, local history, local culture, side trips available, where to eat, where to find water or services, where to stay.

You'll have the chance to see everything from Civil War battles to miniature railroads to steamboat landings to massive, historic railroad yards to museums to major rivers and bridges, to scenic overlooks, to parks and waterfalls.

You can take the time to linger and enjoy all of the food, drink, night life, shopping, history, and local culture--or just pedal on and make time.  Your choice!

## BREWERIES, BBQ, RESTAURANTS, NIGHT LIFE
By good luck, the route takes you through a number of the city's best restaurant and nightlife venues--from Zona Rosa and many restaurant choices in the Northland to North Kansas City's vibrant brewery and restaurant scene, to the River Market, Downtown KC, Crossroads, Boulevard Brewing Company, 39th Street, the Country Club Plaza, Brookside, Waldo, and of course many choices in Lee's Summit and Pleasant Hill further out along the Rock Island Trail.

What about local breweries?  Here is just a sampling: Cinder Block Brewery, Boulevard Brewing Co., Alma Mader Brewing, MOBrew, BKS Artisan Ales, Flying Horse Taproom, Bier Station, Kansas City Bier Co., and (just up the trail), Crane Brewing & Harp BBQ.

BBQ--again a small sample: Smokebox BBQ, Dickies BBQ Pit, Jaw Que & Brew, Q39 Midtown BBQ, BB's Lawnside BBQ, & Big T's BarBQ.

A person could spend several days just eating and drinking their way along the route . . .

For more basic (and inexpensive) needs, the route also visits grocery and convenience stores regularly.

## LODGING: HOTEL, CAMPING, AND OTHER OPTIONS

Lodging: Yes, in spades.  You can make the trip in a day, or spread it over two or three or four days, with hotels and lodging choices--indicated by POI symbols--at all different price points all along the route.

If you'd rather camp, there are camping options at either end of the route--not far from the airport and just a couple of miles off of the Rock Island Trail in Lee's Summit. Because you are going through the heart of a major metropolitan area, camping is more difficult in the central part of the route, though determined bikepacking enthusiasts might find a way.

Because you are traveling through a heavily populated metropolitan area, more informal lodging--such as via AirBNB, VRBO, Warm Showers, and similar services--is generally widely available and very easy to arrange.

## EASY CROSS-STATE ROUTE AND RIDE POTENTIAL; BICYCLE-AMTRAK AND BICYCLE-AIRLINE CROSS-STATE TRIPS OR ROUND TRIPS

Because of easy access to the airport, now it is possible to do a Kansas City Intl Airport to St Louis Intl Airport trip by bicycle--using the [Rock Island Trail](https://bikerockisland.com/) and [Katy Trail](https://bikekatytrail.com/) to make the major connections.

You can fly into Kansas City, ride across the state, and fly out of St Louis. Or, do the reverse.

Amtrak round-trip connections can be made via the Amtrak Stations in downtown Kansas City, Lee's Summit, Warrensburg, Sedalia, Jefferson City, Hermann, Washington, Kirkwood, and downtown St Louis--all connected by the [Missouri River Runner Amtrak route](https://www.amtrak.com/missouri-river-runner-train).

So you can Amtrak into St Louis, ride the Katy/Rock Island Trails across Missouri, Amtrak home from Kansas City.

Or do the reverse.

Or Amtrak to/from any of the cities listed above, along the Katy/Rock Island route.

[Taking your bicycle on Amtrak in Missouri](https://mobikefed.org/content/bicycles-amtrak-missouri) is generally easy and inexpensive.

## THIS ROUTE IS JUST ONE OF MANY IN THE KANSAS CITY-ROCK ISLAND BICYCLE ROUTE SYSTEM

This route is part of MoBikeFed's collection of routes that allow you to use low-traffic, low-stress bicycle routes and area trails to [travel from most anywhere in the greater Kansas City metro area to the Rock Island Trail in Lee's Summit](https://mobikefed.org/rock-island-trail-western-connections#kc), and from there seamlessly to Rock Island Trail State Park in Pleasant Hill.

From there, travel across the entire statewide Rock Island Trail/Katy Trail State Park is seamless.

More info about all of these routes--including the Lee's Summit-Pleasant Hill connector that bridges the "Greenwood Gap"--on the [Kansas City-Rock Island Connector page](https://mobikefed.org/rock-island-trail-western-connections#kc).

## THIS ROUTE CONNECTS YOU TO MANY OTHERS ACROSS MISSOURI AND THE MIDWEST:

* Connect from the Katy/Rock Island Trail system or the KC International Airport to [St Joseph, the Pony Express route, and the Great American Rail Trail at Lincoln and Omaha](https://ridewithgps.com/events/89808-rock-island-trail-quad-state-connections#routes/29977580/preview) 
 
 * Connect to the [Birthplace of the Santa Fe Trail bicycle route system](https://ridewithgps.com/events/97552-birthplace-of-the-santa-fe-trail-bicycle) taking you from mid-Missouri to the Parting of the Trails where the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails split in western Kansas (Gardner, Lawrence).
 
 * Take a side-trip to explore the [Civil War Battle of Westport](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32539984).
 
 * Connect via the Rock Island Trail to the [Butterfield Stage Experience bicycle route Jefferson City MO - Ft Smith AR](https://MoBikeFed.org/Butterfield).

KCRI-09. KC Airport (MCI) or Downtown Amtrak Station to Rock Island/Katy Trail LS BIDIRECTIONAL (51 miles)

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