Bike Route: Machens to St. Louis Station via Confluence Trail
Status: I have ridden all of this route (in parts). There are corrections I need to make to the route files. I have recorded video of the routes, and I need to edit and post them.
For many years now, Machens has been the actual eastern terminus of the Katy Trail. It's in the middle of nowhere. As the crow flies, it is 20 miles to the St. Louis (Gateway) Amtrak station, but there is a river and a city in the way. The shortest route by car is 29 miles, but that route is not bike-friendly. By far the most pleasant route by bike is this one, which makes use of the Confluence Trail.
The routes are 37 to 40 miles, but it is very flat. All of the climbs are at the bridges, and they're not too difficult.
There are other Katy-Amtrak options in the St. Louis area, most of which are shorter.
Machens to St. Louis Amtrak
(via
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge)
40.75 miles, 488 feet ascent
A little longer, but the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is quite scenic.
Route: Machens to St. Louis Amtrak via Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
St. Louis Amtrak to Machens
(via
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge)
39.74 miles, 429 feet
A little longer, but the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is quite scenic.
Route: St. Louis Amtrak to Machens via Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Machens to St. Louis Amtrak
(via
McKinley Bridge)
37.83 miles
307 to 491 feet ascent (depending who you believe)
The slightly shorter option across the McKinley Bridge.
St. Louis Amtrak to Machens
(via
McKinley Bridge)
37.01 miles
250 to 301 feet ascent (depending who you believe)
The slightly shorter option across the McKinley Bridge.
About the Route
I have provided two versions of this route. One crosses back into Missouri at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, utilizing the St. Louis Riverfront Trail to approach downtown. The other takes the Confluence Trail all the way to the McKinley Bridge and crosses into Missouri there. Between the two, I probably have a slight preference for the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which is quite scenic, but it adds a couple miles to the ride.
- MO-94 is a rural highway. There is no shoulder, but there is relatively little traffic, so vehicles can easily pass on the other side of the road. Exposure to wind here.
- US-67 is a busier, high-speed divided highway, but there is a generous shoulder. Crossing the Clark Bridge into Alton, Illinois, it is marked as a bike lane.
- The majority of the Confluence Trail is paved, but a few miles of it are gravel. The northern part of the trail is exposed to wind.
- The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge actually involves two bridges: one crosses the canal, and the other crosses the river. The canal bridge is closed to only one traffic lane, leaving the other lane dedicated to cyclists and pedestrians. The bridge over the river is closed to vehicle traffic completely, and you should definitely stop to enjoy the view of the river.
- The St. Louis Riverfront Trail is a paved, dedicated trail. It's not terribly scenic, especially where it runs along the flood wall. It is odorous in places.
- South of Branch Street, the route follows city streets. There is a bike lane part of the way, and the rest is relatively bike friendly.
- This route avoids the downtown riverfront, which is increasingly inaccessible and blighted. If this was on your sight-seeing list, I suggest you get there by way of the Arch grounds. Take Chestnut St. (which has a very nice east-bound bike lane) or Market St. (not to be confused with N. Market Street). Update: Plans are underway to re-open the south end of the River Front Trail to connect to Leonor K. Sullivan Blvd in front of the Gateway Arch, targeting March 2025. If/when this happens, I will update the routes and video go through the Arch grounds and Market St. and/or Chestnut St.
Video: I think I will record the video for this in three parts, and then put them together into two (well, four counting each direction) videos.
- Machens to the Chain of Rocks Canal Bridge
- Canal Bridge to Branch St. via Confluence and McKinley
- Canal Bridge to Branch St. via Old Chain of Rocks Bridge and RFT
- Branch St. to Amtrack Station