Length 47.5 mi (76.4 km) Elevation change negligible Season All | Use Hiking, Cycling Trail difficulty Easy | |
 | ||
Location Missouri, United States Trailheads Windsor, Leeton, Chilhowee, Medford, Missouri, Pleasant Hill | ||
The Rock Island Spur of Katy Trail State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Missouri that is 47-mile (76 km) rails to trails hiking and biking trail. Work on the trail was completed and the trail was opened on December 10, 2016 . The trail provides residents of the Kansas City region direct trail access to the 240 mi (390 km) Katy Trail State Park, the longest rails to trails trail in the U.S. The Rock Island Trail uses "abandoned" (embargoed and out of service) right-of-way of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad between Pleasant Hill in Cass County and Windsor in Henry County where it meets the Katy Trail.
An additional 144 miles (232 km) of Rock Island right-of-way has been approved for rail banking by the Surface Transportation Board and will be added to the Rock Island Trail, extending it from Windsor to Beaufort. When completed the combined Rock Island and Katy trails will form a network of 450 miles (720 kilometres), though as of 2016 no timeline has been given for completion of the Beaufort extension.
May, 2016, Jackson County, Missouri acquired 17.7 miles (28.5 km) of right-of-way from the Union Pacific Railroad, of section of line from the Truman Sports Complex to south part of Lee's Summit, to bring the trail into Kansas City. Work will begin in 2017, with the first section to open in 2018. There currently is a gap between Lee's Summit/Greenwood and Pleasant Hill, with the route unknown at this time.
