You’ve probably heard the story about a journey that begins in Kansas and ends in a fanciful place to the east. That adventure followed a path that passed through a bucolic countryside filled with hayfields, wide rivers, deep woods, and steep cliffs. Along the way you met a collection of colorful characters—all you had to do was follow the yellow brick road.

This book takes you on a journey from very close to Kansas to a city in the east. While crushed limestone is not yellow bricks, our destination does not include witches and flying monkeys!

Welcome to the Katy and Rock Island Trails—a path across Missouri that is unique in America. These trails cross almost the entire state from the flat plains that extend east from Kansas, through the Missouri River valley. The trail ends in a place not far from where America’s two greatest rivers meet—near a fanciful structure in its own right— the Gateway Arch.

On the Katy and Rock Island Trails, the length of the trip is up to you. You don’t have to make the entire journey, just pick the part that fits your slippers—or cycling shoes and walking boots. Your adventure starts here!