MKT Trail
| MKT Trail | |
|---|---|
| Length | 8.9 mi (14.3 km) |
| Location | Boone County, Missouri, USA |
| Trailheads | Flat Branch Park 38°57′03″N 92°19′59″W / 38.95073°N 92.33312°W Hindman Junction (Katy Trail) 38°53′27″N 92°27′01″W / 38.89085°N 92.45035°W |
| Use | Hiking, Cycling, |
| Elevation change | negligible |
| Highest point | Downtown Columbia |
| Lowest point | McBaine Bottoms |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Season | All |
| Hazards | Severe weather Poison ivy |
The MKT Nature and Fitness Trail is a recreational rail trail in Columbia, Missouri, that runs nine miles (14 km) in the right-of-way of the former Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad. Developed from 1982 onward, it is a spur of the longest rail trail in the United States, the Katy Trail. It is open for use by hikers, joggers, and cyclists year-round, from sunrise to sunset, with snow covering in the winter offering users cross-country skiing opportunities. The trail is made up of "limestone pug" (crushed limestone), creating a hard, flat surface. The trail follows Flat Branch Creek and Hinkson Creek for much of their distance and is part of a larger system of recreational pathways in the Columbia Metropolitan Area.