The Katy Trail is a great place for cycling for people of all ages.  It's flat and offers views of the Missouri River, rock bluffs, farmlands wetlands, wildlife, etc.  The nearest trailhead is located across the Missouri River, just north of Jefferson City.

Be sure to bring food, water, tire tubes (or repair kit), CO2 cartridges, etc., as availability of essential items is very limited--and virtually unavailable during the off season.  Cellphone service is spotty.

Mountain or hybrid bikes with wide tires are best for the trail.  Road bikes with narrow tires are definitely not recommended.  The trail consists mostly of hard-packed gravel.  However, there are some sections with loose gravel, and on these sections, wide tires are necessary.

From the Jefferson City trailhead, the better direction to travel is westbound since it offers much more to see.

Some suggested trips, with round-trip mileage to Jefferson City, are:

      Jefferson City - Hartsburg              19 miles
      Jefferson City - McBaine               52 miles
      Jefferson City - Rocheport             70 miles
      Jefferson City - Columbia              70 miles
      Jefferson City - Rocheport, return to McBaine and turn north to Columbia      88 miles

For much more detailed information about the Katy Trail State Park, be sure to check out http://bikekatytrail.com/  and http://www.mostateparks.com/katytrail/index.html