Santa Fe Trail Bicentennial: Long & short Santa Fe Trail bicycle routes to ride for Raytown's Festival of the Trails September 11th, 2021

It's the 200th anniversary of the Santa Fe Trail in 2021 and communities all across America and Missouri are celebrating.

The Raytown area - second day out on the trail from one of the major Santa Fe Trail launching points in Independence, Missouri - is celebrating with the The Festival of the Trails on September 11th, 2021. The Festival is a series of activities and events along the historic Santa Fe Trail route through town.

2021 is the Bicentennial of the Santa Fe Trail, which began in Boon's Lick Country, Missouri, in 1821

As part of this Santa Fe Trail bicentennial celebration, MoBikeFed has created two bicycle routes that allow you to visit all the Raytown Festival of the Trails venues along with a number of Santa Fe Trail historic sites from Wayne City Landing on the Missouri River in Independence to New Santa Fe on the far west Missouri border:

• Short Festival of the Trails Bicycle Tour (20 mile loop)
   
• Long Festival of the Trails Bicycle Tour (20-80 mile loop)
   
• Access both routes directly, with full RideWithGPS features (even if you don't have a paid RideWithGPS account) via our Santa Fe Trail Bicentennial Event Page

You can use the routes to visit Festival of the Trails venues and many area historic sites on September 11th, 2021 - or simply ride the routes at any time.

Both routes can be easily accessed via the (new!) Rock Island Trail, coming from either the north or the south.

Both routes are heavily based on the 270 miles of bicycle touring routes MoBikeFed has recently released in commemoration of the bicentennial of the Santa Fe Trail. Those routes are found in MoBikeFed's Birthplace of the Santa Fe Trail Bicycle Tour.

What you're going to see:

They're not just bike rides - they are a guided tour through our areas history, scenery, and culture - AND a great bike ride, too.

You don't need to stop and look at anything. You can just put your head down and ride. But if you do stop and take a look, here is what you're going to see along the way:

• Tons of Santa Fe Trail historical sites, trail remnants and swales, historical buildings and places - many little known and seldom visited
   
• Along the way, you'll meet Santa Fe Trail settlers and travelers - those who lived in and created the places you are visiting
   
• Civil War and Border War action, battles, tragedies, and triumphs - all of which took place along the major highway of the day, the Santa Fe Trail
   
• Rock Island and Missouri Pacific railroad history, stations, bridges, and tunnels
   
• A good dollop of Jesse James, the Younger Brothers, Quantrill's Raiders, Daniel Boone II, III, and IV and their very extended families, Jim Bridger - and other famous and infamous characters who lived and operated in the region
   
• Harry Truman and his family, Tom Pendergast and his minions, Charlie "Bird" Parker, entrepreneur Hiram Young, boulevard designer George Kessler, dress designer Nell Donnelly - and many more of the people and places that made the Kansas City region what it is today - for better or worse . . .
   
• If you ride Saturday, September 21st, 2021, you'll be able to visit all EIGHT Festival of the Trails venues - all of which have b-i-g goings-on throughout the day (check the schedule, though - most venues are open only certain hours)

Both routes, but particularly the long route, are designed with a number of options both to cut the route short and also to expand it via optional side trips.  

The long route, in particular, could be enjoyed over 1, 2, 3, 4 or perhaps even 5 or 6 days if all side-trip options were ridden - and depending on how much you like to stop and sight-see.  Because there is plenty to stop and see.  

The route has many lodging, food, drink, and entertainment options, and even a few camping options - all indicated on the route maps - so that weekend or longer trips are very feasible.

The Festival of the Trails Route specifics:

• Raytown Festival of the Trails Bicycle Route (20 mile loop)
  • This route takes you to all eight Festival of the Trails venues plus 41 (!!) additional area historic sites along the way. Highlights include:
    • Wieduwilt Swales
       
    • Original location of Ray's Blacksmith Shop at the junction of Raytown-Westport Road & the Santa Fe Trail
       
    • Aunt Sophie's Cabin - may date as early as 1821 and perhaps the oldest building still standing in Jackson County
       
    • Two cemeteries dating back to Santa Fe Trail times
       
    • Cave Spring - first night's camp for many Santa Fe/California/Oregon Trail travelers and still an extensive natural area to explore with many historical remains and artifacts
       
    • Rice Tremonti Home and Grounds - on the Santa Fe Trail since 1844; the oldest standing frame house in Jackson County
       
    • Raytown Historical Society museum
       
    • Rock Island Railroad history and locations
      

      This 20-mile loop takes you to historic Santa Fe Trail sites, a section of the Rock Island Trail, and all Raytown Festival of the Trails sites. You can access it easily from the Rock Island Trail coming from either the north or the south.
      
       
    • Meet the trail builders who lived along the trail in this area - from a Civil War Captain to a Santa Fe Trail Freighter to Harry Truman's grandparents - who were among the early European settlers to this area
       
    • Historic camps and recreation areas from the time this area was "The Country" surrounding Kansas City
       
    • A Civil War battle site and graveyard
       
    • A few optional side trips to tempt you to ride a little further - to visit the location of Jackson County's "Golden Spike," the oldest remaining log cabin in Jackson County, and 1849 cemetery, and 1841 cemetery, and more.
  • You'll ride sections of the original Santa Fe/California/Oregon Trail and the recently completed Rock Island Trail
     
  • Plenty of great places to eat and drink along the way.
     
  • You can ride September 11th, 2021, to enjoy the Santa Fe Trail bicentennial and the Raytown Festival of the Trails events, or ride it any time you like.
     
  • As with all of the MoBikeFed routes statewide, you can put your head down and ride it in just an hour or two OR spend some time at each of the points of interest, taking a few hours or even a full day to explore in depth.  It's up to you!
     
  • 20-mile route download options
    • Via the RidewithGPS web page or app:
      • View/ride the route on RideWithGPS web site or app via our Event  Page
        • By accessing with that link to our Event Page, you can use all RideWithGPS features for the routes, even if you are not a RideWithGPS subscriber.
      • See the route on RideWithGPS (no account or sign-in required, but only very basic functionality)
    • Electronic/GPS Units/apps:
      • Download in .fit format - best for Garmin devices
      • Download in .tcx format (with turns)
      • Download in .gpx format (plain - route only)
      • Download in .gpx format (including turns & cues as waypoints) - useful as OsmAnd track
      • Download in .gpx format (including Points of Interest as waypoints) - useful as OsmAnd favorites
      • Download in .gpx format (including BOTH turns/cues and Points of Interest as waypoints)
    • Downloadable/Printable text:
      • Route cuesheet as a .CSV file (format & print using Excel)
      • Route map as image (.png)
      • Elevation profile as image (.jpg)
      • Printable PDF map & cuesheet (condensed cuesheet)
      • Printable PDF map & cuesheet (expanded cuesheet with turn maps)
  • We have an extensive Help Page showing you how to use the route files with various GPS devices and apps - including via FREE apps that give you turn-by-turn directions, show you the Points of Interest, etc.

Aunt Sophie's cabin stands on the Santa Fe Trail in Raytown, and may date to as early as 1821, making it one of the oldest remaining buildings in western Missouri. Aunt Sophie was an unsung hero of the trail and the post-Civil War era.

• Raytown Festival of the Trails Bicycle Route - longer Santa Fe Trail options (variable 20-77 miles)

  • This route includes all the locations and highlights of the 20-mile loop, including all eight Raytown Festival of the Trails locations on September 11th and all 41 historic sites on that route, and in addition allows you to expand your ride northward and/or southward along the Santa Fe Trail route, taking in more than 81 (!!!) additional Santa Fe Trail and other area historic sites, including:

    

    This route, which allows you to choose distance options of 20-77 miles, expands the 20-mile route to visit dozens more Santa Fe/California/Oregon Trail sites along the historic route, from Wayne City Landing where passengers unloaded from steamships to New Santa Fe - the last village in Missouri and the United States before travelers crossed the Great Plains.

    • All eight Raytown Festival of the Trails locations and all points of interest in the 20-mile route
       

    • Hart Grove Santa Fe Trail Campground
       

    • Major trail swales at the Red Bridge crossing
       

    • The border town of New Santa Fe - one of Kansas City's historical gems
       

    • Two nice sets of trail swales near Santa Fe Trail Park - one of them very rarely seen
       

    • The Bingham-Wagoner Home and grounds
       

    • 1849 Mule Train Terminus - first rail line west of the Mississippi
       

    • 1831 Twyman Hotel
       

    • The Four O'Clock House
       

    • 1844 Watson Place Inn - still standing
       

    • A tour of The Neck - Independence's former African American neighborhood, and highlights of African-American contributions to Santa Fe Trail history
       

    • Wayne City Landing Overlook - where steamboats once offloaded people and goods to travel the Santa Fe Trail and to Oregon, California, and other points west
       

    • Burial places & memorials/monuments to Kansas City's Jim Bridger, Jazz legend Charlie "Bird" Parker, and Raytown's own "Aunt Sophie" White - an unsung hero of the post-Civil War era, Harry & Bess Truman, the famous outlaw Frank James, and more
       

    • Much more - over 120 historical sites, markers, monuments, and places to visit in all

  • Suggested cut-offs and shortcuts allow the route to be adjusted from 20 to 77 miles. Take in as little or as much as you like!
     

  • The route can easily be broken into north and south segments - stay in a local hotel, B&B, or campground and make it a two or three day ride. Or do the entire route in sections over a period of time.

  • 77-mile route download options:

    • Via the RideWithGPS web page or app:
      • View/ride the route on RideWithGPS web site or app via our Even Page
        • When you access the routes via our Event Page you have access to all advanced RideWithGPS features for the routes even if you don't have a paid RideWithGPS account
      • See the route on the RideWithGPS web site (no account or sign-in required, but only very basic functionality)
    • Electronic/GPS  Units/apps:
      • Download in .fit format - best for Garmin devices
      • Download in .tcx format (with turns)
      • Download in .gpx format (plain - route only)
      • Download in .gpx format (including turns & cues as waypoints) - useful as OsmAnd "track"
      • Download in .gpx format (including Points of Interest as waypoints) - useful as OsmAnd "favorites"
      • Download in .gpx format (including BOTH turns/cues and Points of Interest as waypoints)
    • Downloadable/Printable text:
      • Route cuesheet as a .CSV file (format & print using Excel)
      • Route map as image (.png)
      • Elevation profile as image (.jpg)

  • We have an extensive Help Page showing you how to use the route files with various GPS devices and apps - including via FREE apps that give you turn-by-turn directions, show you the Points of Interest, etc.

The new Rock Island Trail intersects the Santa Fe Trail in downtown Raytown - both have a rich history

A surprising number of Santa Fe & Oregon/California Trail remnants still exist - even smack in the middle of the Kansas City metro area

This 1903 bridge was the point where Raytown Road cross the Rock Island Trail - and the Santa Fe, California, Oregon, and Rock Island Trails all met

Additional Santa Fe/California/Oregon Trail & Civil War bicycle routes in the area

The Birthplace of the Santa Fe Trail Bicycle Route System includes these historical routes that pass through or come close to Raytown:

• SFE-03.05PL - Battle of Westport Civil War Bicycle Tour (69 mile loop)
  • The Battle of Westport was the "Gettysburg of the West": The largest Civil War Battle west of the Mississippi, with over 30,000 Union and Confederate troops over a vast battleground 15 by 5 miles and a decisive rout of Confederate forces that ended the power of the Confederate army west of the Mississippi. In the 1960s and auto tour of the battlefield was created, with many historical markers and monuments describing the action. This bicycle route uses low-traffic, low-stress bicycle routes and trails to take you to every one of the Auto Tour locations, plus many more historic locations, sites, monuments, and remains - many not easy to find any other way.

The 69-mile Battle of Westport Bicycle Route takes you to every historical marker and historic site for the "Gettysburg of the West". It includes not only what to see, but where to eat, drink, and stay along the way.

 

• SFE-03.07PL - Raytown-Westport-Santa Fe Trail-Battle of Westport Loop (26 mile loop)

  • This 26-mile loop that takes you to some of the highlights of Kansas City history follows two historic routes: Raytown Road, which connected Old Westport to Raytown, where it joined the Santa Fe Trail coming direct from Independence, and Westport Road, which was a Santa Fe Trail branch connecting Independence and Westport. Along the way you'll see untouched Santa Fe Trail remnants, locations of historic fords (still used today - as bridges), historic Old Westport, Battle of Brush Creek locations, "Bloody Hill" and other long-hidden Battle of Byram's Ford locations, many of the key Civil War Battle of Westport historic markers and locations, the historic Santa Fe Trail neighborhood - which in the years after the Civil War became an African-American neighborhood with a rich history of its own, and much more.

This 26-mile route takes you along historic Raytown Road and Westport Road - two road connections that date back to Santa Fe/California/Oregon Trail times.  You'll see dozens of historic places and sites and find some great places to eat, drink, or even stay the night.

File: 

Raytown Festival of the Trails route (condensed cuesheet)

Raytown Festival of the Trails route (cuesheet with detail maps)