
Medford Trailhead
Holden, MO
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Johnson County
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Check the Weather
Holden, MO
|
Johnson County
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|
Check the Weather
Milepost
245.4
245.4
Milepost
3
Things to Do
1
Events
0
Alerts & Advisories
About Medford Trailhead
Small towns sprang up along the Rock Island route across Missouri. One of these towns was Medford. M.R. Synder platted the town of Medford on Jan. 31, 1905. It was the first named town along the Rock Island Railroad in Rose Hill Township and first appeared on a map in 1911.
Off the Trail:
The trail near Medford is situated approximately 4.3 miles North of Holden where there are restaurants and several convenient stores.
Points of Interest:
Located on Route 131, Medford offers a quiet, agricultural setting near Holden, with the main scenic feature being the adjacent Rock Island Lake, which was formed by Scaly Bark Creek along the railroad line.
Developed Section
The developed section of Rock Island Trail State Park that is open to the public runs 47.5 miles from Pleasant Hill to Windsor. There are five trailheads, including the trailhead at Windsor that the park shares with Katy Trail State Park.
This developed section of the Rock Island Trail, opened in 2016, was originally considered the Rock Island Spur of Katy Trail State Park. With the acquisition of the Rock Island Railroad corridor, the developed spur became part of Rock Island Trail State Park.
Rock Island Trail State Park is part of a larger rail-to-trail system within Missouri State Parks. At Windsor, Rock Island Trail State Park connects to Katy Trail State Park, the nation’s longest developed rail-trail, stretching 240 miles between Clinton and Machens in St. Charles County. The park is built on the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT or Katy) and features 26 trailheads and four fully restored depots along the way. The trail is open to walkers, hikers and bicyclists with sections also open for equestrian use. Katy Trail State Park annually attracts more than 400,000 visitors.
Things to Do and See
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Address
SW 1411
Holden, MO
64040
Get Directions and GPS Coordinates
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Phone
Park Office:
573-489-8780
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Hours
Developed Section (Pleasant Hill to Windsor)
Sunrise to sunset
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Distance From the Medford Trailhead
Scroll through the trailheads below to calculate the distance from the Medford Trailhead. Click on a trailhead to get details about that trailhead.
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East
Available Services
Parks Nearby
Alerts & Advisories (5)
The Pleasant Hill trailhead to the Purvis Road parking lot is closed until further notice due to construction of two bridges. There is no detour route in place. Please use Purvis Road parking lot to access the trail going east.
From Nov. 1 to March 31, restrooms will be closed and water turned off at several of the Katy Trail State Park and Rock Island Spur trailheads. The restroom at Medford will remain open but the water will be turned off.
From Nov. 1 to March 31, restrooms will be closed and water turned off at several of the Katy Trail State Park and Rock Island Trail State Park trailheads. During this time, a portable toilet will be provided at Leeton but the water will be turned off.
The Pleasant Hill trailhead to the Purvis Road parking lot is closed until further notice due to construction of two bridges. There is no detour route in place. Please use Purvis Road parking lot to access the trail going east.
All Trailhead Hours
Developed Section (Pleasant Hill to Windsor)
Sunrise to sunset
2025-2026 State Holidays
On the following days (actual or observed), staff will not be available and park buildings will be closed: Thanksgiving Day; Nov. 28, 2025; Christmas Eve; Christmas Day; New Year’s Eve; New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King Jr. Day; Lincoln’s Birthday; and Washington's Birthday.
Undeveloped Section
Closed








