Turner Katy Trail Shelter is a trailside shelter located in the small town of Tebbetts, Missouri, 13 miles east of Jefferson City. It is basically a two-story barracks with facilities for bathing, sleeping, heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, and heating the kitchen. Originally, it was a popular sandwich shop whose owner donated the property to the Missouri Charitable Trust for use by youth groups. The conservancy renovated the building, later adding the bunks and other accommodation (see below). Several churches, scouts, and other youth groups use the shelter annually, but not frequently. Therefore, it is open to all users of the route on a first-come, first-served basis when not reserved by a group in advance. For $5 a day, a guest will get cheap lodging on a train that’s free to the public to begin with.
Accommodation
- Outside bike rack, covered front porch, outside picnic tables and bright street light.
- The front door key is kept on a nearby utility pole for easy access.
- Utilities: electricity, lights, oven, window air conditioners, hot water, fans, clock.
- Double bunk beds with firm foam mattresses; 11 downstairs, 8 upstairs plus additional floor space.
- Large wardrobes: attached to the walls between the bunk beds.
- Large bathroom with double sinks and two enclosed flushing toilets.
- Toilet: two individual shower cabins (separated from the toilet).
- Kitchen/dining room: pantry locker stocked with paper and plastic items and leftover snacks; electric coffe maker; fridge/freezer with ice trays; microwave; single hot plate; large wooden picnic table. Note: Large groups supported by vehicles staying there will cook outdoors using their camp stoves or similar equipment.
- Bike room with tools: accessible from both the interior and exterior. Bicycles can be brought in there.
- Notebook-logs to register or to make comments.
- Entertainment: two parlor games; ping-pong table (above); various magazines, nature and wildlife pamphlets and various brochures. Local lounge or bar-grill nearby.
- Convenience store across the street when open and convenience store a third of a mile west on Route 94 – hot/cold snacks and sundries.
Instructions for using the shelter are well posted inside along with addressed envelopes for payment. Postage is free if dropped in the outside mailbox two doors across the street to the east. Your daily rate: $5/each for individuals or visitors; $20 for groups of up to 40 plus $1 for each person in the group. It is closed from December 1 to March 1; that is, the water and the oven are then turned off.
This shelter is a proven asset to the trail. Many users have found protection there from rain or wind storms, often not knowing it existed until someone pointed it out. Other users stop there to refresh themselves or make use of its facilities with or without an overnight stay. Cross-country and cross-country trail riders stay overnight there to save a few bucks on lodging during riding seasons. Others like to socialize with those who stop or stay there.
The guests themselves and other volunteers clean the shelter and do part of the maintenance. They leave things for others to use, like bars of soap and a towel or two, and occasional snacks, like chips, cookies, coffee grounds, and open packages of hot dogs, cold cuts, bread/buns, and slices of cheese. Basically, guests are required to provide their own bedding, toiletries, towels, food, and chastity/self-protection devices (eg pepper spray), although this is not required for most guests. Drop-by’s are limited to an overnight stay, weather and other reasons permitting.
Large private groups, who have reserved it in advance, usually want to keep it while they occupy it. That’s especially true if it’s a group of young people, though bad weather could be a factor in sharing it with other responsible trail users. Otherwise it is first come first serve until full which is rarely the case.
The sheer size of the shelter is increased by sharing it responsibly. Guests, often strangers to one another, practice common hostel courtesies such as exchanging basic information, looking after one another, for example, guarding shower or bathroom doors between the sexes, and keeping quiet. Most of the overnight guests are tired and want to rest before the next day’s adventure. Two floor levels plus a small bonus room upstairs offer limited privacy as do separate toilets and showers. Additionally, the main entrance door can be locked twice from the inside with a chain guard.
The shelter accepts tax-deductible donations and volunteer work. In addition to cash, you could use the following things during extended periods of use:
- Spot checks or repairs on air conditioners, furnaces, refrigerators, lights, and other types of general maintenance
- opaque shower curtains, old towels, old blankets or sleeping bags
- shelves for small appliances, books, magazines, radio, TV
- straighter chairs
- latches on certain interior doors
- space heater (for single or small number of occupants during cold weather)
- outdoor hydrant with hose
- deep sink
- dryer
- external staircase to the upper deck
The bike room or bathroom/hot water heater has enough space to add a sink and a small clothes dryer. These two items could help guests coming in from stormy or wet weather by allowing them to quickly wash and dry their clothing and other gear.
Another perk that often comes with the shelter is a large, friendly dog that sleeps on the front porch. He makes great company and is a reliable night watchman.
