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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The Trail State is a 56-minute documentary about how Missouri’s Katy Trail took shape and how trail development continues. It follows the Katy Trail corridor from Machens to Clinton and also visits the developing Rock Island Trail. The film’s official site lists screenings and a Nine PBS broadcast premiere; check its calendar for current availability.
What is The Trail State about?
The documentary traces the transformation of the former MKT railroad corridor into the Katy Trail. Its official synopsis describes that change as the result of a donation from Ted and Pat Jones, legislative action and work by communities over time. The film travels along the corridor from Machens to Clinton, then turns to the Rock Island Trail and its ongoing development.
The Katy Trail is described as 237 miles long by the film’s official website; Terrain Magazine also gives that length and calls it the country’s longest developed rail-trail. Those are the sources’ descriptions, rather than measurements made for this article.
Director Chris Ryan told Terrain Magazine, “People think this is a film about bicycles or hiking. It isn’t. It’s a film about Missouri.” That framing points beyond recreation: the film connects the trail to the state’s history, decisions about land and infrastructure, and the communities involved in its development.
Who made the film?
The official press and resources page lists The Trail State as a 2026, 56-minute, HD, color film. Chris Ryan is credited as director; Dan Burkhardt, Zach Tucker and Ryan as executive producers; and Once Films as producer. The project collaborators are STL.org’s Filmanthropic initiative and Magnificent Missouri.
Magnificent Missouri’s project background says the idea came from Dan Burkhardt, who approached Ryan. That is the partner organization’s account of how the project began.
Where can you watch The Trail State?
The film’s official pages list screenings and broadcast information. The resources page lists a Missouri History Museum premiere on September 22, 2026, and a Nine PBS broadcast premiere on October 12, 2026, at 7 p.m. Both dates have passed as of October 7, 2026? No—the October broadcast is still upcoming on that date, while the September premiere has passed. Check the official film calendar for current listings, since screenings and schedules can change. The official resources page also includes a trailer and information for screening hosts.
The State Historical Society of Missouri announcement provides details about the Columbia premiere and a post-screening conversation with the filmmakers. It is useful context for that event, but the official calendar is the place to check for current opportunities to see the film.
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Explore the trail or use the classroom guide
If a screening is not available nearby, the official site offers other ways to engage with the subject:
- Explore the route: The official site includes an interactive trail map.
- Use the educator guide: The free guide is designed for grades 6–12 and covers geography, railbanking, public-land funding and a mapping project. The site says it may be copied and shared for classroom use.
- Learn about the project: The resources page provides press materials and screening-host information. The film’s background essay explains the title’s wordplay on Missouri, the trail’s condition and the state’s broader “state of affairs.”
The background essay also points to interviews, historical sources, court cases and a 2026 University of Missouri visitor and economic-impact report. The cited pages do not provide figures from that report, so no economic-impact estimate is included here.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Full-color topographic maps provide information on everything from cities and towns to historic sites, scenic drives, recreation areas, trailheads, boat ramps and prime fishing spots
- Extensively indexed
- Handy latitude/longitude overlay grid for each map allows you to navigate with GPS
- Inset maps provided for major cities as well as all state lands
- Copyright 2026
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