The Trail State
The Trail State Teaser Trailer | Feature-length documentary film premiering September 2026
This is our story about The Trail State… a term with three meanings:
Missouri, our home, claims The Trail State moniker because of its leadership in trail-making, creating accessibility throughout the state for cyclists and hikers to enjoy its natural beauty. The trails across Missouri also connect urban centers to rural towns and act as a way to bring people together.
As we cruise down the KATY with the wind at our backs, the leaves rustling alongside, and the Missouri Valley air filling our lungs, we enter The Trail State - a state of mind when stress melts away and you connect, truly, with the earth we’re blessed with. The Trail State, in this sense, is the calm spirit. It’s the moments we share with our families. It’s what we live for.
At any given time, there are thousands of visitors along our 237-mile Katy Trail. It’s an active artery, moving people east and west in time with the heartbeat of sunrise and sunset. Our trail system is a growing network that needs to remain healthy, and we see that growth in the Rock Island Trail and regional trails near St. Louis, Kansas City, and Columbia. Our last take on The Trail State is its state of affairs.
This is a story that’s beautiful. That’s fun. That’s home. This is The Trail State - Missouri at its most magnificent.
Partners | Magnificent Missouri
Film & Video Production | Once Films
Causes | Recreation • Mental Health • Trail Advocacy • Missouri Civic Pride
Find & Support | Magnificent Missouri • The Rock Island Trail • Great Rivers Greenways
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Driven by a mission to discover and share important local stories, STL.org is a nonprofit effort to advocate, support, and promote strong digital storytelling in the St. Louis region. Help us by subscribing to our newsletter and YouTube channels, sharing with your friends, and sending us your favorite stories and characters that are enriching our city.
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