The South Cle Elum Depot, a long red railroad building, behind a Cle Elum station sign

South Cle Elum Depot

Photo: eiko fujikawa via Google Maps

In the small town of South Cle Elum, the 1909 Milwaukee Road depot is the centerpiece of a rail yard that once kept trains moving over the Cascades. The depot, a brick electrical substation and the grounds around them are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the South Cle Elum Rail Yard, and they are owned by Washington State Parks. Volunteers with the Cascade Rail Foundation have restored the depot and developed its exhibits.

The yard sits right on the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, which follows the old Milwaukee Road main line, so it is an easy stop whether you arrive by car, by bike or on foot. Railroad fans will love the details, and anyone can enjoy an easy walk through a piece of Washington’s electric railroad history.

What You’ll See

  • The depot. Built in 1909 and rehabilitated by volunteers, the depot holds historical exhibits and a working telegraph display.
  • The interpretive trail. A 2,200 foot, 18 stop, ADA accessible trail, completed in 2006, winds through the foundations of the old yard buildings and explains how the yard worked. Along the way you can even see the dark, oil soaked soil left by decades of railroad operations.
  • The substation. This brick building, completed in 1920, stepped down power from hydroelectric transmission lines to run the Milwaukee Road’s electric locomotives through the Cascades. The foundation offers occasional guided tours inside.
  • A Milwaukee Road caboose. A distinctive rib side caboose sits in the yard.

The Story Behind It

The Milwaukee Road built the South Cle Elum yard in 1909 as a division point on its Pacific Extension, with a depot, an eight stall roundhouse, a turntable, a water tank and a bunkhouse. When the railroad electrified its line across the Cascades, inaugurated on March 5, 1920, the yard gained the substation and homes for the substation operators. The electric engines offered roughly three times the pulling power of steam and kept smoke out of the mountain tunnels.

The Milwaukee Road ended service in Washington in 1980, and its right of way became a state park trail. The state bought the South Cle Elum yard in 1998 and its buildings in 1999. That same year a group of volunteers formed the Friends of the South Cle Elum Depot, which grew into the Cascade Rail Foundation, and the yard joined the National Register in 2003.

Tips for Your Visit

  • The depot exhibit area opens seasonally on a limited schedule, and the foundation asks visitors to contact it to confirm before coming. In 2026 the foundation has also been looking for a new tenant for the depot’s commercial space, another good reason to check ahead.
  • Even when the depot is closed, the outdoor interpretive trail lets you explore the rail yard at your own pace, and it is ADA accessible.
  • Bring your bike. The depot sits on the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, the former Milwaukee Road rail bed.
  • Watch the Cascade Rail Foundation’s website for its occasional guided tours of the substation and for depot open house events.

Plan Your Visit

Address: 801 Milwaukee Rd, South Cle Elum, WA 98943
Phone: None listed; use the contact form on the Cascade Rail Foundation website
Website: milwelectric.org
Hours and admission: Check the museum website for current days, hours, and admission before you visit.
Directions: View on Google Maps