Ellensburg: Rodeos, River Canyons and Things to Do in Kittitas Valley

Ellensburg is 108 miles east of Seattle on I-90. Take Exit 109 (Canyon Road) for downtown, or Exit 106 (Kittitas Highway) for the west side of town. Drive time from Seattle is typically 1 hour 45 minutes without traffic. Allow 2 to 2.5 hours on holiday weekends when I-90 through Snoqualmie Pass backs up. From Yakima, Ellensburg is 36 miles north on I-82 then I-90 west, about 40 minutes. From Wenatchee, take US-2 west to US-97 south to I-90 east, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes.

No ferry service. No commercial air service. Amtrak does not stop in Ellensburg. A car is required for most visitors. Parking is free throughout downtown and at most trailheads. Central Transit provides free fixed-route bus service within Ellensburg seven days a week, with ADA paratransit and bike racks on all buses. The Kittitas County Connector (run by HopeSource) offers free rides between Ellensburg, Kittitas, Cle Elum, Ronald, and Roslyn seven days a week. Yakima Transit Route 11 connects Ellensburg to Yakima for commuters. I-90 rest areas nearby: Indian John Hill (both directions, near Cle Elum, 15 miles west) and Ryegrass (both directions, 18 miles east).

Valley Cafe on Main Street has operated since 1927. The cheeseburger and homemade pies are what regulars come for. A genuinely local lunch stop that has not been updated for visitors.

Bull Dog Burgers near campus is counter-service, cash-friendly, and fast. Students and ranchers both eat here. Straightforward burgers done consistently well.

Ellensburg Pasta Company on 4th Avenue offers sit-down Italian in a historic building. Known for the house ravioli and a wine list that favors Washington labels. Reservations recommended on rodeo weekend.

Iron Horse Brewery downtown has a taproom with a loyal following across Central Washington. The Quilter’s Irish Death stout has fans well outside Kittitas County. Live music on weekends.

Yellow Church Cafe on Jefferson Avenue serves breakfast and brunch in a converted 1923 church. The benedicts and cinnamon rolls bring a line on weekend mornings. Opens at 8am daily.

Yakima River Canyon starts 10 miles southwest on Hwy 821. A 26-mile basalt canyon with Class I-II float sections, blue-ribbon trout fishing, and a scenic road that follows the river the entire way. Spring wildflowers on the canyon walls are worth timing a visit around. About 20 minutes from downtown Ellensburg.

Cle Elum is 25 miles west on I-90. The historic coal town has reinvented itself as a base for Suncadia resort guests, with the old downtown offering coffee, craft beer, and antiques. The Cle Elum Bakery on Pennsylvania Avenue has been baking since 1906.

Thorp is 12 miles west on I-90. The 1905 Thorp Grist Mill (now the Thorp Mill Town Historical Museum) is one of the most intact historic mills in Washington. The Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall operates seasonally along the highway.

Vantage is 35 miles east on I-90. Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park sits above the Columbia River gorge with basalt columns, a replica mastodon excavation site, and some of the most dramatic river views in the state.

Summer is the primary season, with the Ellensburg Rodeo over Labor Day weekend drawing the largest crowds of the year. Book lodging months in advance for rodeo weekend. Spring (April through June) is excellent for Yakima River Canyon wildflowers and fishing. Fall brings dry weather and comfortable temperatures for hiking in the canyon and on the surrounding wildlife areas.

Ellensburg works as a day trip from Seattle, but an overnight lets you take in a proper morning in town and an afternoon in the canyon. A car is required for nearly everything outside of downtown. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit, so bring water for outdoor activity. Winter travel over I-90 through Snoqualmie Pass requires tire chains or all-wheel drive in storm conditions.