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Ellensburg, Washington

The city of Ellensburg, Washington sits at the foothills of the Cascades in a broad, windy valley. The Yakima River parallels town to the west and offers exceptional fly fishing opportunities on its moderate Class 2-3 waters, often filled with rafts and inner tubes in early summer. Local climbers are just a short drive away from Vantage – one of the more popular and developed sport and trad climbing areas on the eastside. To the north, Table Mountain provides a rugged network of trails and roads frequented by hikers, runners, and mountain bikers. To the south, Manastash and Umtanum ridges are equally as enticing when Table gets too crowded. Ellensburg’s ski and snowboard community have numerous winter options, from the drier, seldom-crowded easterly slopes of Mission Ridge and the backcountry terrain north of town, to Snoqualmie Pass and the resort and backcountry opportunities off I-90. Like most Eastern Cascade towns, Ellensburg is a great place to pursue rain-derailed activities and work on your vitamin D deficiency.

Maps

  1. Washington Backcountry Discovery Route

    The Washington Backcountry Discovery Route (WABDR) is an overlanding route across Washington State from Oregon to British Columbia that utilizes mostly unpaved public backroads. The route climbs over the vast mountains and ridges of Washington’s Cascade Range. Four-wheel drive vehicles with high clearance or adventure motorcycles are the required vehicles for travel along this route. […]

Featured Mountains in Ellensburg

Mountain Approx. Elevation
Whiskey Dick Mountain 3,878 ft (1,182 m)
Table Mountain 6,174 ft (1,882 m)
Lion Rock 6,361 ft (1,939 m)
Baldy 3,215 ft (980 m)
Umtanum Ridge 3,428 ft (1,045 m)
Manastash Ridge 2,844 ft (867 m)
Boylston Mountains 3,435 ft (1,047 m)