Exploring the county

EXPl RE EXPl RE

EXPLORING KITTITAS COUNTY

Kittitas County o ers a range of environments and unlimited outdoor recreation opportunities.

Hiking trails spread throughout the county o er challenging elevation climbs and at walks through the shrub-steppe.

West of Ellensburg lies the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, a protected area with nearly 700 mountain lakes, valleys thick with trees and snowcovered peaks. In the middle of the county, the Teanaway is packed with trails, some of which give hikers a spectacular view of Mount Stuart.

A local favorite in Ellensburg is the Manastash Ridge, which has several paths to the top and log books for people to sign when they reach the top. e Coal Miners Trail in the Upper County connects Cle Elum to Roslyn and Ronald as it follows old coal mining slag piles and a former rail line path.

In the summer months, oating the Yakima River, biking through Ellensburg’s foothills, camping at Salmon la Sac, shing, or boating in the Columbia River are all popular ways to spend a sunny day.

For indoor exercise, stop by the Ellensburg Memorial Pool and Fitness Center for a swim, or by the Ellensburg Racquet and Recreation Center for a game.

Winter months provide a chance to play in the powdery snow and explore parts of the county on snowmobiles.

ELLENSBURG MEMORIAL POOL AND FITNESS CENTER

A 25-meter indoor pool for swimming lessons, training and recreational swimming. e pool also features a hot tub, wet and dry sauna and 1-meter diving board. e tness center is equipped with weight machines, rowing machines, treadmills, elliptical trainers and a recumbent bike. Visit the City of Ellensburg’s website for hours and location.

PARKS

Parks are abundant in Kittitas County. Wanapum State Park and Gingko Petri ed Forest State Park near Vantage o er views of the Columbia River, along with displays

of petri ed wood and Native American petroglyphs.

Olmstead Place State Park near Kittitas is a working pioneer farm and is one of the rst homesteads in the valley complete with a dairy barn, granary, wagon shed, hay barn and a log cabin built in 1875.

Helen McCabe State Park is at the entrance of the Yakima River Canyon south of Ellensburg. e Palouse tot the Cascade State Parks Trail (formerly the Iron Horse/ John Wayne Pioneer Trail) is a 1,612acre park that was part of the ChicagoMilwaukee-St. Paul Paci c Railroad.

Other parks include Cle Elum City Park, South Cle Elum Firemen Park, Kiwanis Park, McElroy Park, Reed Park, Ellensburg Memorial Park, Lake Easton State Park, Rotary Park and Irene Rinehart Park.

CWU OPR AND CLIMBING

OPR o ers equipment rentals for outdoor needs like oating the Yakima River or snowshoeing in the winter, instructional classes and guided trips, and public events like lms and clinics. Students and community members can sign up for a day on the challenge course, or try out the 50-foot tall recreation climbing wall. For more information, visit www.cwu.edu/opr/welcome-outdoorpursuits-and-rentals.

Visit cwu.edu/rec/opr

TENNIS COURTS

Central Washington University’s tennis courts are open to students and members of the public. e Fred and Valerie Lister Tennis Facility features 10 courts with a practice hitting wall. Many of the local schools also have tennis courts that can be used by the public.

ELLENSBURG RACQUET AND RECREATION CENTER

e city’s Parks and Recreation Department o ers a wide range of adult and youth sports opportunities like indoor soccer, adult softball, and youth basketball and volleyball.

Camps and special events are also o ered, along with Tiny Tots sports for those 3 to 5 years old. For schedules and more information, check out the city’s website.

BOATING

Popular areas include Lake Cle Elum, Kachess Lake and the Columbia River near Vantage.

FISHING

Whether you prefer y shing in the Yakima River or casting and leaving a line in the water of a pond or lake, there’s a place for every angler in Kittitas County. Lakes and ponds are stocked with trout every year by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. e Columbia River is the place to go for salmon and steelhead.

Information about licenses and acceptable shing practices can be found by visiting the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website at wdfw. wa.gov. For information about what’s biting where, talk to an expert at a local y shing shop, or see the Daily Record’s Outdoors page on Fridays.

CAMPING

Popular state campgrounds include Lake Easton in the Upper County and Wanapum near Vantage. e BLM operates a number of campgrounds in the Yakima River Canyon, and the Cle Elum Ranger District has campgrounds in Upper Kittitas County.

HIKING

Kittitas County includes a range of environments from the elevation in the Cascades to the desert in the Yakima Canyon.

A popular trail just outside of Ellensburg in the Yakima Canyon is Umtanum Falls, which takes hikers to a small hidden waterfall. Salmon la Sac, Cle Elum Ridge and Manastash Ridge are other popular hiking spots. For more information about hikes in the county, visit Washington Trails Association at www.wta.org.

MOUNTAIN BIKING

Ellensburg’s foothills and trails in the Upper County o er lots of terrain for mountain bike enthusiasts to explore. A mountain bike skills park is located in Rotary Park, and there’s a BMX course next to Mount Stuart School in Ellensburg. e ReCycle Shop in Ellensburg and Ride Roslyn in Roslyn have a wealth of information and expertise. ere’s also a local chapter of the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance.

HORSEBACK RIDING

Kittias County is horse country, and there a numerous opportunities for horseback riding in Kittitas County. e Alpine Lakes Trail Riders, the Roslyn Riders and the Back Country Horsemen are all good resources for trail riding. e Washington State Horse Park in Cle Elum puts on a variety of events throughout the summer.

SNOWMOBILING

Kittitas County is a mecca for snowmobilers all over the state. Ronald, the Snoqualmie Pass and Blewett Pass areas are all hotspots during the winter months. A number of sno-parks are open for use, and more information can be found on the Washington State Parks website or at the Cle Elum Ranger District o ce. Check the state’s avalanche hotline at 206-526-6677 before heading out. Information on local clubs is available at wssa.us.

SNOW SPORTS

e Summit at Snoqualmie o ers lessons and rentals for all skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing, along with tubing rentals.

Suncadia has miles of groomed trails for cross country skiing and snowshoeing, and has a tubing area.

Snoqualmie Pass and Blewett Pass also o er popular nordic trails and snowshoeing spots. Stop by the U.S. Forest Service stations in Cle Elum or at Snoqualmie Pass for maps and additional information. Sno-park permits may be needed for some locations.

ICE SKATING

Suncadia’s Village Ice Rink is o ered during the winter months and is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Lazy F Camp on Manastash Road also is planning to o er ice skating on Sundays in January on an outdoor handmade rink. For more information, call 509-962-2780.

FLOATING THE YAKIMA RIVER

Floating the river is a great way to spend a hot sunny summer day. On certain days, hundreds and even thousands of people can be found oating the river. People are encouraged consider safety when oating and pay attention to warning signs when launching. For more information about river conditions, group events or safety information, contact the Kittitas County Sheri ’s O ce Marine Patrol at 509-925-8534.

COMMUNITY GARDENS

Kittitas County has several community gardens. St. Andrew’s Church Community Garden, the Ellensburg Downtown Community Garden, the Central Washington University Community Garden and the Upper Kittitas County Rotary Community Garden all o er plots to the public, and often donate extra food to local food banks. To get more information about the gardens, look them up on Facebook.

GOLF

Suncadia has two golf courses, Prospector and Rope Rider, open to the public, with additional selections for members.

Cle Elum provides the Sun Country Golf Resort and Ellensburg o ers tee times at the Ellensburg Golf and Country Club.

ELLENSBURG PARKS AND RECREATION

e city’s Parks and Recreation Department o ers a wide range of adult and youth sports opportunities like indoor soccer, adult softball, and youth basketball and volleyball. Camps and special events are also o ered, along with Tiny Tots sports for those 3 to 5 years old. For schedules and more information, check out the city’s website.

SKATEBOARDING

Skateboarding on ramps is available at the Ellensburg Skate Park on the corner of Second Avenue and Pearl Street and at the skate park in Cle Elum. Skating on sidewalks in the city is not permitted.

RODEO CITY ROLLERGIRLS

Central Washington’s original allwomen amateur at track roller derby league with over 40 skaters, referees and volunteers playing competitively in the Paci c Northwest. For more information about joining the team, volunteering or events, visit www.rodeocityrollergirls. com.

FARMERS MARKETS

Kittitas County has two farmers markets during the summer — one in Ellensburg and one in Roslyn. e Kittitas County Farmers Market is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays from May through October on Fourth Avenue downtown. e Roslyn Farmers Market is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays from June through September on Pennsylvania Avenue.

LISTEN AND WATCH

When it comes to the arts, Kittitas County is rich with opportunities.

Music concerts at Central Washington University are one of the community’s best kept secrets. Most of the CWU Music Department concerts are free, and showcase everything from opera to jazz to classical.

Top musicians perform at Jazz in the Valley the last weekend of July, and Spirit of the West over Presidents’ Day weekend in Ellensburg.

Th eater enthusiasts can enjoy performances year-round as local schools and Central Th eatre Ensemble at CWU put together high-quality performances and musicals. Community-based Valley Musical Th eatre in Ellensburg and Boulet Productions in Upper Kittitas County off er musical productions. Th ere also are several community choirs, bands and dance groups.

Historical museums off er a glimpse into the past and art galleries off er a peek into the creative talent of the community.

CENTRAL THEATRE ENSEMBLE

CWU’s theater department off ers a full schedule of performances open to students and the community each year. Past productions have included “Les Miserables,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Th e Tempest,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Mary Poppins,” among dozens of others. Th is year’s spring musical is “Into the Woods,” with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. For more information, go to www.cwu.edu/ theatre/

CWU MUSIC DEPARTMENT

CWU’s music department off ers plenty of opportunities for music enthusiasts to hear high-quality live music. Th e CWU Symphony Orchestra, choirs and jazz groups off er concerts throughout the school year. Other festivals and concerts highlight cellos, jazz, the wind ensemble, bands and the choir. Many performances are free. For tickets and schedules, go to www.cwu.edu/music.

VALLEY MUSICAL THEATRE

Ellensburg’s local musical theater company has produced a fully staged musical every summer since 1999. Th e board-run nonprofi t, supported and staff ed by community members, currently produces around four staged productions a year. For more information about performance schedules, auditioning or donating, go to www.valleymusicaltheatre.co. Th is summer’s musical is “Mamma Mia.”

MOVIES

Ellensburg and Roslyn both have movie theaters. Th e small 91-seat Roslyn Th eatre once served as a town mortuary, but was turned into a theater in the late 1970s. Showtimes are available at www.roslyntheatre.com. Grand Meridian Cinema in Ellensburg shows a variety of new releases. Visit www.ellensburgmovies.com for information.

MUSEUMS

Museums tell the history of the county and its cities. Th e Kittitas County Historical Museum in downtown Ellensburg contains displays including an antique doll collection, Native American bag and basket collection, antique automobile display, military history items and items from early businesses in the county. Th e Clymer Museum and Gallery showcases the work of Ellensburg Native John Ford Clymer.

Th e Museum of Culture and Environment at Central Washington University off ers a variety of exhibits that examine human life, culture and people’s interaction with the environment.

In the Upper County, people can explore the 1914 Carpenter House mansion and the telephone museum with old phones and switchboards in Cle Elum. Th e Roslyn Historical Museum provides a glimpse into Roslyn’s coal mining past.

ART GALLERIES

In downtown Ellensburg, people can head to Gallery One, the Western Culture and Art Alliance, which features the Clymer Museum and Gallery and Western Art Association collections in the Ramsey Building at 416 N. Pearl Street, the Goodey Gallery and the 420 Loft Art Gallery to view art. Th e Sarah Spurgeon Gallery at Randall Hall at CWU also hosts a variety of exhibits. Many of the galleries participate in the First Friday Art Walk on the fi rst Friday of the month.

At some point this year, the new home of the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame will open next door to the Western Culture and Art Alliance on Pearl Street.

In the Upper County, the High Country Artists’ work can be seen on display at the historical Carpenter House, and several businesses and locations in Roslyn host art shows.