Located just east of the Cascade Range, Ellensburg is a small college town home to Central Washington University. “Everything kind of revolves around CWU here — they are the town’s biggest employer,” says Heidi Bright of Coldwell Banker, who has over 25 years of experience in the area. “It kind of feels empty at times during the summer when the students aren’t all here.” CWU has called Ellensburg home since 1891; the college currently has over 12,000 students and over 1,000 employees. Ellensburg is also known as the world’s largest producer of Timothy hay, a staple in the diet of cattle, horses and rabbits. The city is the county seat of Kittitas County and has nearly 19,000 residents.
Ellensburg is located just east of the Cascade Range.
Ellensburg is a college town as Central Washington University is located there.
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Fishing in the Yakima River
Ellensburg maintains 16 public parks, but many locals utilize the natural landscape for outdoor recreation. “The Yakima River has world-class fly fishing,” Bright says. Mattoon Lake is a popular spot for bass and trout fishing as well as kayaking, and locals paddleboard and swim in the smaller Carey Lake. Howard’s Way Trail is a one-mile loop trail for hiking and mountain biking. Just east of town is the 217-acre Olmstead Place State Park, a favorite spot for picnicking, hiking and birdwatching. The Ellensburg Golf and Country Club has been a staple just west of the city since 1934. “People just love being outside here no matter what they're doing,” says Bright. “You always have kids riding their bikes or people outside their homes gardening for fun.”
The Yakima River has world-class fly fishing for sporting residents of Ellensburg.
Mattoon Lake is a popular spot for bass and trout fishing as well as kayaking, and locals paddleboard and swim in the smaller Carey Lake.
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Dining in Downtown Ellensburg
Most shopping and dining in Ellensburg is in the downtown area just southwest of CWU’s campus. Sporting goods stores, boutique clothing shops and art galleries are scattered across Main Street, along with diners, Indian restaurants and pizza joints. A downtown favorite is Dick and Jane’s Spot, a private residence turned art gallery. Richard Elliott and Jane Orleman have lived at the home since graduating from CWU in the 1970s. The yard is filled with hundreds of unique pieces of art from Elliott, Orleman and over 40 other artists from the Pacific Northwest. Breweries, wine bars and coffee shops are within a few blocks of Main Street.
D&M Coffee in towntoen Ellensburg has many delicous roasts to try.
Evolve Clothing & Jewelry in downtown Ellensburg sells some beautiful artistic items to spice up your wardrobe.
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Rodeo over Labor Day weekend
The largest community event is the Ellensburg Rodeo, which coincides with the Kittitas County Fair. The event takes place every Labor Day weekend and has barrel racing, a carnival and a large western parade. “It’s our favorite event, and it’s the biggest rodeo in the Pacific Northwest,” says Bright. “It’s also the final qualifying event for the bull riders who go to Vegas for the world championships.”
New builds in Ellensburg
Single-family homes in Ellensburg have a median price of $427,000. “The value is really good here,” says Bright. “It’s very affordable for what you can get, especially compared to other cities in the state.” The northern area of town has new developments with subdivisions of homes from the 2020s, while midcentury homes are more popular around campus and the downtown district. Most homes sit on quiet streets with large lots and private driveways and garages.
Most homes sit on quiet streets with large lots and private driveways and garages.
Single-family homes in Ellensburg have a median price of $427,000 which is comparitvely good to other regions.
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Learning in the Ellensburg School District
Area kids attend the Ellensburg School District, which holds a B ranking on Niche. The district serves just under 4,000 students and has a 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Ellensburg High School is the only public high school in town and has a B rating. Juniors and seniors at Ellensburg High can also enroll at Central Washington University.
Kids in the area attend the Ellensburg School District, which holds a B ranking on Niche.
The district serves just under 4,000 students and has a 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio.
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Less rain than the Washington average
Ellensburg sees an average of just under nine inches of precipitation per year, much lower than the Washington state average. “You actually get to see the sunshine here, which you don’t get everywhere in Washington,” says Bright. The town experiences mild summers with temperatures in the low 80s and chilly winters with lows in the 20s.
Ellensburg experiences mild summers with temperatures in the low 80s and chilly winters with lows in the 20s.
Ellensburg sees an average of just under nine inches of precipitation per year, much lower than the Washington state average.
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Riding Ellensburg Central Transit buses
Locals can hop on Ellensburg Central Transit buses for transportation around town; the buses offer fare-free routes seven days a week. The Yakima Air Terminal is 40 miles south of town via Interstate 82 and provides daily flights to Seattle. Commuters can also drive just over 100 miles west on Interstate 90 to Seattle. According to the FBI, both violent and property crime rates in Ellensburg have stayed consistent in the past three years. Violent and property crime rates are under the state average and hover near the national average.
Written By
John Moyer
Photography Contributed By
Perry Cucinotta
Video By
Houston Knight
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