Cle Elum, Washington, contains many excellent examples from its days as an early mining town. While Thomas L. Gambel arrived in the area about 1870, this city of about 3,000 people did not start developing until the Union Pacific Railroad started looking for a source of coal to get their trains over the Cascade Mountains. Railroad engineers Virgil Bogue and Herbert Huson named the city Cle Elum after the local Native American word for swift water. Railroad officials discovered a large vein nearby, and the railroad arrived in 1886. You will want to explore The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad's South Cle Elum Yard, the most intact railroad yard from that era in the U.S. The railroad used this facility until 1980, and you can see how technology changed the railroad industry over time.
A disastrous fire started by a cigarette thrown in trash behind a theater ravaged the city in 1918. Workers constructed most of the remaining buildings in the downtown area shortly after the fire. Almost the only structure left in the downtown area was the Kinney Building, which workers had built in 1910. The building is a prime example of wooden buildings from that era in small communities. There are some businesses in this town of 3,000 people that are over 100 years old. Start your day with a fresh pastry from Cle Elum Bakery, where the gas-powered oven has been churning out treats since 1908. Then, make your way out to Flying Horseshoe Ranch, which started as Teanaway Valley Farm, in 1904. This ranch is an excellent spot for a guided trail ride. You will also want to shop with the many downtown merchants, where you can find antiques, quilts, and trail snacks.
Rails-To-Ales BREWFEST – Taste beers from local craft breweries at this July festival held at Milwaukee Depot.
Cle Elum Harvest Festival – This October festival at Nelson Farm features two weekends full of activities, including hay mazes, a beer garden, ax throwing contests, live music, and animals.
Winterfest – Shop with local merchants, go ice skating, speed down a sledding hill, and swim at indoor pools during this December festival at various Cle Elum locations.
Mount Rainier National Park covers 368 square miles, but Congress has designated 97% of it as wilderness. There are over 260 miles of maintained trails in this park, and you can find outstanding options for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and ATVing.
North Cascade National Park contains more than 300 glaciers. This national park is a fantastic place to go hiking, especially from April to October. You can often find snow at higher elevations until late July or early August. There are over 400 camping spots, with many having full hookups and easy access. Gorge, Diablo, Ross lakes, and Lake Chelan are terrific places for a canoeing or boating adventure.
Olympic National Park is a fantastic place to go whitewater rafting. Families will love paddling through the old-growth forest growing along the Hoh River. Those ready for more challenging conditions will want to consider the Quinault River, especially through the gorge from Graves Creek Trailhead to Pony Bridge. This park's rugged coastline is a terrific place to look for life in tidepools.
Lake Easton State Park offers 270,000 feet of shoreline access to Lake Easton. This park's layout facilitates families to run back and forth between the beach and the playground. There are six miles of biking trails and 6.5 miles of hiking trails at this park near Easton.
Wenatchee Confluence State Park is a fantastic place to begin a hike on the 10-mile Apple Capital Loop Trail, which runs through Lincoln Road State Park. Officials have divided this park into two parts, with the northern part containing tennis and basketball courts, a baseball field, and a volleyball court. In contrast, the southern part retains its rustic nature.
Lincoln Rock State Park is above Rocky Reach Dam, and much of it looks like a city park, with ball fields, tennis and basketball courts, a playground, and a public swim beach. Rocky Reach Trail is a fantastic place to go on a hike or a bike ride. Late 19th-century explorers gave this park its name because the rock near its entrance looks like Abraham Lincoln's head.
Pay your respects at Laurel Hill Memorial Park to Signalman First Class Douglas A. Munro. The memorial contains an elaborate statue with an artistic cannon and other symbols to showcase Munro's time serving in World War II. He gallantly diverted enemy boats so that 12 U.S. boats could land in Hawaii. Enemy troops killed him because he placed his boat between the other ships and the enemy. President Truman presented his family with his Congressional Medal of Honor after his death. Behind his grave is a black stone wall containing the names of all military members who have served from Kittitas County. This is just one of many fantastic Washington landmarks to visit.
Wenatchee is about 65 miles northeast of Cle Elum, and you can find terrific Washington campground choices there. Wenatchee River County Park is open from April to October, and it provides easy access to the Wenatchee River from its location in Monitor, Washington. Entiat City Park is a fantastic city-owned campground with a two-lane boat ramp, which provides easy access to the Entiat Lake section of the Columbia River. Play on a sandy beach without leaving the campground when you choose to stay at Icicle River RV Park.
Motorhomes are divided into Class A, B, and C vehicles. On average expect to pay $185 per night for Class A, $149 per night for Class B and $179 per night for Class C. Towable RVs include 5th Wheel, Travel Trailers, Popups, and Toy Hauler. On average, in Cle Elum, WA, the 5th Wheel trailer starts at $70 per night. Pricing for the Travel Trailer begins at $60 per night, and the Popup Trailer starts at $65 per night.
Do you need to be a certain age to rent an RV in Cle Elum?Yes. The minimum age is 25 to be eligible to get an RV Rental in Cle Elum from RVshare.
Does RVshare have emergency roadside assistance?Yes. Every RV rental booked through RVshare receives 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.
Does RVshare offer one way RV rentals in Cle Elum?Yes. Prior to renting any RV, check with the owner since not all will offer this particular option.
