You have driven past Exit 80 on I-90 more times than you can count. Most people have. It is 80 miles east of Seattle, just past Snoqualmie Pass, and from the highway it looks like a gas station and a Dairy Queen.
It is not. Cle Elum is a former coal mining and railroad town sitting at the edge of the Wenatchee National Forest, with 260 sunny days a year, some of the best trail access in Central Washington, an Italian restaurant that has been feeding people since 1937, and a neighbor town two miles up the road that filmed a television show in Alaska without leaving Washington.
This guide covers everything to do in Cle Elum WA across a full weekend based in town. It is written for people who want real specifics, not a resort brochure.
In This Guide
- Getting to Cle Elum from Seattle
- What Cle Elum WA Is Actually Like
- Cle Elum Hiking Trails Worth Your Time
- Things to Do in Cle Elum WA Beyond the Trails
- Roslyn WA: The Town Two Miles Up the Road
- Where to Eat in Cle Elum WA
- Cle Elum Cabin Rental: Where to Stay
- Best Time for a Cle Elum WA Weekend Getaway from Seattle
- FAQ
Getting to Cle Elum from Seattle
Cle Elum is 80 miles east of Seattle on I-90. In normal traffic, the drive runs 90 minutes. Take Exit 80 for Cle Elum proper; First Street is the main drag and everything downtown is within a few blocks.
One honest caveat before you leave: Snoqualmie Pass sits between Seattle and Cle Elum, and it closes or slows significantly during winter storms. Check WSDOT pass conditions at wsdot.wa.gov before you go between November and April. The good news is that Cle Elum sits on the dry, east side of the Cascades and often has clear skies when the pass above it is messy.
No transit serves Cle Elum. This is a car trip.
What Cle Elum WA Is Actually Like Before You Book
Cle Elum was founded in the 1880s as a Northern Pacific Railway hub, and coal mining defined it for the better part of a century. The mines are closed. The town is not.
What remains is a compact, walkable First Street with businesses that have genuinely been here for generations, a food scene that surprises most first-time visitors, and direct access to hundreds of miles of trail in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The town gets around 260 sunny days per year, which is a significant upgrade from anything on the west side of the Cascades.
Cle Elum is not a resort town. It is a real working community with a tourism layer on top, which makes it more interesting than most weekend destinations within 90 minutes of Seattle.
Cle Elum Hiking Trails Worth Your Time
Cle Elum sits at the edge of the Wenatchee National Forest with access to over 87 trails covering everything from flat rail-trail walks to serious alpine objectives. Here are the four worth building a weekend around.
Coal Mines Trail
The most accessible trail in the area and the one most visitors overlook. This flat, 5.5-mile rail-trail conversion follows the old Northern Pacific railroad grade from South Cle Elum through Roslyn to the community of Ronald. It passes through former coal mining land and connects the two towns on foot.
Most people walk a 3-mile segment between Cle Elum and Roslyn. The trailhead is at Howard Carlin Memorial Park at 2nd and Stafford streets in Cle Elum. It ends at The Brick Tavern in Roslyn, which is a legitimate reason to walk somewhere.
No elevation gain. Stroller and dog friendly. The best introduction to the area’s industrial history without getting in a car.
Red Top Lookout
The best short-hike-to-big-view ratio in Central Washington. The trail is 1.1 miles as a loop with a few hundred feet of gain to a working fire lookout built in 1952. Views from the top cover Mount Stuart, Mount Rainier, the Teanaway Ridge, the Chelan and Entiat Mountains, and on a clear day Mount Adams.
Two things to know before you go. First, getting there requires a high-clearance vehicle, ideally AWD. Forest Road 9738, which accesses the trailhead, is rocky, narrow, and roughly 7 miles long from Highway 97. A sedan may not make it. Second, GPS navigation is unreliable in this area. Download offline maps before leaving Cle Elum.
The trail is roughly 25 miles north of Cle Elum via Highway 970 and Highway 97. The trailhead also sits in an area known for agates and thunder eggs, which is worth knowing if you have kids. Trail conditions and seasonal access updates are available through the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
Hex Mountain
A 6.9-mile out-and-back near Lake Cle Elum with panoramic views of Mount Rainier and Mount Stuart at the summit. Rated moderate to difficult. The trail has wildflowers in summer and a couple of false summits that will test your patience.
Do not be fooled by the false tops. The actual summit view is panoramic and worth the extra push. Best window is late June through September.
Swauk Forest Discovery Trail
A 2.5-mile interpretive loop about 20 miles north of Cle Elum on Highway 97 near Blewett Pass. Not a destination hike in summer. In early October, it is one of the better accessible larch stands in Central Washington.
Peak larch color typically runs the first two weeks of October but shifts year to year. Check recent trip reports on Washington Trails Association before making the drive specifically for larches.
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty | Best For | Key Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coal Mines Trail | 5.5 miles | Easy | All levels, families, dogs | Connects Cle Elum to Roslyn on foot |
| Red Top Lookout | 1.1 miles loop | Moderate | Big views, short on time | AWD/high clearance required |
| Hex Mountain | 6.9 miles | Moderate-Difficult | Summit views, wildflowers | False summits; stick with it |
| Swauk Forest Discovery Trail | 2.5 miles | Easy | Larch season | Best early October only |
Things to Do in Cle Elum WA Beyond the Trails
Yakima River Fly Fishing
The Yakima River runs through the valley and carries a Blue Ribbon designation from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the federal government’s top rating for fisheries. In spring, during snowmelt, the river runs thick with rainbow and cutthroat trout.
Troutwater Fly Shop at 113 E. First Street runs guided float trips and walk-and-wade adventures. A two-hour guided trip runs around $170. If you have never fly fished and want to try it properly, this is the right setup.
Cle Elum Telephone Museum
One of the stranger and more compelling stops in town. Cle Elum was one of the last cities in the United States to operate a manual telephone switchboard, and the museum at 221 E. First Street covers the history of telephone technology from 1876 through 1970.
Open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, noon to 4pm. Suggested donation is $4 per person, free for children 12 and under. Takes about 45 minutes and is the kind of stop that ends up being the thing you tell people about when you get home.
South Cle Elum Rail Depot
The Cascade Rail Foundation restored the original Milwaukee Road station in South Cle Elum, and the depot now houses a museum on the history of the electrified railroad that once connected the region. The agent’s office has a working telegraph display.
Tours are available from noon to 4pm on Saturdays, May through September. Call ahead to confirm access at 509-856-4121. If you have already walked the Coal Mines Trail and want more industrial history context, this pairs naturally with it.
Suncadia Resort
A 6,400-acre resort complex on the Cle Elum River between town and Roslyn. It has golf, a spa, miles of maintained trails, a winery (Swiftwater Cellars), and lodge accommodations.
You do not need Suncadia to have a good Cle Elum weekend. Full stop. Public trails in the Wenatchee National Forest give you the same hiking without the resort rate, and the food on First Street beats most resort dining. If the budget allows and the amenities matter, it earns its reputation. But it is not the story here.
Roslyn WA: The Town Two Miles Up the Road
If you are looking for things to do in Roslyn WA, the answer starts two miles north of Cle Elum on Highway 903. Founded in 1886 as a coal mining company town, Roslyn housed 4,000 people at its peak, making it one of the most diverse communities in Washington. Immigrant miners came from Poland, Italy, Slovenia, England, and after the 1888 labor strike, around 300 African American miners were recruited from Virginia and the Carolinas.
The last mine closed in 1963. The town did not disappear.
The Brick Saloon
Built in 1889 with 45,000 bricks, The Brick is the oldest continuously operating saloon in Washington State. The bar top was shipped from England. A 23-inch running water spittoon still flows along the base of the bar. Annual spittoon races are a real event. Ask the bartender about the jail cell in the basement.
It is a working bar, not a museum piece. Have a beer.
The Roslyn Cemeteries
On the hillside above town, 26 separate ethnic and fraternal cemeteries occupy 15 acres, each representing a different immigrant community that came to work the mines. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, this is one of the most significant cultural sites in Kittitas County and one of the most overlooked.
The diversity of nationalities documented here reflects a chapter of Washington’s labor history that most state history books undercount. Worth an hour on foot.
Northern Exposure Filming Locations
The 1990-1995 television series Northern Exposure filmed its exterior shots in Roslyn, using it as the fictional Cicely, Alaska. The camel mural on the Roslyn Cafe at 201 W. Pennsylvania Avenue is the most recognized location from the show’s opening credits.
The Roslyn Museum at 203 W. Pennsylvania Avenue has Northern Exposure memorabilia and a map of filming locations. Summer hours are Friday through Tuesday, 11am to 3pm. This is interesting for an hour. What actually makes Roslyn worth your time is the town’s own history, which stands independently of the television show.
Red Bird Cafe
Breakfast and brunch, scratch-made. The Bagna sandwich is the local favorite. Cinnamon rolls are made fresh daily. The staff are unhurried and the vibe is exactly what a former coal town’s best cafe should feel like.
Where to Eat in Cle Elum WA
The food situation in Cle Elum is better than the town’s size suggests. First Street has institutions that have outlasted everything around them by being consistently good.
The Anchors
MaMa Vallone’s has been in Cle Elum since 1937. Order the Bagna Cauda. A cast iron skillet arrives at the table with bubbling olive oil, butter, garlic, and anchovy. You drag vegetables and bread through it. It is not subtle.
It is the kind of appetizer that justifies the drive from Seattle on its own. Pasta and steaks are solid. The wine list is not complicated. Friday and Saturday nights fill up fast; reserve ahead or arrive early.
Owens Meats at 502 E. First Street has been operating since 1887, currently run by the fifth generation of the same family. It is the oldest continuously operating business in Kittitas County. Buy the pepperoni sticks. Buy them by the yard. They travel well and you will regret not getting more.
Cle Elum Bakery has been baking out of the same brick oven since 1906. The oven has never cooled. Open Wednesday through Sunday starting at 7am. Come before 10am on weekends or the good bread will be gone.
Craft Beer
Dru Bru at 1015 E. First Street relocated their flagship brewery from Snoqualmie Pass to Cle Elum proper. The taproom is large, all-ages, and well-designed. They brew on site with 20+ active taps including beers, ciders, and house-made non-alcoholic sodas.
Outdoor space with lawn games. This is a legitimate stop, not a compromise.
Taneum Creek Brewing takes a different approach: small-batch, oak-fermented rustic ales using 100% Eastern Washington ingredients. Worth trying if you want something more unusual.
Quick and Classic
Red Arrow Drive-In at 1011 E. First Street has been a Cle Elum fixture since 1953. The Burger Arrow with crinkle-cut fries and a milkshake is the move. Dog-friendly picnic lawn out front.
Glondo’s Sausage Co. at 216 E. First Street sells handcrafted Italian sausages, housemade frozen pizzas, and cheeses. Good for stocking a cabin kitchen on the way in.
| Restaurant | Address | What to Order | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| MaMa Vallone’s | Downtown Cle Elum | Bagna Cauda | Reserve Fri/Sat; family-run since 1937 |
| Owens Meats | 502 E. First St | Pepperoni sticks, jerky | Oldest business in Kittitas County, est. 1887 |
| Cle Elum Bakery | Downtown | French bread, donuts | Open Wed-Sun from 7am; sells out early |
| Dru Bru | 1015 E. First St | Rotating taps, ciders | All-ages, brewed on site |
| Red Arrow Drive-In | 1011 E. First St | Burger Arrow, milkshake | Open since 1953, dog-friendly lawn |
| Red Bird Cafe (Roslyn) | Downtown Roslyn | Bagna sandwich, cinnamon rolls | Best breakfast near Roslyn |
| The Brick Saloon (Roslyn) | Downtown Roslyn | Whatever’s on tap | Oldest saloon in Washington, est. 1889 |
Cle Elum Cabin Rental: Where to Stay
Cle Elum has a range of accommodation from budget motels on First Street to full resort properties at Suncadia. For most people planning a Cle Elum cabin rental, the right call is a privately managed vacation home: more space, a kitchen, room for a group, and direct access to the surrounding landscape without the resort rate.
The area around Cle Elum, Roslyn, and Lake Cle Elum has a solid inventory of privately managed cabins and homes. Properties near the lake and along the Cle Elum River corridor tend to book earliest in summer and during ski season.
Stay with Stay lists professionally managed vacation rentals in the Cle Elum area, where hosts keep 100% of their earnings and pay a flat annual fee rather than a per-booking commission. That keeps rates competitive and means you are booking directly with a host who has a real stake in the property. Browse available cabin rentals near Cle Elum here.
Booking tip: summer weekends and October larch season book fast. Mid-week stays in September and early October are often available at lower rates with better trail conditions.
Best Time for a Cle Elum WA Weekend Getaway from Seattle
Summer (June through August) is peak season for a Cle Elum WA weekend getaway from Seattle. Hiking conditions are reliable, the Yakima River is fishable, and evenings cool down significantly compared to the Yakima Valley to the south.
Cle Elum runs warmer and sunnier than Seattle but avoids the 100-degree heat of eastern Washington lowlands. Book accommodation early; July and August weekends fill fast.
Early October is the single best time to visit if you are not fixated on summer hiking.
Larch season in the Swauk area and Blewett Pass, about 20 miles north of Cle Elum on Highway 97, delivers fall color that rivals anything in Washington. Peak color runs the first two weeks of October but shifts year to year. Check recent WTA trip reports before making the drive specifically for larches.
Winter (December through March) works if you are using Cle Elum as a base for skiing at Snoqualmie Pass, 25-30 minutes west on I-90. The Summit at Snoqualmie runs mid-December through late April.
Lodging in Cle Elum proper runs significantly cheaper than anything at the pass itself, and you have actual restaurants and bars within walking distance of where you sleep.
Before any winter trip: check WSDOT pass conditions at wsdot.wa.gov before leaving Seattle. Snoqualmie Pass closes during serious storms and delays are common.
Spring (March through May) is the weakest season. Forest roads are muddy, many trails are unpredictable, and Red Top Lookout is typically inaccessible until late spring. Fly fishing on the Yakima picks up in May as snowmelt brings fish into feeding mode.
FAQ: Cle Elum WA
How far is Cle Elum from Seattle?
Cle Elum is 80 miles east of Seattle on I-90, roughly 90 minutes in normal traffic. Take Exit 80 for downtown Cle Elum. In winter, Snoqualmie Pass between Seattle and Cle Elum can close or cause significant delays during storms. Check WSDOT conditions at wsdot.wa.gov before leaving.
What is Cle Elum WA known for?
Cle Elum is known for its coal mining and railroad history, access to trails in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, and a food scene anchored by institutions like MaMa Vallone’s (since 1937), Owens Meats (est. 1887), and the Cle Elum Bakery (since 1906). It is also the closest town to Roslyn, which served as the filming location for the television series Northern Exposure.
What are the best things to do in Cle Elum WA?
The Coal Mines Trail between Cle Elum and Roslyn is the most accessible activity and a strong introduction to the area’s mining history. Red Top Lookout is a short but steep hike with some of the best views in Central Washington. Roslyn, two miles north on Highway 903, has The Brick Saloon (oldest in Washington, open since 1889) and 26 historic ethnic cemeteries. MaMa Vallone’s Bagna Cauda is the best meal within 90 minutes of Seattle.
Is Cle Elum good for a weekend trip from Seattle?
Yes. At 80 miles and roughly 90 minutes, it is one of the closer destinations east of the Cascades that offers genuine hiking, good food, and enough to fill two full days. Cle Elum and neighboring Roslyn work together as a single weekend: hiking the Coal Mines Trail between them, eating on First Street, and exploring Roslyn’s coal town history covers a Saturday thoroughly. Sunday leaves time for a trail or the Yakima River before heading back.
What is Roslyn WA famous for?
Roslyn is best known as the filming location for the 1990-1995 television series Northern Exposure, which used the town as its fictional Alaskan village of Cicely. Beyond that, Roslyn has The Brick Saloon, the oldest continuously operating bar in Washington (built 1889), and 26 historic ethnic cemeteries representing the diverse immigrant communities who came to work the coal mines. The last mine closed in 1963.
Do I need to stay at Suncadia to enjoy Cle Elum?
No. Suncadia is a well-run resort with good amenities, but the public trails in Wenatchee National Forest give you the same hiking without the resort rate. The food on First Street in Cle Elum and in Roslyn is better than most resort dining. A vacation rental cabin near Cle Elum gives you more space for less money and the same access to the surrounding landscape.
What are the best Cle Elum hiking trails for beginners?
The Coal Mines Trail is the most beginner-friendly, flat and accessible with no elevation gain, running 5.5 miles between South Cle Elum and Roslyn. Gold Creek Pond near Snoqualmie Pass was a popular easy loop, but the area is closed to hikers April through November through 2027 for a restoration project. For a slightly more demanding option with a significant payoff, Red Top Lookout is 1.1 miles but requires a high-clearance vehicle to reach the trailhead.
When is larch season near Cle Elum?
Larch season in the Swauk area and near Blewett Pass, about 20 miles north of Cle Elum on Highway 97, typically peaks in the first two weeks of October. The Swauk Forest Discovery Trail is a 2.5-mile accessible loop through good larch coverage. Exact timing shifts year to year; check recent trip reports at wta.org before making the drive specifically for fall color.
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