The Yellowstone Trail - Ellensburg to Richland
By Curt Cunningham
Summer of 2012

Leaving Ellensburg and heading south, the Yellowstone Trail initially follows Main Street before turning west onto Umptanum Road and crossing the freeway. We continued south on Umptanum Road, which traces the path of the old stagecoach route over Ellensburg Pass toward Wenas. After about two miles and a crossing over the river, the pavement ends, giving way to 30 miles of rough dirt road that stretches ahead before finally reaching Wenas. In 1915 the Yellowstone Trail originally followed this route but in 1924 the Yakima Canyon Road was constructed becoming a section of US Highway 97. Today it is known as Washington State Highway 821. Shortly after the road was completed the Yellowstone Trail was rerouted onto this new highway bypassing the rough Wenas Road. This only lasted a year as the Yellowstone trail was again rerouted over the Sunset Highway between Spokane and Seattle.

We continued on North Wenas Road all the way to Selah. Once in Selah, the route follows North Wenas Road (also SR-823), leading us to a left turn onto East Naches Avenue. From there, a right onto South 1st Street (still SR-823) takes us further south. Just before the road expands into four lanes and crosses the Yakima River, the original trail once veered slightly left to connect with Golf Course Road. Here, a small stretch of original concrete pavement still remains. Historically, Golf Course Road crossed the river and connected to what is now US-97. A 1901 quadrangle map reveals that the road from Selah to Yakima paralleled the trolley line, which was constructed in 1912 and spanned the Naches River to link the two towns.

The trail continues south along South 1st Street into Yakima, which then becomes Main Street as it enters Union Gap. Before reaching Union Gap, the original road veered right onto Old Town Road, then left onto West Valley Mall Road, and finally right onto Rudkin Road, which ultimately turns into Main Street once again. Exiting Union Gap, the trail followed what is now the US-12 on-ramp, though just before merging onto US-12, the original road curved more to the right onto an abandoned alignment. This old path parallels the railroad tracks, passing a junction where US-97 bends right, crossing both Burlington Northern and Union Pacific tracks before reconnecting with US-97 at a highway marker.

Heading south on US-97, we turned left and crossed the Yakima River at Parker via Parker Bridge Road. The original alignment would have veered left here, but today’s route takes you one block south before turning onto 2nd Street, then north and right onto Parker Road, which travels east toward Yakima Valley Highway. Continuing south on Yakima Valley Highway for about a mile, we reached Parker Heights Road, another section of the old alignment. The road reconnects with Yakima Valley Highway before veering left onto Buena Road at the town of Buena.

Continuing along Yakima Valley Highway toward Zillah, the route takes a right turn onto Roza Drive/5th Avenue, followed by a left onto 1st Avenue. At this intersection, a new Yellowstone Trail sign marks the historic path. Turning right onto 1st Avenue and traveling a mile brings you to the famous Teapot Gas Station, a quirky landmark along the trail. Leaving Zillah, we followed 1st Avenue east across Yakima Valley Highway and onto Division Road, which curves right, then left, before meeting up with Durham Road. Durham Road runs southeast along the freeway and reconnects with Yakima Valley Highway.

Following Yakima Valley Highway, we entered Granger. The old road originally continued south through town, but now diverts left due to the construction of the interstate. As we left Granger, the historic route turned east onto Van Belle Road, followed by a right onto Scoon Road, heading south into Sunnyside. From there, the trail turned right onto North Avenue, then left onto North 16th Street, heading south out of town. North 16th Street transitions into Sunnyside-Mabton Road (SR-241), and after a couple of miles, the trail turned left onto Grandview Pavement Road. Crossing the tracks into Grandview, the road turned left onto Division Street, then right onto 4th Street. Traveling through town, the road eventually turned right onto North Elm Street/Old Prosser Road, heading south.

About two miles down the road, the trail turned left onto Robinson Road, then right onto South County Line Road, where it rejoined the Old Prosser Highway. This road transforms into the Old Inland Empire Highway, commonly referred to as the "O.I.E." At one point, the road veers right onto Wine Country Road and crosses the river into Prosser. After crossing, the road turns left onto Grant Avenue, taking you through the heart of Prosser before merging back onto the O.I.E.

Continuing along the O.I.E. for about five miles, the old road crossed the tracks and turned onto District Line Road. The trail followed the railroad tracks, eventually turning left onto West Rayhill Road, curving right, and crossing back over the O.I.E. before curving left again and rejoining the highway. About a mile later, the road took a left onto East Corral Creek Road, winding through a gulch before curving right onto Whitmore Way. From here, the road meanders downhill onto West Williams Road, turning right onto Highlands Road, which leads south back to the O.I.E. Following the O.I.E., the road leads east into Benton City, where it turns right onto West 13th Street, then left onto Della Avenue, guiding you through town. Once through Benton City, a right onto SR-225 takes you south across the river into Kiona.

After crossing the river, we turned left onto SR-225/Kennedy Road and continued east. About a mile and a half later, the original road veered left, heading northeast to meet up with SR-224, which carried the route into West Richland. This section of the old trail is now a private dirt road. The route then follows SR-224 into Richland, curving onto Fallon Road before reconnecting with SR-224 and continuing into the city. The exact path through Richland becomes somewhat convoluted, but it eventually links with George Washington Way (SR-240), guiding us toward Kennewick.

This historic journey along the Yellowstone Trail provides a glimpse into the pioneering days of travel across Washington State, filled with scenic backroads, old alignments, and remnants of the region’s early transportation history.