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Olmstead Place Historical State Park
4.2 ★★★★☆ 141 Google reviews · Running trail in Ellensburg, Washington · Dawn to dusk
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Dawn to dusk
Confirmed from Olmstead Place Historical State Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Park with farming-history displays & buildings, plus tours, hiking trails, fishing & picnic areas.
What runners say about Olmstead Place Historical State Park
“Conveniently, there's a small parking area near the house and clean public restrooms available.”
“A beautiful area, of which I can see why that family settled there with lots of history here.”
I wasn't expecting this State Park to be so big or have as much to view. I stopped, thinking I would be there for a quick 10 minutes to check out an old cabin and was surprised to find there is a trail that goes to the barn or you can drive to the end of the street and park and see a bunch of buildings, Garden, and…
Schoolhouse and farm equipment with walking trail and restroom. Nice place to picnic. Guided tours available, would probably add a lot to the experience. Drive to the end of the road for the homestead.
This was a welcome respite for road weary travelers. Since it is a state park, you'll need the Discover Pass or a $10 day pass, which they thoughtful have stocked the envelopes and pens you'll need there to submit cash to the park ranger. We stopped to walk around the north end of the park and use the restrooms there.
These types of parks need to be looked at in context. There is not a huge amount to do or look at here but what there is is interesting. There is a small amount of very old farm equipment, some old buildings and a trail that goes out to an old school house.
Trail conditions & character
“It's a nice place to stretch your legs and use the bathroom before you continue journey to to your next destination.”
“A beautiful area, of which I can see why that family settled there with lots of history here.”
“Conveniently, there's a small parking area near the house and clean public restrooms available.”
“unfortunately the day we stopped the wind was blowing super fast scaring the dogs .”
Plan your run at Olmstead Place Historical State Park
The practical stuff
- AccessDawn to dusk — the gates close, so do not plan a run that finishes after dark
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- LightingRunners report lights on the path — useful for pre-dawn and after-work miles. Lighting and opening hours are separate things, so check both.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websiteparks.state.wa.us
- Phone+1 509-925-1943
- Social Instagram · Facebook
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