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Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 16 Google reviews · Running trail in Ellensburg, Washington · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Crushed gravel
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Not reported
Confirmed from Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail'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.
What runners say about Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail
“Paved trail as long as you wanna go it's clean and has a options of right or left at 20 miles to bike ,walk, run, not real scenic but lava rocks are abundant .”
There are several ways to get to this area, though the official one is off of 8th and Alder, across from the Rodeo Headquarters. There's not really a parking lot, though there are a few places to park. There's a gravel road that runs next to the canal, and then there are some trails that go up into the park.
Great trail to jog, run, ride or just walk. Nice views of the night sky. This portion of the Iron Horse trail is affectionately called the John Wayne trail by locals.
Paved trail as long as you wanna go it's clean and has a options of right or left at 20 miles to bike ,walk, run, not real scenic but lava rocks are abundant ..
I used the trail and ran 10 miles out of the city and 10 miles back. The park looks like it could use some remodeling. It felt like being in an abandoned park where weeds are overtaking the pavement.
Trail conditions & character
“Paved trail as long as you wanna go it's clean and has a options of right or left at 20 miles to bike ,walk, run, not real scenic but lava rocks are abundant .”
“There's a gravel road that runs next to the canal, and then there are some trails that go up into the park.”
Plan your run at Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
- 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.
- Websiteparks.state.wa.us
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Running trails near Ellensburg
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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Palouse to Cascades state park trail (John Wayne trail)
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Paul Rogers Wildlife Park
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West Ellensburg Park
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Relaxed outdoor space for playing frisbee, baseball or soccer. Free-range dogs, too.