South Cle Elum Washington Map

About South Cle Elum, Washington

South Cle Elum is a locality in Kittitas County, Washington, United States. It is a small community with a population of 579. The population density is 679.0 people per km². South Cle Elum is located at 47.1857°N, 120.9490°W. It observes the Pacific Time (America/Los_Angeles) timezone. ZIP code: 98943.

South Cle Elum lies at the foot of the Cascade Mountains, a place where the land begins its dramatic ascent from the more temperate, rain-kissed western slopes towards the drier, sun-baked interior of Washington. It lies 23.0 miles northwest of Ellensburg, WA (from Ellensburg, WA: bearing 305°T), and is situated 34.1 miles west-southwest of Wenatchee. The Yakima River, a ribbon of cool, often glacially-fed water, flows nearby, its banks lined with cottonwoods and willows that offer a splash of verdant life against the backdrop of increasingly austere terrain. The air here, especially as the afternoon sun begins its slow descent, carries a distinct crispness, a harbinger of the cooler evenings that settle over the valley. The surrounding landscape, sculpted by eons of glacial action and the persistent flow of water, presents a study in geological patience, with weathered rock formations and alluvial plains hinting at powerful forces that shaped this corner of the state. The very soil of South Cle Elum holds the echoes of its past as a vital hub for the Northern Pacific Railway. Its early prosperity was intrinsically linked to the iron horse and the movement of goods and people across the formidable Cascade barrier, a testament to the ingenuity and grit required to bridge the vast distances. While the steam engines have long since fallen silent, the spirit of industriousness persists, now finding expression in a more diversified local economy that includes agriculture and small businesses. The town retains a grounded, unpretentious character, a place where the long, gray skies of the Pacific Northwest are met with a quiet resilience, and where the scent of pine mingles with the faint, enduring aroma of coal smoke from a bygone era.

About This South Cle Elum Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of South Cle Elum, Washington — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: 47.185675, -120.948971. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service, with current observations and a 7-day forecast also powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while a Wikipedia summary or an editorially written description provides background on South Cle Elum and Kittitas County.

Detailed location data for South Cle Elum includes the ZIP code (98943), telephone area code (509), county seat of Kittitas County (Ellensburg), and school district assignment (Cle Elum-Roslyn School District). These are among the most commonly searched location details for any US city or town.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct South Cle Elum is identified even where the name is shared across multiple counties or states. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.