You Can Get There From Here (but it isn't easy!)

This is a map of how to get to the Manastash Ridge Observatory. It takes about a 3 hour drive from the University of Washington to reach the observatory. Please note that as of the winter of 2002 the state in its infinte wisdom has seen fit to save the many salmon in the Manastash Creek by plowing under the Riggs Canyon Road. (Yes, they are from the government and they are here to help...just in case you didn't know.) It is therefore no longer possible to reach the observatory from the North. We are now forced to take the Southern route by way of the Umptanum Road.

To get to the observatory from Seattle you start by taking I-90 East to the Canyon Road exit, which is the last Ellensburg exit along I-90. You will travel about 108 miles on I-90 before seeing the Canyon Road exit. At the bottom of the exit ramp you turn right on Canyon Road and head back towards the middle of Ellensburg. Umptanum Road is 0.5 miles from the Canyon Road exit. It is the 2nd stoplight you will see. Turn left onto Umptanum Road.

You should pass the Dammon School on your right after 1.6 miles on the Umptanum road. The Umptanum Road will lead you up the Shushuskin Canyon. 3.4 miles past the Dammon School you will reach the top of this canyon and the road will turn into an unpaved dirt road. Four-wheeled drive cars are recommended for this segment of the trip. You will travel 9.6 miles on this dirt road before you get to the Observatory Road.

The Observatory Road will be on the right side of the Umptanum road and is poorly marked. You need to be paying close attention to find it! There used to be a wood and wire gate that you had to move to get into the Observatory Road, but at this time this "gate" is demolished and is lying unrecognizably along side the Observatory Road. You will know that you are within 0.3 miles of the Observatory Road intersection when you pass the driveway of a large house with a green roof on the hillside to your left.

On the Observatory Road, you take rights at all forks until you reach the top of the Manastash Ridge where you will encounter the observatory "driveway" fork. The map shows several landmarks along the Observatory Road.

Take care not to follow the Mudflat Road or you will end up at "Andy Silber's Folly" (trust me you don't want to go there when its wet...the name is well deserved). You will see the Mudflat Road intersection 2.3 miles after turning off of the Umptanum Road.

You will encounter a second cattle grate and the Riggs Canyon road intersection after 4.1 miles of travel along the Observatory Road. Don't cross the second cattle grate! If you do you will end up going down into the Riggs Canyon Road which (as we have stated earlier) has been plowed under at the bottom of the canyon by the state. Instead, go right at the intersection just before the second cattle grate. You will travel approximately 0.5 more miles on this road before seeing a fork in the road. The left leg of this fork is the observatory's "driveway".

Sorry for the long-winded directions, but there is no other way to give you this information!

Current Condition of the roads to MRO (as of 3/1/05):

• North Road (through Wheeler Canyon): Exceedingly poor! Despite our best efforts and those of the neighbors at the bottom of the hill, the state has closed this road to help save salmon...you know, all those salmon in Manastash Creek?
• South Road (the LONG way!): 3 areas with ruts could give non-4WD cars difficulties. This road now also features locked gates (!) -- please contact Chris Laws for information on acquiring keys to get through these new obstacles.