Best route from Pasco, WA to Yakima, and then on to Ellensburg?
 

I am deep into my TransAm bike trip and plan to detour up to Seattle. My question is; what is the best route to Yakima from Pasco, WA, and then the next day to Ellensgurg? Then I'll be going over Snoqualmie Pass toward downtown Seattle.

Thanks

Do you have to go to ellensburg for a particular reason? I'd be inclined to head from yakima towards chinook pass on hwy 410 to enumclaw, then heading to seattle.

From ellensburg you would be taking the john wayne pioneer trail, and that is not paved, FYI.

From Pasco find your way to Richland and then take SR 224 to Benton City. I 82 to Prosser where you can get off and follow SR 22 to US 97 in Toppenish and on into Union Gap. North through Yakima and then back onto I 82 for less than a mile and off again at Selah. Through Selah to SR 821 to Ellensburg. Drop me a pm if you want to grab a cup of joe around lunch time in E'burg.

From Ellensburg there are several county road routes into Cle Elum and on past. From there you'll have to grab the aforementioned trail at some point because of a closure near Hyak. From mile post 62 to Hyak (mp 56) it is closed. The trail is the only way for bicycles. The good news is from there you can either continue on the trail or get on what is the old highway to the top of Snoqualmie pass. and down the other side between the eb and wb lanes. Except for the closed part the shoulders are plenty wide enough, although the freeway is noisy. Once you make it to Exit 34 it is easy to get off and follow slightly quieter roads.

You can ride on the I-90 shoulder. You just can't once you hit Issaquah. Oh shoot. You can but you can't. I just looked at the link below and he's right. It's shutdown to bikes around Lake Kacheless because of construction. Personally w/ my touring bike I'd do it.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/closed.htm

The Apple Valley Kiwanis Wine Country Trek follows some nice side roads from Yakima to Prosser and back. Actually, the "back" portion is flatter and smoother than the "to" portion, but the "to" portion goes past several wineries (hic!).

I'd point at the map, but it looks like the Apple Valley Kiwanis website has been hacked. Here's a link to the Active.com registration page: http://www.active.com/cycling/yakima...try-trek--2012