The MILEPOST: Alaska Travel Guide and Trip Planner

Connects: I-90 Junction, WA to Yellowhead Hwy 16 Junction, BC
Routes#: U.S. Highway 97, Yellowhead Highway 5
Length: 596 miles/960 km
Road Surface: Paved
Season: Open all year
Maps (1 detailed pdf files available):
Ellensburg, WA to Yellowhead Hwy 16 Junction, BC

This is a meandering, mostly 2-lane road through Washington’s Okanogan valley and British Columbia’s Okanagan (spelled with 3 a's) valley, a popular tourist area for water sports and wine tasting. This route then heads north through the Cariboo Mountains via Yellowhead Highway 5, accessing Wells Gray Provincial Park (famous for its waterfalls).

The Central Access Route junctions with Yellowhead Highway 16 at Tete Jaune Cache, where travelers have 2 choices to reach Dawson Creek and the start of the Alaska Highway: Drive west on Yellowhead Highway 16 to Prince George, then north on Highway 97 to Dawson Creek, a distance of 416 miles/669 km; or drive east on Yellowhead Highway 16 through Jasper National Park to Hinton, then take the Bighorn Route north to Grande Prairie, then Highways 43/2 to Dawson Creek, for a total driving distance of 390 miles/628 km.

The MILEPOST® Quick Reference Log
Miles from Ellensburg (E) shown.

E 0 Exit Interstate 90 at Exit 106; food, gas, lodging. Access to Ellensburg (pop. 18,174); all services.
E 22.3 U.S. Forest Service Mineral Springs campground.
E 25.9 U.S. Forest Service Swauk campground.
E 30 Blewett Pass (elev. 4,102 feet) turnout.
E 57.6 CASHMERE (pop. 3,063); all services. Home of Aplets and Cotlets.
E 62 Wenatchee River County Park campground.
E 65.4 Exit south for city of WENATCHEE (pop. 31,925); all services.
E 72.2 Lincoln Rock State Park and Rocky Reach Dam; camping, picnicking.
E 82 Orondo River Park; camping, picnicking.
E 85.4 Daroga State Park; camping, picnicking.
E 101 Beebe Bridge Park; camping, picnicking.
E 101.5 Junction with Washington Highway 150 to Chelan (3 miles).
E 120.1 PATEROS (pop. 667); food, gas, lodging.
E 126.4 BREWSTER (pop. 2,370); food, gas, lodging.
E 154.3 OKANOGAN (pop. 2,552), all services.
E 157.6 OMAK (pop. 4,845), food, gas, lodging.
E 181.1 TONASKET (pop. 1,032), food, gas, camping.
E 197.7 OROVILLE (pop. 1,686); food, gas, lodging.
E 203 U.S.–Canada border at Oroville, WA; open 24-hours daily
E 203.8 Haynes Point Provincial Park, camping.
E 204.3 Acess 1 mile/1.6 km east to OSOYOOS (pop. 5,044) all services.
E 205.6 BC Visitor Centre/Osoyoos. Gas and fast-food outlets.
E 217.7 OLIVER (pop. 4,564); fas, gas, lodging.
E 221.6 Inkaneep Provincial Park; camping.
E 227.3 Vaseux Lake Provincial Park; camping.
E 231 OKANAGAN FALLS (pop. 1,700); food, gas, lodging.
E 240.3 Turnoff for PENTICTON (pop. 32,993), all services.
E 253.1 SUMMERLAND (pop. 11,110); all services.
E 259 Okanagan Lake Provincial Park, camping.
E 281 KELOWNA (pop. 115,000); all services.
E 309 Kekuli Bay Provincial Park; camping.
E 314.5 VERNON (pop. 38,444); all services.
E 323 Historic O’Keefe Ranch.
E 369.5 Exit west at junction with Trans-Canada HIghway 1.
E 386 Exit 374 north for Kamloops and Yellowhead Highway 5 to Tete Jaune Cache. KAMLOOPS (pop. 90,000), all services.
E 425 BARRIERE (area pop. 5,000) has food, gas and lodging.
E 443.5 LITTLE FORT (pop. 200) has food, gas and lodging.
E 459.5 North Thompson River Provincial Park.
E 462 CLEARWATER (pop. 7,000); food, gas, lodging, camping.
E 462.4 Junction with Clearwater Valley Road to Wells Gray Provincial Park. Food, gas and lodging at junction.
E 504 Community of AVOLA has gas station, food and lodging.
E 584.5 VALEMOUNT (pop. 1,100); food, gas, lodging.
E 585 Irvin’s Campground.
E 596.5 Junction with Yellowhead Highway 16 at Tete Jaune Cache.