Barn Quilt Trail Painted Stories of Kittitas County // Author: Nicole Klauss

Kittitas County is known for its outdoor recreation opportunities like fishing, hiking and a lesser known gem — Washington state’s first barn quilt trail.

In April 2012 a group of community-minded friends met together in Ellensburg, Washington to discuss the feasibility of a Barn Quilt Trail in the agriculturally rich, Kittitas County.

An enthusiastic response came from everyone that we had introduced the project to. The group’s expertise included business administration, project management, sales and marketing, writing, barn architecture and history, quilting and digital photography. Tasks were assigned according to time and experience and the Kittitas County Barn Quilt Trail was underway!

The Kittitas County Barn Quilt Trail features more than 100 painted quilt squares up on barns from Roslyn to Ellensburg. This is a great way to enjoy a day drive and a scavenger hunt activity in this scenic location. How many barn quilts can you find? The trail is self-guided, so you can map out your own journey. Soak in the beauty of Kittitas County!

All About Barn Quilts

Kittitas County is the first county in the state to have a barn quilt tour. The barn quilts honor Kittitas County’s agricultural industry. The designs vary, and sometimes the property owner chooses a specific pattern to acknowledge a loved one or the property’s history. The quilts are either 4-by-4 or 8-by-8 feet depending on the barn size and proximity to the road.

For locations to be considered for barn quilts, they have to be on a well-traveled (usually paved) road, so they can be easily viewed from the roadway. This means you should be able to drive by the barns slowly, or view them from the side of the road without having to get up close to the property or other people.
Some of these barn quilts are also located at or near local businesses that you can support.

Printable maps are available to download in PDF format at the bottom of each map page. You will also find a digital map that you can view on phone or tablet that will provide driving directions via Google Map on each page as well. We hope you enjoy your time traveling the Barn Quilt Trail!

Kittitas County is known for its outdoor recreation opportunities like fishing, hiking and a lesser known gem — Washington state’s first barn quilt trail.

All About Barn Quilts

Print a map from your home, or pull up the current map on your phone and get to exploring! The Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce plans to release a new online map in May. Physical maps are available at the visitor centers when they reopen.

The First Barn Quilt

Ellensburg business, Dusty’s Nursery, is the site of the first barn quilt on the trail.

The business is located on historic Dominion Farm, and the barn was built in 1901. It has been a nursery and garden center since 1993. The barn features a star block quilt pattern in patriotic colors.

Owner Sharon Brunson said she designed the quilt with a patriotic theme because her husband’s family came to the United States a couple of years after the Mayflower, and his family fought in all of the wars the U.S. was in, except for in recent years. The BB on the barn is the Brunson family’s brand, though they no longer run sheep or cattle in the valley.

Dusty's Nursery

The nursery is located just a few minutes from downtown Ellensburg. They specialize in irrigation systems, landscaping and plants. From vines and grasses to annuals and vegetable starts, Dusty’s Nursery has options that will make anyone with a green thumb smile.

They also sell unique gifts like food, scarves, candles, jewelry and garden art, which are all great ideas for Mother’s Day gifts. They offer complimentary gift wrapping and will act as a personal shopper over video chat. They are willing to ship items too.

Author: Nicole Klauss

Nicole Klauss is a journalist-turned-marketer who is passionate about storytelling across platforms. She lives in Ellensburg, Washington and plays roller derby in her spare time.