Blog · October 14, 2026 · Washington
Reading the Ellensburg Plat Map for a lot
A recorded plat shows how land near South Cle Elum was divided into lots.
Main page: Kittitas County, WA GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
Platbookmapper is an Amazon Associate. If you buy through an Amazon link on this page, we earn a commission. The link is a product, not the county map.
If a legal description for land in Ellensburg cites a lot number, look up the Ellensburg plat map it refers to. Covered here for Ellensburg: where plats are filed, how a plat differs from a parcel map, and the details that matter to buyers.
The Ellensburg plat map: start here
For a lot in Ellensburg, look for the plat book reference on the parcel record; bring that to the recorder's office or its online index.
Opening the official parcel viewer
Begin with the Kittitas County ArcGIS parcel map; it maps each tax parcel around South Cle Elum and Cle Elum. If you're looking near South Cle Elum, type a street address, an owner's name or a parcel number, and the matching parcel lights up. For property near Kittitas, write down the parcel ID before closing the panel; every records desk in the county uses it to find the file.
Ellensburg and the county around it
Ellensburg is part of Kittitas County, Washington, which means parcel data comes from the county. The town is also the county seat, which puts the County Auditor close by, at least around Roslyn. In and around Kittitas, city or town hall handles matters such as zoning, permits and utilities within town limits, and the county still keeps the parcel and deed records. Acreage past the city limits out by Kittitas usually follows county rules, not municipal ones.
How a plat differs from the tax map
The tax map on the Kittitas County ArcGIS parcel map is a summary, whereas the plat carries surveyed dimensions.
Who handles what
If the acreage or value on a parcel near Kittitas looks off are handled by the County Assessor, the office behind the parcel record. Questions about what you can build around South Cle Elum are for the local planning and health departments, town or county, depending on location.
Next door to Kittitas County
Kittitas County meets Chelan County, Douglas County, Grant County, King County, and Pierce County, all with their own assessor records. Ground near South Cle Elum that runs to the line may be split in two county records, so look at the neighboring map as well. On ground around Roslyn, the Platbookmapper state page lists each bordering county map across Washington.
Details on the Ellensburg plat map
Easements on the plat near Kittitas can block a shed or pool; read the notes on the sheet.
Recorded documents worth pulling
For anything that matters, pull the recorded deed through the County Auditor; the parcel map near Cle Elum only summarizes it. For a home near Cle Elum, have ready the document number shown in the record panel so staff can find the deed fast.
How land is described here
Washington follows the Public Land Survey System, so rural legal descriptions near Cle Elum cite section, township and range. A standard section is about one square mile, roughly 640 acres, with 36 sections to a township, though corrections make some sections near South Cle Elum odd-sized. Keep the legal description for land near Roslyn when you talk to a surveyor.
Amended plats
Lots near Kittitas can be combined or reconfigured by a replat, so check for later filings; street vacations near South Cle Elum show up in the records too.
When there's no plat
Rural land near Cle Elum that was never subdivided is often described by metes and bounds or survey description; look for a recorded survey for land near South Cle Elum.
Kittitas County in a few facts
Ellensburg is the county seat, where most land records are kept. You'll also find Kittitas, Cle Elum, Roslyn, and South Cle Elum, where town lots give way to larger tracts. Around 45,508 people call Kittitas County home (Census Bureau estimate, 2023) across some 2,297 square miles. Kittitas County dates to 1883, so old deeds can run back a long way. Places such as Snoqualmie National Forest are easy to spot when you zoom out from Kittitas.
Limits of the parcel data
Listed acreage is a tax-roll number; just a licensed surveyor can set the real corners for a parcel near Roslyn. If the land is near South Cle Elum, records update in batches, so a deed recorded last month might lag behind.
On site with the map
Most viewers work in a phone browser, handy when you're parked on a road near South Cle Elum, so load it before you lose signal. A screenshot of the parcel near South Cle Elum with its ID keeps working without signal.
Ordering the Ellensburg plat map
For a tract near Kittitas, some counties put plat images online, while others require a visit or a request; copy fees are usually small.
Ellensburg: common questions
Are old plats online near Roslyn?
For property near Cle Elum, it varies; some offices have scanned older plats and some haven't.
Is a plat map a survey for land near Cle Elum?
Short answer: the plat near Kittitas is recorded, while the GIS layer is an approximation.
Can lots near Cle Elum be combined?
Short answer: lot splits in Ellensburg go through the planning office, often with a surveyor's drawing.
What do the dashed lines on a plat mean near Cle Elum?
If the land is near Cle Elum, dashed lines often mark easements or building lines; read the plat notes.
Can I use the viewer in the field near South Cle Elum?
Most viewers run in a mobile browser; load it before you lose coverage near South Cle Elum.
Open the official Kittitas County, WA parcel map See it in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.