Why visit Yelm
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 34 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Yelm Cinemas.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 78°F; February lows average 32°F.
Weather in Yelm
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Yelm
Yelm () is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States bordering Pierce County along the Nisqually River. Its population was 10,617 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Yelm, Washington (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Museums and landmarks5
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Restaurants and cafes34
Café Elite
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.1 mi
706 East Yelm Avenue, Yelm
Mo-Fr 04:00-20:00; Sa,Su 05:00-20:00
The Local
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.9 mi
307 Yelm Avenue East, Yelm
Tu-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 09:00-21:00; Mo 16:00-22:00
Ma and Pa's Family Diner
Diner · American · 1.7 mi
203 West Yelm Avenue, Yelm
Mo-Sa 07:30-19:00, Su 07:30-14:00
Mr. Doug's Restaurant
Diner · American · 2.2 mi
210 103rd Avenue Northeast, Yelm
Su-Mo 07:00-15:00; Tu-Th 07:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-20:30
Shiplap Shop & Coffee House
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.8 mi
112 Yelm Avenue East, Yelm
Mo-Fr 06:00-17:00, Sa 07:00-17:00, Su 07:00-15:00
Northwest Grind Yelm x Bubbleology
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Bubble Tea · 1.1 mi
9241 Burnett Rd SE, Yelm
Mo-Fr 05:30-18:00, Sa 06:30-18:00, Su 07:00-18:00
Jerk Juicy BBQ
Restaurant · 1.7 mi
202 West Yelm Avenue, Yelm
Tu-Th 11:00-17:00; Fr 11:00-18:00
Uptown Lounge
Restaurant · 2.1 mi
We-Th,Su 12:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-22:00
22 more on the map.
History
The word "Yelm" is said to come from the Coast Salish word shelm or chelm, meaning "heat waves from the sun", referring to heat mirages.
The Yelm Prairie was originally inhabited by the Nisqually and provided good pasture for their horses. The first permanent nonindigenous settlers came in 1853 to join the Hudson's Bay Company sheep farmers, who already conducted business in the area.
James Longmire, one of the first American settlers, said upon arriving in Yelm:
Having received due notice from the Hudson Bay company not to settle on any lands north of the Nisqually River, we crossed the river and went to Yelm prairie, a beautiful spot. I thought as it lay before us covered with tall, waving grass, a pretty stream bordered with shrubs and tall trees, flowing through it, and the majestic mountain standing guard over all, in its snowy coat, it was a scene fit for an artist. Herds of deer wandered at leisure through the tall grass.
With the coming of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1873, Yelm began to prosper, having found an outlet for its agricultural and forestry products. Its economic base was further enhanced when an irrigation company created the Yelm Ditch in 1916, making Yelm a center for commercial production of beans, cucumbers, and berries.
During the Great Depression, high maintenance costs and an unstructured water-distribution plan bankrupted the Yelm Irrigation Company.
From the History section of Yelm, Washington on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship6
Emanuel Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 1.8 mi
206 3rd Street Southeast, Yelm
Jesus Name Pentecostal Church
Church · Pentecostal · 1.7 mi
204 Jefferson Avenue Northwest, Yelm
St Columban Catholic Church
Church · Catholic · 1.6 mi
506 1st Street South, Yelm
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Healthcare4
Yelm Family Medicine
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.2 mi
201 Tahoma Boulevard Southeast, Yelm
Map of Yelm
91 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 33°F | 7.8 in | 2.0 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 32°F | 5.1 in | 0.6 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 34°F | 5.7 in | 0.1 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 38°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 66°F | 43°F | 2.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 71°F | 47°F | 1.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 78°F | 51°F | 0.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 78°F | 50°F | 1.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 46°F | 2.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 40°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 36°F | 8.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 45°F | 33°F | 7.8 in | 1.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Olympia Ap Gsn 72792 (12 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Thurston County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2025-12-12: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2022-03-29: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-09-09: Bordeaux Road Fire (Fire)
- 2020-04-23: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Gray Army Airfield (GRF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 10 miles away.
- Lacey 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Fort Lewis 11 mi north, about 18 min by car
- Tumwater 13 mi west, about 21 min by car
- Olympia 14 mi northwest, about 22 min by car
- Spanaway 15 mi northeast, about 24 min by car
- Elk Plain 15 mi northeast, about 24 min by car
- Lakewood 16 mi north, about 26 min by car
- Parkland 17 mi northeast, about 27 min by car
- Frederickson 17 mi northeast, about 27 min by car
- Graham 18 mi east, about 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Community Center in Yelm, Washington, Rising*From*Ashes, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cochrane Memorial Park, Yelm, Washington - By the waterfall, Rising*From*Ashes, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cochrane Memorial Park, Yelm, Washington - On the dock, Rising*From*Ashes, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dicosmoecus gilvipes 164831753, Gabrielle Casciato, CC0
- Photo & Thrift 1537, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
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