#ThatNWBus – How to find That PNW Bus – Washtucna, Washington
Quirky roadside attractions are one of the best parts about going on a road trip. Known by a few different names – “That PNW Bus”, “That NW Bus” or with the instagram hashtag #thatpnwbus / #thatnwbus, this is an abandoned school bus rotting away in a grassy field in Eastern Washington state for several years. Painted in colorful graffiti, it has become insta-famous in the last few years. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say that this is the most famous bus in all of Washington State! I’ll tell you how to visit That PNW Bus – and give you directions for ThatNWBus – read on!
The bus was made in 1955 and at one point, belonged to the Toppenish School District. It was eventually purchased at an auction and used to store crop dusting materials by a local farmer before it was abandoned and became a roadside attraction. The Heritage Museum in Washtucna purchased the bus from the DNR and moved it onto the donated land where it stands today.
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Directions to That PNW bus
Address:
633-641 Main St
Washtucna, WA 99371
If you’re headed to Palouse Falls, the #ThatPNWBus is right along the way. It’s literally right off the highway exit (Washington State Highway 26) to Ritzville – you can’t miss it.
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Visiting #ThatPNWBus
You can park right on the gravel area near the bus. This is a very rural area and you likely will be the only people here. My sister and I visited in the busy summer season (Fourth of July to be exact – just look at our outfits!) and saw no one. You’ll have to walk through a little bit of brush to reach the bus, but once you’re there, the ground is hard packed dirt. I’m always wary of rattlesnakes when walking through brush like that, and I’m pretty sure they’re around in this area, so be careful!
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Once you’re at the bus, you walk around, go inside, or even climb up on top of the bus. There were plenty of spray paint cans around so if you wanted, you could create your own artwork on the bus. We didn’t do this; we just wanted to check it out. The artwork on the bus is constantly changing so your photos will look different than someone who visits, say, a week after you do!
All in all, this is a quick stop if you’re en route to Palouse Falls, or if you’re traveling around the Palouse area of Washington State for photography.
