This tiny WA town became world’s bluebird capital with Tri-Cities couple’s help
If you’re a bird person, your ultimate day trip is just an hour’s drive from Tri-Cities.
One quick car ride will take you to a small town dubbed the “Bluebird Capital of the World.”
Although bluebirds naturally migrate to the Bickleton area, the efforts of community residents and a dedicated Richland couple have ensured that the songbirds return by the thousands every year.
Here’s everything you need to know before taking a day trip to this charming, bird-filled tiny Washington town.
Why do so many bluebirds migrate to Bickleton every year?
Bickleton has one of the lowest populations in Washington state — if you’re only counting the human residents.
The unincorporated community, a census-designated area in Klickitat County, had a population of 119 people in 2026, according to the World Population Review.
When it’s warm out, however, thousands of migrating bluebirds take residence in Bickleton.
Most are mountain bluebirds, but western bluebirds also stay in the town until temperatures drop. After summering in the Pacific Northwest, the birds relocate to warmer climates, heading as far south as Mexico.
According to local history, Bickleton’s status as a bluebird hotspot started with three people in the 1960s. The trio made thousands of birdhouses throughout their lifetimes.
Bluebirds are cavity-nesting birds, meaning they live in enclosed spaces such as birdhouses, tree holes and the former nests of other birds.
Bickleton resident Lawrence Whitmore loved the sight of bluebirds, and spent his free time building houses and other dwelling options for them.
Before long, his efforts were noticed by a Richland couple who had made a day trip to Bickleton, Jess and Elva Brinkerhoff. They fell in love with the local bird population and the abundance of birdhouses in the small town.
Jess Brinkerhoff nailed an aluminum can on its side to a fence, hoping to attract more bluebirds with another option for a home.
When it worked, they came back every bluebird season.
How Klickitat County town supports its bluebird population
While all three birdhouse builders have since died, they left hundreds of houses behind to keep the effort going.
The Brinkerhoffs won an award from the North American Bluebird Society, and there is a memorial for the couple on display in Bickleton.
Meanwhile, the town rallied behind their cause, with more and more people building homes for birds as the bluebird population climbed each year.
New birdhouses are installed regularly, and volunteers clean the birdhouses annually.
Is Washington state really home to world’s bluebird capital?
While Bickleton likely appointed itself as the bluebird capital of the world, the town was formally recognized by the North American Bluebird Society in the 1980s.
Some areas in the eastern United States have tried to take the title, but Bickleton has kept its crown.
How to get to Bickleton from Tri-Cities
It’s easy for Tri-Citians to make day trips down to Bickleton, as the Brinkerhoffs regularly did.
Just take Interstate 82 to Mabton and head south when you hit Mabton-Bickleton Road.
Be sure to have a full tank of gas before embarking on the journey, as the tiny town doesn’t have any gas stations.
The route between the Tri-Cities area and Bickleton has about 30 gas stations, according to Google Maps.
According to GasBuddy, the cheapest gas station on the route is Wheeler’s Smoke N Gas, 7453 Sunnyside Mabton Road in Mabton. That’s about 45 minutes from Tri-Cities by car.
A gallon of regular gasoline at Wheeler’s cost $3.98 as of Monday, July 13.
While Bickleton’s bluebird population is reason enough to make the trip, there are more reasons to visit the town.
Despite having less than a dozen operating businesses, there is plenty to do and learn on a day trip.
What to do in Bickleton? Rodeo, picnic and carousel
Bickleton is also home to Washington state’s oldest rodeo, the Alder Creek Pioneer Picnic and Rodeo.
The Alder Creek Pioneer Association was created in 1911, originally for a town reunion with community games.
The Bickleton News printed an invitation to the gathering in its June 2, 1911, edition: “The following invitation has been issued and is being mailed to the known addresses of pioneers, but no one need wait for a big, for everyone will be made welcome.”
Since then, the gathering has only grown.
The rodeo grounds feature one of the oldest carousels in the Western United States, a 1905 Herschell-Spillman. Only three of these carousels reportedly remain operational.
You can only ride the historic carousel during rodeo weekend.
In June, the picnic and rodeo featured the annual rodeo, town dance, community potluck and more.
The event is held on the second weekend in June each year, meaning dates for 2027 will be June 12 and 13.
The Bickleton Carousel Museum showcases horses from the carousel, as well as other historical pieces from the town.
It’s open every Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., plus every Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Where to eat and shop in Bickleton
Stop by Market Street Cafe and Grocery for “good meals and friendly service,” a staff member told the Tri-City Herald.
The restaurant offers a variety of food and drink options, including daily lunch specials and seasonal soups and salads. You can also try the highly-praised Bickleton Burger here.
Market Street Cafe and Grocery doubles as the town grocery store, if you need to pick up essentials or would rather make your own meal. The store sells a selection of birdhouses and bluebird-themed gifts, too.
Market Street is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. It’s closed on Sundays and holidays, according to staff.
Just down the road, you can visit the Bluebird Inn, which is the oldest operating tavern in Washington state. It was built as a drug store in 1887 and became a saloon within a year, according to town history.
In addition to a restaurant, the tavern has a bar complete with a Brunswick pool table that has been in the building for 120 years.
The Bluebird Inn is open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Advance notice is requested for groups of a dozen or more.