| Official Name: | Cowiche, Washington |
| Settlement Type: | Unincorporated community & census-designated place |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Washington Yakima County#USA Washington |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Washington |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Yakima |
| Timezone: | Pacific (PST) |
| Utc Offset: | -8 |
| Timezone Dst: | PDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -7 |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [1] |
| Elevation M: | 533 |
| Elevation Ft: | 1749 |
| Population Total: | 535 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Coordinates: | 46.6698°N -120.7123°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 98923 |
| Area Code: | 509 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1512121 |
Cowiche (pronounced Cow-witch-ee) is a census-designated place and unincorporated community northwest of Yakima, Washington, near the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountain range, in central Washington State (US). Cowiche, sometimes spelled Cowychee, is said to mean "footbridge between the valley and the mountains." According to the 2020 census,[2] the town had a population of 535, which is an increase from 428 at 2010.[3]
The first inhabitants of the area were the Tkai'waichash-hlama, a band or tribe of Native American people who lived along Cowiche Creek. The area was settled in the late nineteenth century by farmers who relied upon crops that did not require irrigation, such as wheat, barley, rye, and grazing cattle. Homesteading in Cowiche was difficult since fields had to be cleared of volcanic rock before they could be tilled and there was little rainfall in summer. In 1906, construction began on the Tieton Irrigation Project, a division of the broader Yakima Project. Irrigation water became available in 1907, and shortly thereafter, orchards began to replace wheatfields.
Cowiche, along with the neighboring town of Tieton, is served by the Highland School district Highland School District / Homepage. The community takes great pride in its high school sports programs, and in 1988 their varsity men's basketball team won the Washington State A division championship. The boys soccer team also won the state championship in 2006, 2007 & 2015
Most people in the area are involved in agriculture. Cowiche, like much of the Yakima Valley, is known for its apple crops.