Union County Backs Pilot Plan to Restore Jubilee Lake Trails, Infrastructure

The U.S. Forest Service carries more than $5.2 billion in deferred maintenance across its national infrastructure, and Jubilee Lake's aging boat dock and deteriorating lakeside trail represent a small but visible slice of that backlog. The Union County Board of Commissioners, made up of Paul Anderes, Matt Scarfo and Jake Seavert, signed a letter of support this week backing a public-private pilot project aimed at addressing decades of neglect at the lake.

The letter commits no county dollars. What it does is give the Brent Oliver 541 Foundation, a Milton-Freewater-based nonprofit leading the pilot, a stronger hand when competing for federal grants and philanthropic funding. The Forest Service retains jurisdiction over Jubilee Lake, but local government endorsement is increasingly decisive in how grant applications are scored, and the foundation is counting on the commissioners' sign-off to advance both funding conversations and its working relationship with the agency.

The foundation, a 501(c)(3) organized around outdoor access and mobility for people with disabilities, is evaluating Jubilee Lake as its flagship pilot site. The project's defined scope covers inspection and repair of the lake's hard-surfaced loop trail and a full evaluation of the boat dock, both originally installed in 1992. That infrastructure is now more than 30 years old and has received no systematic rehabilitation.

Jubilee Lake is the largest and most popular campground in the Umatilla National Forest, drawing anglers, hikers and campers to its 53 sites and 2.8-mile National Recreation Trail. The lake sits in northern Union County at elevation and operates roughly from July through mid-October, with non-motorized and electric-motor boating available from the existing ramp. The trail and day-use infrastructure were designed from the outset to serve visitors of all abilities, which makes the ongoing deterioration particularly acute for users with mobility needs.

The commissioners' letter leaned directly on that demographic reality. Union County carries a significant share of senior residents and a meaningful portion of its population lives with a disability, figures the board used to frame accessible recreation infrastructure not as a luxury but as a regional necessity. A passable, hard-surfaced loop trail and a functioning dock serve that population in ways that backcountry alternatives cannot.

The Brent Oliver 541 Foundation has been in talks with local sponsors and the Forest Service about how the project would be structured. The agency has signaled openness to a limited pilot on maintenance partnerships at the site, with those discussions expected to continue through 2026. No cost estimates for the dock repair or trail rehabilitation have been publicly disclosed. The county's letter makes no matching-funds commitment and sets no binding timelines.

The gap between endorsement and execution remains substantial. The foundation must still raise repair funds, lock in a long-term maintenance protocol with the Forest Service, and convert sponsor interest into commitments that prevent the infrastructure from cycling back into disrepair once initial work is complete. Those maintenance protocols, not just the upfront repairs, are central to the pilot's ambition: if a sustainable stewardship model can be demonstrated at Jubilee Lake, the foundation intends it to serve as a blueprint for other high-use forest sites caught in the same federal funding trap.

Commissioners Anderes, Scarfo and Seavert have given the effort its first formal stamp of local government support. Whether a repaired dock and walkable trail loop greet visitors in a future season depends on whether funding answers the letter.