Community invited to celebrate new Wallowa section of Joseph Branch Trail

By on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News

WALLOWA – (Press release from the Joseph Branch Trail Consortium) The Joseph Branch Trail Consortium is inviting the public to celebrate completion of a new, approximately one-mile, ADA-accessible section of the Joseph Branch Trail with Rail in the City of Wallowa. The in-town trail segment creates a safer, more enjoyable walking and biking route between downtown, the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland site, the Kirk Jones baseball fields, and nearby businesses.

The celebration will double as the Consortium’s annual meeting, featuring a family-friendly 5K fun run/walk, trail activities, and time to visit with board members and partners about what’s next for the trail corridor.

“Reinvesting tourism dollars into communities across the state improves the quality of life for Oregonians,” said Michelle Woodard, Director of Stewardship Investments at Travel Oregon. “Travel Oregon is proud to fund the Joseph Branch Trail to provide both residents and visitors with a safe and accessible route between existing recreation facilities.”

This project was funded in part by a grant from Travel Oregon.

Safer Connections for Kids, Families and Elders

The Wallowa section of the trail runs within city limits along the historic railroad corridor, offering an alternative to walking or biking on the highway shoulder to reach ball games, stores and services on the north end of town.

Designed to be multi-generational and accessible, the new segment includes improved gravel surfaces, ADA-accessible features and a small “trailhead pocket park” that serves as a hub connecting the trail, city sidewalks and the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland.

Community programs are already using the space, including toddler walks organized by Building Healthy Families and story hours led by the Wallowa Public Library, alongside daily use by local walkers and dog-owners.

Broad Consortium of Support

Financial support for this section in Wallowa includes:

  • Travel Oregon
  • Wildhorse Foundation
  • Autzen Foundation
  • Cascades East Association of Realtors
  • East Cascade Bird Alliance
  • Roundhouse Foundation
  • Wallowa County Cultural Trust
  • Lewis-Clark Valley Healthcare Foundation
  • And many generous individuals and businesses

The time, energy and enthusiasm of the City of Wallowa and the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland have been essential to bringing this project to life.

On the ground, the expertise and commitment of Hafer & Sons Construction are helping make the trail “all that it can be,” including ongoing work to extend the route down to the ball field. JayZee Lumber and retired builder Steve Grant have contributed generously and artfully to amenities such as the gazebo, benches and picnic tables.

Local youth have also played a role: Wallowa High School shop students built a new sign kiosk that will inform trail users about both restrictions and opportunities along the corridor.

Planning, Design and Corridor Stewardship

The engagement in, and 2024 approval of, the scope of this project by the Wallowa Union Railroad Authority (WURA) is greatly appreciated by the Consortium and its partners.

An Oregon Department of Transportation, Transportation Growth Management (TGM) award to the City of Wallowa helped design and plan this in-city section, building on years of vision for this Joseph Branch rail corridor as a multi-use public asset.

Event Details

The community celebration and annual meeting will take place:

  • Date: Saturday, September 26th
  • Time: 9am to 1pm
  • Location: Dance Arbor at pocket park at the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland / Wallowa trail section
  • Activities include:
  • 5K fun run/walk along the new trail section
  • Playful “time deduction” stations such as basketball, baseball and bird trivia
  • Informal conversations with Joseph Branch Trail Consortium board members and partners about the trail’s progress and future plans

The event is not primarily a fundraiser, but an opportunity to recognize funders and partners, share successes, and invite more residents to experience the trail firsthand.

About the Joseph Branch Trail Consortium

The Joseph Branch Trail Consortium (JBTC) is a nonprofit organization working to create safe, accessible, trail segments along the historic Joseph Branch rail corridor in Wallowa and Union counties. By partnering with local governments, landowners, tribal organizations, state agencies and community groups, JBTC aims to transform portions of the corridor into a connected network of walking and biking routes that support health, culture, local economies and everyday community life.

For more information, to read recent project updates, or to sign up for the monthly e-news, visit https://www.josephbranchtrail.org/

Elkhorn Media Group