Major accessibility restoration project underway at Jubilee Lake Trail
By Dan Thesman on Friday, September 4th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA NATIONAL FOREST — Work is underway to restore the trail corridor at Jubilee Lake, initiating a collaborative project to rehabilitate the most heavily used recreation site in the Umatilla National Forest.
Beginning next Tuesday, crews will begin clearing brush along the trail. The effort addresses over three decades of deferred maintenance, root heaves, cracking, and vegetation encroachment along the corridor. Over coming months, teams will test multiple paving techniques to establish a durable, long-term solution.
Damaged Jubilee Lake trail corridor due to spring 2026 storm
The multi-partner project aims to restore meaningful accessibility for families, seniors, and individuals using mobility devices. Participating partners include Western States Cat Equipment Company, Apex Laboratories, Eagon Excavation and Construction Services, Koncrete Industries, and Three Sons Concrete, along with airfield paving contractors and local officials.
The initiative is spearheaded by the Milton-Freewater based Brent Oliver 541 Foundation. Founder Brent Oliver launched the organization after surviving a catastrophic 1991 motorcycle accident that left him with severe spinal and airway injuries. Following years of intense rehabilitation, Oliver established the foundation to expand mobility and remove physical barriers on public lands, operating under the principle: “Survival is not the miracle. What you build after survival is.”
Organizers view the trail restoration as a model for cross-sector cooperation between government agencies, private industry, and advocacy groups. Following initial site work, foundation representatives will meet with congressional leaders Sept. 21–25 in Washington, D.C., to discuss outdoor access legislation for people with disabilities.
More information about the Jubilee Lake Project is available online at https://brentoliver541.org/jubilee-lake
Top: Wheelchair user accessing Jubilee Lake trail corridor(Photos courtesy Brent Oliver 541 Foundation)
