Support Our End-of-Year Fundraiser: Your Gift Makes a Difference
As this year comes to a close, we’re reaching out to you to help us make a lasting impact in our rural communities. Your donation to our END-OF-YEAR FUNDRAISER will directly fund construction and behind-the-scenes development of this project. Together, we are creating a multi-use path that brings people together, boosts local economies, and promotes healthier, more connected lives.
Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to this year’s $20,000 goal. Whether it’s $10 or $100 or $1,000, every contribution will help carry our mission into the new year. Together, we can make the coming year our most impactful yet! Donate today and be part of something bigger. Donate today, and help build a trail that will connect our communities for generations to come. THANK YOU!
CALL TO ACTION: Contact Union County Commissioners!
We NEED local trail supporters to call or write county commissioners and speak out in favor of the trail, so it becomes clear to WURA and Union County that the majority of residents DO indeed want to see this trail built in their community.
We need your help! If you are a trail-with-rail supporter and resident of Union County, please contact the County Commissioners’ office to voice your support for this project!
Our organization’s recent efforts on this trail section have been stalled due to an unexpected lack of support from the Wallowa Union Railroad Authority (WURA) regarding submission of our Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application to the Union County Planning Commission.
Union County Commissioner Matt Scarfo is the WURA co-chair for Union County. We NEED local trail supporters to call or write county commissioners and speak out in favor of the trail, so it becomes clear to WURA and to Union County that the majority of residents want to see this trail built in their community. Please spread the word to friends and neighbors that we believe the trail will be a community asset for generations to come, revitalize downtown Elgin businesses, and provide safe and easy access to outdoor recreation.
Please call, voice your support, and urge WURA to support our CUP application moving forward in a public process at the county level.
Call Commissioners Matt Scarfo, Paul Anderes, and Donna Beverage at 541-963-1001
or email them at commissioners@union-county.org
The Very First Trail Section is Now Open!
Following unanimous approval from the Wallowa-Union Railroad Authority (WURA), a $142,000 grant from the Oregon Parks & Recreation Dept., and a $192,000 grant from the Oregon Dept. of Transportation, the first trail section is complete! We celebrated the ribbon-cutting on June 15, 2024. This first short section runs from the Elgin Pocket Park Trailhead across from the Elgin train depot out along the railroad tracks near the Grande Ronde River to the city limits. Please stop in Elgin and walk the new trail section! And be sure to sign up for our e-newsletter or become a donating member to stay up-to-date on all the progress we are making, because 2024 is shaping up to be a BIG year for this Rail-with-Trail.
A Trail-With-Rail Through a Stunning Landscape
The Joseph Branch Trail Consortium is developing a non-motorized trail alongside the existing railroad tracks within the publicly-owned Wallowa-Union Railroad Authority corridor. Starting in Elgin, Oregon, the trail winds through the Grande Ronde and Wallowa river valleys, terminating 63 miles later in Joseph, Oregon. Along the way, the trail connects the small towns of Minam, Wallowa, Lostine, and Enterprise, offering residents of all ages and abilities a safe and accessible way to get outdoors to recreate, commute, and exercise away from the ever-busier roads and highways.
The Joseph Branch Trail-With-Rail
Provides a safe route for all people in our communities, especially children, to ride bicycles, walk, and recreate
Improves transportation safety by offering an alternative route away from vehicle traffic
Provides accessible opportunities for recreation to improve the health of people with disabilities or other conditions that limit access
Provides an almost flat trail for recreational opportunities including biking, hiking, and horseback riding
Connects the Nez Perce National Historic Trail with the Wallowa Nez Perce Homeland Project in Wallowa, Oregon
Connects to ODOT's Wallowa Lake Pedestrian/Bike Trail and the Enterprise Wildlife Refuge & Fish Hatchery
Questions? Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page, or contact us.
Here’s what Weiser River Trail Founding Board Member, Ron Hundahl says about his experience with their trail project:
“When we started planning the Weiser River Trail in 1998, there was opposition from some people that users would trespass on adjacent land, cattle would be harmed, and property vandalized. But it's been 25 years now and none of that has happened -- we've not had one instance of trail users vandalizing adjacent property or hurting livestock. Today, the children and grandchildren of some of those early opponents are now riding and using the trail. And realtors listing property tout the proximity to the trail as a selling point."
