Two significant developments out of the Warm Springs Reservation this week highlight both long-range planning and deep cultural tradition among the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
Tribal Council Backs Hwy 26 Rest Area Study
The Warm Springs Tribal Council has unanimously approved a feasibility study for a potential new Highway 26 rest area to be located on the Warm Springs Reservation — a project that could replace an aging 1950s-era facility near Government Camp that has long been inadequate for modern traveler demand.
The Oregon Travel Information Council has been working with tribal, local, state, and federal partners since 2021 to identify a suitable replacement for the existing rest area. The current facility, dating back to the 1950s, no longer meets traveler expectations for capacity, sanitation, or safety.
Tribal Council members cited several reasons for supporting the study, including:
- Improved highway safety along the busy Hwy 26 corridor
- Reduction of roadside litter and public sanitation issues that currently affect Reservation lands
- Potential for small business development — giving the Tribe an opportunity to showcase local enterprises to tens of thousands of annual travelers
Resource specialists are expected to begin field studies along the Hwy 26 corridor during the 2027 field season. A final report will return to Tribal Council in fall 2027 before any site is selected. No construction timeline has been announced.
The decision reflects the Tribe's interest in being a proactive partner in regional infrastructure while also exploring opportunities that benefit Reservation residents and the broader traveling public.
Canoe Family Prepares for Annual Youth Journey
Closer to the Columbia River, members of the N'chi Wana Pum Canoe Family are making final preparations for this year's Paddle to Nisqually Youth Canoe Journey, with a tentative launch date of Monday, July 20 from Celilo Village on the Columbia River.
The annual journey brings together Native youth from canoe families across the Pacific Northwest to travel ancestral waterways together — an experience organizers describe as deeply transformative. Participants strengthen cultural traditions, build teamwork and leadership skills, and connect with Indigenous communities throughout the region as they paddle toward the Nisqually Tribe's territory in Washington state.
Canoe journeys like Paddle to Nisqually represent a resurgence of traditional Coast Salish and Plateau canoe culture that has grown steadily since the late 1980s. For Warm Springs youth, the journey is an opportunity to represent their community on the water alongside tribal nations from across the region.
Community members interested in participating or supporting the N'chi Wana Pum Canoe Family's journey are encouraged to contact canoe family organizers directly through the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs at 541-553-1161 or visit warmsprings-nsn.gov.