The historic Hubert K. McBee Campground was generously donated to Benton County by the Hull Oakes Lumber Company through the generous support of the Alliance for Recreation Areas.

These generous donations/support were the first step in developing plans for repairs and improvements The campground is currently closed to the public for camping through 2025. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, as the planning and public outreach work is completed leading to first phase construction in 2026.

Is there funding for planning and projects?

Benton County Natural Areas, Parks, and Events was successful in being awarded funding from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department- Local Government Grant program during 2024. The total grant award is $645,000 and includes parks planning, engineering, and construction/rehabilitation of park improvements after a planning/public outreach process. The project consulting contract was awarded to David Evans & Associates, providing a team to support planning and design with public outreach support.

What repairs and improvements are part of the 2025 planning process?

The campground closure will allow for planning to focus on several important projects, including:

• Upgrading the campground’s infrastructure: This includes repairing roads and trails, improving campsite amenities, and installing new toilet facilities and a well to add on-site water.
• Enhancing the park and campground layout to achieve development goals.

What does this mean for you?

• Day use is still available! Although overnight camping will not be permitted in 2025, the campground will still be open for day use. This means you can enjoy picnicking, hiking, biking, fishing, and other recreational activities.
• We will keep you updated: We will be providing regular updates on the progress of the planning project to inform repairs and improvements planned for 2026. You can stay informed by checking our website, signing up for our email list, or following us on social media.
• We appreciate your understanding: We know that closing the campground for overnight camping is a significant change, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to make Hubert K. McBee an even better place for everyone.

The needed improvements will make Hubert K. McBee Campground an even more valuable public park and a better place to explore the recreational riches of Benton County.

Thank you for your continued support of Hubert K. McBee Campground.

Additional Information

• For more information in coming months about the closure, please visit our website and bookmark our page here.
• You can sign up for our email list to receive updates here.
• Follow us on Facebook and the Benton County Instagram page.
• Want to make a gift to help restore Hubert K McBee park? Donate to our support organization Association for Recreation and Natural Areas (AFRANA) here.

Habitat Conservation Plan Highlights

The following projects highlight the diverse habitat conservation and restoration projects that we create and implement, to achieve the goals and requirements of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service approved Benton County Prairie Species Habitat Conservation Plan.

Fenders Blue Butterfly Prairie Conservation & Kincaid’s Lupine Mitigation Sites

• Annual Monitoring of butterfly populations by US Fish & Wildlife Service and partners.
• Since 2022, there has been significant habitat enhancement along with Kincaids Lupine, planting, and seeding led by Institute for Applied Ecology .
• Invasive vegetation control to increase native nectar and host plants including the threatened Kincaid’s Lupine.
• Increasing Kincaid’s Lupine population through seeding and transplanting to offset impacts from construction and public works impacts.

Beazell Memorial Forest Upland Prairies

• Controlled burning and vegetation control to increase native nectar and host plants for the endangered Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly.
• Annual monitoring of endangered butterfly populations that are only known to exist in Oregon within Benton County.
• Increasing native nectar and host species within the prairies to support endangered butterflies and hundreds of other species.
• Expanding prairie areas through removal of encroaching tree and shrub species.

Fitton Green Upland Prairies

• Controlled burning and vegetation control to increase native plants and animals.
• Support connecting park property habitat with private property habitat, for greater conservation and restoration of native species.
• Support work to introduce endangered species to determine success for conservation.

Fort Hoskins Upland Prairies

• Expanding prairie areas through removal of encroaching tree and shrub species.
• Recreating historic prairie landscape while providing for future native vegetation improvement.
• Controlled burning and vegetation control to increase native plants and animals.

Jackson Frazier Wetland Prairies

• Vegetation control to increase native plants and animals.
• Long-term wetland enhancement planning for future large scale site restoration projects.
• Reducing tree and shrub encroachment into priority prairie areas.
• Increasing population of threatened Nelson’s Checkermallow and endangered Bradshaw’s Lomatium.

Restored wetland in need of new and safe pedestrian access

The Jackson-Frazier Wetland Long-Term Restoration Project was completed in 2021.  Thanks to funding from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), and partner support from US Fish & Wildlife Service, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Greenbelt Land Trust, and City of Corvallis- Parks & Recreation.  50 acres of wetland restoration and creation occurred created a significant increase in the native wetland plant and animal diversity diversity.

Update on the Boardwalk Reconstruction Project

Benton County Natural Areas, Parks & Events was successful in securing a $623,000 Local Government Grant from Oregon State Parks Department during Fall of 2022. Since this award, the department has worked to secure the needed additional funding required to complete the existing boardwalk removal and construct a replacement boardwalk. The increased costs are due to rising materials and contractor costs, along with the necessary permitting requirements that occurred after submission of the grant project. The department continues to work with Congressional, State, and local partners to complete this priority project.

For the last decade, leaders have consistently worked to advance a regional recreation vision. In 2017, a partner effort under guidance of the Oregon Health and Outdoors Action Framework, developed the Regional Partnership vision. The vision centered on a universal access trail network with priority of adjacent Jackson-Frazier Wetland natural area boardwalk. The partnership continues strong today with Greenbelt Land Trust, Benton County, Samaritan Health Services, Alliance for Recreation & Natural Areas, Willamette Partnership, and the City of Corvallis Parks & Recreation Department. The boardwalk reconstruction will provide the first step of long term trail access for all members of the community. The current boardwalk is structurally defective and has reached end of constructed life- failing in most locations with cracks and crevices, cross slope, elevation changes, rises in elevation at transition point that don’t meet current ADA standards. The current boardwalk floats each winter and never settles in spring in same orientation. Reconstruction will be a first step to support the partnership goal of: safe, multimodal, ADA compliant, and interconnected recreational trail system from Jackson-Frazier Wetland.

Current boardwalk condition over 3,500 ft of wooden boardwalk defects currently

Supporting Documents

• Executive Summary – Jackson-Frazier Phase 1 Plan
• Jackson-Frazier Wetland Phase 1-Long Term Habitat Restoration Plan
• State of Oregon Land Board Wetland Grant Award 2020