YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — As the heat wave continues, Yellowstone National Park (YNP) has temporarily elevated partial fishing closures to full closures.
As of today, the Firehole River, the Gibbon River and the Madison River are all closed to fishing, along with all associated tributaries (for the Gibbon, that means tributaries downstream of Norris Campground).
“In recent days, peak water temperatures have ranged from 80 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit during the day,” YNP’s statement reads. “Coupled with high air temperatures, these conditions are lethal to trout, and there have been reports of dead fish in the Firehole River. The closures will protect the park’s native and wild trout fisheries and will remain in effect until conditions improve.”
YNP noted that staff will monitor water temperatures and adjust restrictions as they see fit. Yellowstone Lake and other lakes, rivers and streams remain open to fishing between sunrise and sunset. See more in YNP’s 2026 Fishing Regulations booklet.
Anglers in the rest of the park are asked to fish during the coolest times of day and land fish quickly. Do not play hooked trout to exhaustion, and gently handle fish in the water as much as possible to let them recover before release. This spring, YNP opened these three rivers for fishing weeks earlier than normal.
