Yellowstone Fishing Closures 2025

Yellowstone National Park is temporarily closing several popular rivers to fishing beginning Saturday, July 12, 2025, in response to high water temperatures and unusually low stream flows.

The move is intended to protect the park’s wild and native trout populations during a period of environmental stress.

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Yellowstone Closes Popular Rivers to Fishing

According to a press release from Yellowstone National Park, three popular rivers will be temporarily closed to fishing beginning Saturday, July 12. The following waterways and all their associated tributaries will be off-limits to anglers until further notice:

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Madison River
Firehole River
Gibbons River (downstream of Norris Campground

The closure comes as water temperatures have surpassed 68° in recent days, a level known to be dangerous and even lethal to cold-water fish species like trout. Combined with drought-driven low water flows, these conditions reduce oxygen levels in the water and increase the likelihood of fish mortality.

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Despite the closures, Yellowstone Lake and other park lakes remain open to fishing from sunrise to sunset. Rivers and streams not listed above will also stay open, though officials warn that this could change if conditions worsen.

For those fishing in open waters, Yellowstone staff offer the following guidelines to reduce fish stress and injury:

Fish during cooler times of day, especially early mornings.
Land fish quickly to avoid prolonged fights.
Avoid exhausting hooked fish.
Keep fish in the water while handling and release them gently.
Allow the fish to fully recover before letting go.

Yellowstone rangers will continue to monitor water temperatures, streamflow levels, and long-range forecasts. The extended forecast calls for continued hot and dry conditions with a slight chance of isolated afternoon thunderstorms, which contribute to continued low stream flows and warm-water temperatures.

For updates and full fishing regulations, visit the Yellowstone National Park website.