Wyoming

Yellowstone River

Wyoming·Yellowstone National Park·44.63° N, 110.44° W

Solunar · next 7 days

About Yellowstone River

This is the Yellowstone before it becomes the big Montana freestone — the headwater river inside the national park, in Wyoming. It leaves the Thorofare, fills Yellowstone Lake, and pours out at Fishing Bridge as a wide, clear, meadow river that cuts through Hayden Valley before dropping into one of the deepest canyons in the country. What draws fly fishermen here is a single fish: the native Yellowstone cutthroat trout. This is quality-over-quantity water. On the famous glide at Buffalo Ford — officially renamed Nez Perce Ford — a good day might be a handful of fish, but a high percentage run 16–22 inches, with fish over 20" common and the occasional 24–26" cutthroat taken most weeks. The whole reach is catch-and-release for natives, barbless, artificial-only, lead-free, and closed to boats, so it is walk-and-wade only.

The character splits hard by reach. From the lake outlet down through Hayden Valley the river is broad, flat, and mostly shallow — long glides with little structure where you sight-fish cruising cutthroat on bright, calm days, then settle in for the drake and PMD hatches. It is forgiving wading with easy roadside access off the Grand Loop Road, which also makes it the most-fished cutthroat water in the park. Below the Upper and Lower Falls the river disappears into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — 1,000-plus feet of near-vertical walls, brutal switchback hikes, and resident cutthroat that run smaller (8–16") but see almost no anglers. Farther down, below the Lamar confluence, the Black Canyon opens up a little: fewer walls, bigger and fatter fish, increasing rainbows and whitefish, and browns below Knowles Falls, reached only on foot via the Yellowstone River Trail.

The context that matters most is that this fishery is a conservation story in progress, and it is worth being honest about it. Illegally introduced lake trout in Yellowstone Lake, compounded by whirling disease, collapsed the cutthroat population — anglers who fished Buffalo Ford in its heyday describe it as a shadow of what it was, with numbers still down roughly 80% from historic peaks. The park's aggressive lake-trout suppression netting has the population slowly recovering and the fishing trending back up, but this is not the wall-to-wall cutthroat river of old-timers' stories. The upper river also opens late: the Fishing Bridge-to-Falls stretch stays closed until July 15 to protect spawning cutthroat, so early-season plans have to look elsewhere — the Firehole, Madison, or Gardner. Nearest bases are Gardiner, MT at the north entrance, Cody, WY over the east side, and West Yellowstone for the park's west waters.

Species

Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout
Primary · mid-Jul–Sep · 8–22" (to 26")
The fishery, and a native — strict catch-and-release, no exceptions. Lake-run fish on the Hayden Valley flats are the big ones (many over 20"); canyon residents run smaller. Population is recovering from the lake-trout and whirling-disease collapse, so numbers are still well below historic peaks even as the trend improves.
Rainbow Trout
Present · Jul–Oct · 8–16"
Non-native. Found in the Grand Canyon near Tower Falls and increasing through the Black Canyon. May be kept under park non-native rules.
Brown Trout
Localized · Sep–Oct · 12–20"
Non-native. Appear in the Black Canyon below Knowles Falls toward the park boundary; best in the fall on streamers.
Brook Trout
Localized · Jul–Sep · 6–12"
Non-native. Near Tower Falls and tributary mouths in the canyon.
Mountain Whitefish
Common · year-round · 10–16"
Native — catch-and-release. Common through the Black Canyon.
Arctic Grayling
Rare · summer · 8–14"
Uncommon in the mainstem; native — release unharmed if encountered.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout	Primary	mid-Jul–Sep	8–22" (to 26")
Rainbow Trout	Present	Jul–Oct	8–16"
Brown Trout	Localized	Sep–Oct	12–20"
Brook Trout	Localized	Jul–Sep	6–12"
Mountain Whitefish	Common	year-round	10–16"
Arctic Grayling	Rare	summer	8–14"

Sections

4 reaches

Black Canyon of the Yellowstone — Lamar Confluence to Gardner River

WadeCutthroat · Brown Trout · Rainbow Trout · Whitefish

Less severe than the Grand Canyon — lower, more accessible walls, but still no road, reached only by the Yellowstone River Trail and its connectors. Fewer fish but bigger and fatter: cutthroat trout averaging around 15" and very heavy, increasing rainbow trout, common mountain whitefish, and brown trout below Knowles Falls toward the park boundary. Muddies readily when the Lamar blows out after snowmelt or thunderstorms.

Best for: Larger cutthroat trout and rainbow trout, plus brown trout near the boundary — streamers above Knowles Falls, stoneflies early, and hoppers in August.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — Chittenden Bridge to Lamar Confluence

WadeSalmon · Cutthroat · Brook Trout · Rainbow Trout

Below the Upper and Lower Falls the river drops into a 1,000–1,500-foot canyon of fast, turbulent, rapid-choked water. Resident Yellowstone cutthroat trout run smaller (8–16"), with some rainbow trout and brook trout near Tower Falls. Almost no anglers — access is punishing hikes like Seven Mile Hole (5.5 miles, a 1,500-foot descent) and the shorter Tower Falls Trail.

Best for: Resident cutthroat trout and rainbow trout — early-season nymphs and streamers, then mid-summer dry-dropper with big salmonfly and golden stonefly attractors; solitude.

Fishing Bridge to Hayden Valley — Buffalo Ford / Nez Perce Ford

WadeCutthroat · Rainbow Trout

The signature reach and the postcard cutthroat water. Broad, flat, gravel-bottomed river from the lake outlet down through Hayden Valley. Buffalo Ford — officially Nez Perce Ford — is one long glide, shallow at the edges and slowly deepening, where you sight-fish and hatch-match for big lake-run Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Quality over quantity: few fish, but many over 20". Easy roadside access off the Grand Loop Road.

Best for: Yellowstone cutthroat trout — sight-fishing dries and nymphs during the green drake, gray drake, and PMD hatches, with streamers swung on the flats.

Thorofare / Above Yellowstone Lake

WadeCutthroat · Rainbow Trout

The remotest trout water in the lower 48 — a meandering backcountry meadow river in the park's southeast corner, reached only by multi-day backpack or horseback trip. Holds native Yellowstone cutthroat trout on dries in near-total isolation. Documented for completeness; it sees almost no day-trip pressure.

Best for: Wilderness cutthroat trout on dry flies for anglers willing to make a multi-day trip.

At a glance

Ideal wading flow: 1,500–3,000 cfs
Blow-out: >4,000 cfs
Ideal water temp: 50–62°F

Best seasons

The classic window is mid-July — the July 15 opener plus peak green/gray drake, PMD, and caddis on the Hayden Valley flats. August brings hoppers and terrestrials with the canyon reaches at their best. September into early October is fall BWO fishing with fewer people and cutthroat feeding up before the October 31 close. Late June can offer canyon salmonflies, but the marquee upper river is still closed. The in-park gauge (USGS 06186500 at the lake outlet) has no temperature sensor, so watch the weather and the park's afternoon warm-water closures — the fishery is native cutthroat and stressed fish are released.

Regulations

Yellowstone National Park water: a separate NPS fishing pass is required (not a state license), natives are strict catch-and-release, and gear is artificial-only, barbless, and lead-free. Walk-and-wade only — no boats or floating on the river inside the park. The upper river (Fishing Bridge to the Falls) opens later than the general park season, on July 15.

NPS fishing pass required for anglers 16+ (3-day $40 / 7-day $55 / season $75, via Recreation.gov); kids 15 and under fish free under supervision
Native fish — Yellowstone cutthroat, mountain whitefish, Arctic grayling — are catch-and-release parkwide, no exceptions
Non-native fish (rainbow, brown, brook, lake trout) may be harvested where the park encourages it — check the current brochure for the specific reach
Artificial lures and flies only; barbless (pinched barbs OK); lead-free. No bait or scented attractants
No boats or floating on the river inside the park — walk-and-wade only
Upper river (Fishing Bridge to the Falls) opens July 15, later than the general park season, to protect spawning cutthroat
General park season runs from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through October 31

Permanent closures on the Yellowstone River: Fishing Bridge (plus 1 mile downstream and ¼ mile upstream); 100 yards up- and downstream of LeHardys Rapids; and all of Hayden Valley from Alum Creek upstream to Sulphur Cauldron. In hot, low-flow years the park adds hoot-owl-style closures from 2 p.m. to sunrise on select waters — check current conditions before an afternoon session.

Source: National Park Service — Yellowstone 2026 Fishing Regulations. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Gardiner, MT (north entrance) / Cody, WY (east)

~1.5 hrs from Bozeman (BZN) to the north entrance; ~1 hr from Cody to the east entrance over Sylvan Pass

Fly shops

Camping: In-park lodging is concessioner-run (Lake Yellowstone Hotel, Canyon Lodge) rather than dedicated fishing lodges. Anglers base out of Gardiner, Cody, or West Yellowstone, or in-park campgrounds — Fishing Bridge RV, Canyon, and Bridge Bay are closest to the Hayden Valley water.

Requires the park entrance fee plus the separate Yellowstone fishing pass. The Grand Canyon and Black Canyon reaches are hike-in only (Seven Mile Hole, Tower Falls Trail, the Yellowstone River Trail); overnight canyon trips need a backcountry permit. The Thorofare above the lake is multi-day backpack or horseback access only.

Yellowstone River

About Yellowstone River

Species

Sections

Black Canyon of the Yellowstone — Lamar Confluence to Gardner River

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — Chittenden Bridge to Lamar Confluence

Fishing Bridge to Hayden Valley — Buffalo Ford / Nez Perce Ford

Thorofare / Above Yellowstone Lake

Fishing reports

More in Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park

Firehole River

Gibbon River

Lamar River

Other regions

Buffalo Fork River

Greys River

Gros Ventre River

Hoback River

New Fork River

North Platte River

Yellowstone River

About Yellowstone River

Species

Sections

Black Canyon of the Yellowstone — Lamar Confluence to Gardner River

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — Chittenden Bridge to Lamar Confluence

Fishing Bridge to Hayden Valley — Buffalo Ford / Nez Perce Ford

Thorofare / Above Yellowstone Lake

Fishing reports

More in Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park

Firehole River

Gibbon River

Lamar River

Other regions

Buffalo Fork River

Greys River

Gros Ventre River

Hoback River

New Fork River

North Platte River

Fishing conditions

Fishing conditions