Yellowstone National Park has expanded fishing restrictions after dangerously warm water temperatures led to reports of dead trout in some of the park’s most popular rivers.
Beginning today, July 15th, fishing is fully closed on the Firehole River, the Madison River, and all associated tributaries. The Gibbon River and its tributaries downstream of Norris Campground are also closed until further notice.
According to Yellowstone officials, daytime water temperatures have climbed to between 80 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit in recent days. Combined with extreme summer heat those conditions are considered lethal for trout and have already resulted in fish deaths in the Firehole River.
Park managers say the temporary closures are necessary to protect Yellowstone’s native and wild trout populations. Staff will continue monitoring river temperatures and stream conditions before deciding when fishing can safely resume.
Closures Follow Earlier Restrictions
The full closures come less than a week after Yellowstone implemented afternoon fishing restrictions on the same rivers. Beginning July 9th, anglers were only allowed to fish from sunrise until 2pm in an effort to reduce stress on trout during the hottest part of the day.
Those restrictions were put in place after water temperatures exceeded 68 degrees Fahrenheit while river flows dropped to seasonal lows. Officials had warned that additional closures could become necessary if conditions continued to worsen. That is exactly what has happened as another stretch of hot weather pushed river temperatures well beyond levels that cold water fish can tolerate.
Where Fishing Is Still Allowed
Despite the closures, most of Yellowstone remains open to anglers. Yellowstone Lake and the park’s other lakes remain open from sunrise to sunset under the 2026 fishing regulations, and all rivers and streams not included in the closure order also remain open.
Weather forecasts call for slightly cooler temperatures and isolated thunderstorms during the coming week. Even so, fishing restrictions could be lifted, extended, or expanded depending on future water temperatures and river conditions. Earlier this season, Yellowstone actually opened the Firehole, Madison, and Gibbon rivers weeks earlier than usual to give anglers more opportunities during cooler spring conditions. That decision helped extend the fishing season before summer heat arrived.
If you are planning a fishing trip to Yellowstone in the coming days, double check the latest conditions before heading out. With high temperatures continuing across the region, closures can change quickly as park staff work to protect one of America’s most iconic wild trout fisheries.