The Yellowstone River

Partnering for Success

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Improving Accessibility - Lower Yellowstone River

From Forsyth to the confluence with the Missouri River, the lower Yellowstone River has very poor public access. Mike Penfold with our Montana has been working with The Lower Yellowstone Coalition to improve access on the stretch of the river. Distances of river 40 miles and longer without public access exist on this part of the Yellowstone River. The lower Yellowstone coalition held public meetings and took and took Montana legislators on flying trips to see these long reaches of the river without access. Montana Wild lobbied legislators during this past session and garnered $4 million to improve access. Gov. Gianforte and Google gave supporting statements at Forsyth of the program. Penfold guided the additional legislators on a flying tour of the river at that kickoff session.
Angie Grove, the Montana State Parks Commission Chairman, organized an advisory committee made up of a cross-section of people including land landowners, economic development specialists, and recreationists. Penfold was part of this committee. The committee worked closely with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and their access specialists to develop recommendations to the Fish Wildlife and Parks Commission. Excellent progress is being made.

Partnering with the Lower Yellowstone Coalition & Montana Fish and Wildlife

Our Montana and the lower Yellowstone Coalition work with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and the Montana Legislature to fund significant infrastructure projects on the lower Yellowstone. Public access to the Yellowstone River in eastern Montana is relatively poor. Many of the fishing access sites of Fish Wildlife and Parks are in deteriorated condition. We helped guide a tour with several legislators last summer. We gained support for Fish wildlife and Parks funding and four million dollars was funded for the lower Yellowsone River access and facilities. Our Montana is very interested in creating new state parks along the river besides getting better public access to the river. A new destination state park along the Yellowstone River would be good for Montana.