Gibbon River, Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park — Wild brook trout and rare grayling above Gibbon Falls
The Gibbon River flows northwest through the heart of Yellowstone National Park from its headwaters near Norris Geyser Basin to its confluence with the Firehole River at Madison Junction, where the two streams join to form the Madison River. The river passes through a remarkable variety of Yellowstone landscapes: open meadows near Norris, the dramatic Gibbon Falls, and the wide meadow flats above Madison Junction where bison graze beside rising trout.
The Gibbon is a river of two distinct personalities. Below Gibbon Falls — the most accessible and most visited section — wild rainbow and brown trout provide solid summer fishing in the lower meadow sections near Madison Junction. Above the falls, the river holds populations of wild brook trout and the rarest prize in Yellowstone fly fishing: Montana Grayling, a population that has persisted in the upper Gibbon despite decades of management challenges and represents one of the most significant wild grayling populations in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
The grayling of the upper Gibbon are small — averaging 8–12 inches — but their biological and historical significance makes them among the most precious fish accessible to fly fishers. Catching a wild Yellowstone Grayling on a dry fly in the upper Gibbon is a genuine conservation milestone and an experience that puts you in the company of only a few hundred anglers who have done the same.
The lower Gibbon meadows near Madison Junction offer more conventional Yellowstone fly fishing — resident rainbows and browns feeding on summer hatches in open, accessible water with the park's dramatic volcanic landscape as backdrop.
Madison Junction — Lower Meadows
Access from the Madison Junction parking area. Classic Yellowstone meadow water with good rainbow and brown trout fishing. Bison frequently present — give wide berth.
Gibbon Falls Picnic Area
Access above and below the falls. The falls itself creates a natural barrier — above the falls begins the brook trout and grayling habitat.
Norris — Upper River
Access from the Norris area. Smaller, more technical water. Brook trout and grayling habitat. Walk from the road and fish upstream for the most remote experience.
Montana Grayling
One of the rarest fishing experiences in Yellowstone — wild grayling in the upper Gibbon above the falls. Averaging 8–12 inches. Extraordinarily beautiful fish. Catch and release mandatory.
Brook Trout
Abundant above Gibbon Falls. Wild fish averaging 8–12 inches. Cooperative dry fly feeders. Non-native but the Gibbon's dominant upper-river species.
Rainbow Trout
Dominant below the falls in lower meadow sections. Wild Yellowstone strain averaging 12–16 inches. Active during summer Caddis hatches.
The grayling above Gibbon Falls are the most precious fish in Yellowstone — treat them with extraordinary care. Wet hands only, brief handling, immediate release.
The lower meadow sections near Madison Junction are best fished on weekdays early morning when tourist crowds are minimal.
Attractor dry flies work perfectly on Gibbon brook trout above the falls — they are cooperative, eager fish that haven't seen much pressure.
Combine the Gibbon with the Firehole for a complete Madison Junction area Yellowstone fly fishing experience in a single day.
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