Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will permanently manage a new public fishing access site on the Upper Yellowstone River after the FWP Commission unanimously voted June 12 to accept an 82-acre island complex in Paradise Valley known as Siskin Island.
The land was donated by the Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit, following a transfer from the island’s private owners in November 2025. The commission’s acceptance makes the site permanently open to public access and folds it into a network of more than 10 river access points FWP already manages in the valley.
What the Site Offers
Siskin Island will function as an FWP Fishing Access Site, with permitted uses including angling, wildlife viewing, restricted hunting in the western portions of the complex, and limited boat-in camping. Two reservation-only campsites are available by boat, with a one-night maximum stay per 30-day period.
Most visitors will reach the island by water, launching from existing upstream access points at Mallard’s Rest FAS or Emigrant FAS. Wade-in access from Pine Creek FAS is also possible during low-water conditions.
The site supports a range of wildlife, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, beaver, and river otters, in addition to trout spawning habitat in the surrounding river corridor.
Jeff Lukas, describing the property’s conservation value, said it “provides excellent habitat for game and nongame species, excellent spawning grounds for trout and permanent access for the public to enjoy.”
Environmental Review and Public Comment
FWP released a draft Environmental Assessment on March 13 and opened a 15-day public comment period. The agency received 25 responses before issuing a decision notice in April. The commission’s June 12 vote formalized acceptance of the donation following that review process.
FWP wardens and Parks and Outdoor Recreation staff will be responsible for patrolling and enforcing regulations at the new site.
Noah Robinson, reflecting on the broader value of the acquisition, said “any form of public land is valuable. Even if it’s not used at all, it’s still public land safe from being developed and someone wrapping it in barbed wire.”
Broader Conservation Context
The Siskin Island addition fits a pattern of conservation activity in Montana that has gained momentum in recent years. The FWP Commission approved a 34,610-acre conservation easement in the Cabinet Mountains earlier this year, and a bipartisan federal effort to expand public land protections has also moved forward, with a Daines-King conservation bill clearing the Senate committee with 64 cosponsors.
Paradise Valley, which runs south from Livingston along the Yellowstone River toward Yellowstone National Park, is one of Montana’s most visited and ecologically significant river corridors. The addition of Siskin Island brings permanent protection to a stretch of the upper river that had previously been held privately, with public access dependent on landowner discretion.
With the commission’s approval, FWP will now move to integrate Siskin Island into its existing access infrastructure, allowing anglers, hunters, and recreationists to reach the island through established upstream launch points while camping reservations will be managed through FWP’s standard reservation system.
