While most of the Yampa River is open to recreation, a small section at its Fish Creek confluence, as well as a portion of Fish Creek itself, will be under voluntary closure starting Oct. 4 and running through Nov. 15. 

Colorado Parks and Wildlife, in collaboration with the city of Steamboat Springs, is implementing the voluntary closure to protect spawning mountain whitefish. 

Mountain whitefish are one of only two native sport fish that can be found in Northwest Colorado in the Yampa and White River drainages. This voluntary closure is expected to become a mandatory closure for the 2025 spawning season.

This closure is a management tool to help protect the fragile native mountain whitefish population during their annual spawn migration and concentration. The mountain whitefish population of the Yampa River has declined to concerning levels, thus the reason that fish are protected during spawning time.

The closure runs roughly 100 feet upstream and 200 feet downstream on the Yampa River, as well as up Fish Creek to the Safeway bridge (approximately 0.3 miles).

Signage will be posted to alert river users of the closures.