Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has acquired Siskin Island, an 82-acre parcel sitting in the Yellowstone River roughly 13 miles south of Livingston, opening a new stretch of public land to anglers, floaters, and other river users. The acquisition was completed this month and the island is now managed by FWP for public access.
The upper Yellowstone corridor has long been one of Montana's most productive and heavily used river systems, drawing both resident anglers and out-of-state visitors in significant numbers each season. Public access points along that stretch have historically been limited in places, with private land abutting both banks for miles at a time. Siskin Island's addition to the public land base provides a new put-in, take-out, or midday stop for float trips through that section of the river, which runs through Park County south of Livingston.
FWP has not released the purchase price or the identity of the previous private owner as of this week. The agency manages a network of fishing access sites across Montana and periodically acquires private parcels and islands when they become available, using a mix of state and federal funding. Siskin Island is now open to the public, though FWP has not yet detailed any planned improvements or infrastructure at the site.