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Worked trips · River

Can I paddle Madison River (public FAS corridor) this afternoon and be off the water by 20:30?

Madison River (public FAS corridor) · Southwest Montana river corridors · Montana · Kayak or canoe · 15:00–20:30 at the water

Evidence read from the agencies on 2026-09-26 10:33 UTC and frozen. The answer below is computed now, by the same engines as Check before you leave. Today's conditions are on this water's own check.

Fits with checks

Fits with checks

Decided by: Closure check, Daylight and return, Documented hazards, Checks on the day. Poor if any factor is poor. Otherwise cannot establish if access, launch or the closure check cannot be established, or if the trip needs a current reading that cannot be had. Otherwise conditional if any factor is conditional or unknown. Otherwise good.

  • Daylight and return

    Cannot tell

    This water has no recorded time zone, so your times cannot be set against the sun.

    sunset 01:14 UTC · civil dusk 01:43 UTC

    Missing: The water's time zone

    How this works on the water

  • Closure check

    Fits with checks

    The official page contains closure-related words; read them before you go.

    page read 2026-09-26 10:33 UTC

    Missing: What the closure words refer to

  • Documented hazards

    Fits with checks

    Standing hazards are documented; read them against the day.

    strong current

  • Checks on the day

    Fits with checks

    5 checks have to be done on the day.

    Pick specific FAS names for put-in and take-out (e.g. Lyons Bridge, Varney Bridge) before travel. · Check current FWP regulations and any hoot-owl or emergency rules for the planned Madison segment. · Review USGS stage for the planned segment and NWS forecasts for the Madison valley. · Confirm district assignment and any Exceptions to Standard Regulations (hoot-owl, spawning closures). · Same-day FWP check required at https://fwp.mt.gov/fish/regulations

  • Access certainty

    Fits

    6 named public sites on the official page.

    Lyons Bridge Fishing Access Site (FWP / USFS co-managed — upper Madison south of Ennis) · Varney Bridge Fishing Access Site (FWP — mid/lower Madison corridor) · Upper corridor published FAS (Three Dollar Bridge, Raynolds Pass, West Fork corridor — select named site only) · Middle and lower corridor published FAS (Ennis, Valley Garden, Blackbird, and other FWP sites — select named site only)

  • Access for a kayak or canoe trip

    Fits

    A named launch suits a paddle craft.

    Lyons Bridge Fishing Access Site (FWP / USFS co-managed — upper Madison south of Ennis) · Varney Bridge Fishing Access Site (FWP — mid/lower Madison corridor)

  • Current official data

    Fits

    USGS 06037500 reported at 2026-09-26 03:30 UTC.

    Water temperature 13.9 °C · Streamflow 296 ft³/s · Gage height 1.63 ft

    How this works on the water

  • Weather and water exposure

    Fits

    Nothing on record makes the water or weather a problem for this trip.

    wind 4 mph

  • Regulations

    Fits

    No special rules are noted on the record. Read the standard rules on the agency's page on the day; Waterways does not read them.

  • Logistics

    Fits

    No logistics limits are recorded.

What to check, in order

  1. Closure languageCheck

    Closure-related language detected, page read 2026-09-26 10:33 UTC. The scan reads words; the notice decides.

    Official page
  2. Daylight and returnCannot tell

    This water has no recorded time zone, so your times cannot be set against the sun. sunset 01:14 UTC · civil dusk 01:43 UTC.

  3. The site for this tripCheck

    A named launch suits a paddle craft. Lyons Bridge Fishing Access Site (FWP / USFS co-managed — upper Madison south of Ennis); Varney Bridge Fishing Access Site (FWP — mid/lower Madison corridor).

    Official page
  4. RegulationsCheck

    Read today's rules on the agency page.

    Regulations
  5. On the dayCheck

    Pick specific FAS names for put-in and take-out (e.g. Lyons Bridge, Varney Bridge) before travel.

    Official page
  6. On the dayCheck

    Check current FWP regulations and any hoot-owl or emergency rules for the planned Madison segment.

    Official page
  7. On the dayCheck

    Review USGS stage for the planned segment and NWS forecasts for the Madison valley.

    Official page
  8. On the dayCheck

    Confirm district assignment and any Exceptions to Standard Regulations (hoot-owl, spawning closures).

    Official page
  9. On the dayCheck

    Same-day FWP check required at https://fwp.mt.gov/fish/regulations

    Official page
  10. Official accessEstablished

    6 named sites as of the page read on 2026-09-24. Confirm the one you use is open today.

    Official page
  11. Record freshnessEstablished

    The official page was last read automatically on 2026-09-24.

    Official page
  12. Official observationsEstablished

    USGS 06037500: Water temperature 13.9 °C · Streamflow 296 ft³/s · Gage height 1.63 ft, newest 2026-09-26 03:30 UTC.

  13. WeatherEstablished

    Wind 4 mph observed. NWS: Overnight: Mostly clear. Low around 34, with temperatures rising to around 38 overnight. Southwest wind 5 to 8 mph.

If this water fails a check

If Madison River (public FAS corridor) fails a check, Yellowstone River (public FAS corridor) is the next water on the same list for a kayak or canoe trip. Access for a kayak or canoe trip: fits. From your list; judged on the record only, so read its own check before you go.

Yellowstone River (public FAS corridor)