Best mountain towns for fly fishing
Across the West’s mountain towns, here’s where the fly fishing scene runs deepest — ranked by the recurring groups, clubs, and meetups we track. Tap a town to see who’s out there and when.
- BendCentral Oregon — Phil’s trails, Mt. Bachelor, Smith Rock & the Deschutes.5 groups
- North IdahoCoeur d’Alene & Sandpoint — Schweitzer, Lake Pend Oreille & the Panhandle.5 groups
- AshlandThe Rogue Valley — the Ashland watershed, Mt. Ashland & the Rogue River.4 groups
- BoiseIdaho’s capital — the Ridge to Rivers foothills, the Boise River & Bogus Basin.4 groups
- Colorado SpringsPikes Peak — Garden of the Gods, the Incline & Manitou Springs.4 groups
- Summit CountyThe Tenmile & Gore ranges — Breckenridge, Dillon Reservoir & Frisco.4 groups
- YakimaThe Yakima Valley — Cowiche Canyon, the Yakima River & White Pass.4 groups
- CasperCentral Wyoming — Casper Mountain, the North Platte & Fremont Canyon.3 groups
- EugeneTrackTown USA — the University of Oregon, the McKenzie & the Willamette.3 groups
- Flathead ValleyKalispell & Whitefish — Glacier NP, Whitefish Mountain & Flathead Lake.3 groups
- Fort CollinsColorado State University — the Poudre River & canyon, Horsetooth & Lory.3 groups
- HelenaMontana’s capital — Mount Helena, the Continental Divide & the Missouri River.3 groups
- Idaho FallsEastern Idaho hub — the Snake River Greenbelt, the Tetons & Island Park.3 groups
- JuneauThe Tongass — the Mendenhall Glacier, Eaglecrest & the Inside Passage.3 groups
- LaramieHome of UW — Vedauwoo, the Snowy Range & the Laramie Plains.3 groups
The 15 towns where we track the most recurring fly fishing groups (of 61 with any) — a proxy for how active the local scene is, not a verdict on the terrain or trails. New towns and groups are added regularly, and many listings still need a verification pass.