Montana Bridge “Dangerously Close” to Falling in the Water

A section of one of Montana's best-known rivers will be closed for a period of time, and for good reason.

The perils of the Yellowstone River this spring and summer have been well-chronicled with the sad stories of floods, park and road closures, immense property damage, loss of homes and so much more. And while so much has already been restored or at least reopened, the lingering effects of this raging waterway continue. In this case, the river is closing because of, well, the river, and the state in which it has left a bridge.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reports that an 8-mile section of the Yellowstone River, "due to an imminent safety concern" is closing in the Livingston area. The closure stretches from the Mayor’s Landing Fishing Access Site to Sheep Mountain Fishing Access site. And in that section lies the Highway 89 Fishing Access Site.

According to Montana FWP and the Montana Department of Transportation, the railroad bridge located near U.S. Highway 89 and crosses the Yellowstone River east of Livingston, is "dangerously close to falling in the water." The FWP release gave no further details on the fragile state of the bridge, but with all the high, rapid water, erosion and more, we can probably draw our own logical conclusions.

Recreation enthusiasts in this area have also been informed that Mayor’s Landing Fishing Access Site will remain open for take-out access for river users, and Sheep Mountain will remain open for launching.

FWP and MDT say the closure will remain in effect until the safety issues are resolved. FWP also has a comprehensive web page for all restrictions and closures, if you are interested.