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Parker Smith, Outfitter
“It’s nice to give back to the river that’s given so much to me!”
The Madison
Protecting the River That Inspires the World
The Madison is introducing millions of people to the beauty of Montana’s Madison Valley and sparking new interest in Madison River Montana and the real river behind the story. The Madison River is a massive lifeline that plays a crucial role in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem and is one of the three rivers that form the mighty Missouri, the longest river in North America. Its waters originate in Yellowstone National Park and eventually touch seven states before reaching the Gulf of Mexico, sustaining a staggering diversity of wildlife, nourishing millions of people with clean drinking water, and supporting hundreds of ranches and farms that help feed the nation. The Madison River Foundation exists to protect this irreplaceable resource through conservation, restoration, and education.
“This river gives so much to so many,” says Keith Brauneis, Executive Director of the Madison River Foundation. “A setback on the Madison would mean a setback for America. We simply cannot afford that to happen.”
TV’s The Madison: Viewer Questions About the Real River
Is The Madison based on a real river?
Yes. While The Madison is a fictional series, it draws inspiration from the real Madison River in Montana, one of North America’s most iconic and ecologically important rivers. The Madison River is a cornerstone of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem and a headwater of the Missouri River system. Its landscapes, communities, and wild character help shape the sense of place portrayed in the series.
Where is The Madison filmed?
Filming for The Madison takes place in and around Montana, including areas within the Madison Valley and surrounding landscapes. These locations showcase the region’s wide-open spaces, working ranchlands, and river corridors that define southwest Montana.
As interest grows in filming locations, it’s important for visitors to recreate responsibly and respect private lands, wildlife habitat, and river access rules.
Can you visit the Madison River in Montana?
Yes. The Madison River is open to the public and is world-renowned for fly fishing, floating, wildlife viewing, and scenic recreation. Each year, the river experiences more than 250,000 visitors.
Visitors are encouraged to follow local regulations, use established access sites, practice Leave No Trace principles, and be mindful that this is a fragile watershed that depends on thoughtful stewardship.
Why is the Madison River so important?
The Madison River is a massive lifeline. Its waters originate in Yellowstone National Park and ultimately travel through seven states before reaching the Gulf of Mexico as part of the Missouri River system. Along the way, the river sustains diverse wildlife, provides clean drinking water for millions of people, and supports hundreds of ranches and farms that help feed the nation.
A healthy Madison River benefits not only Montana, but communities far beyond its banks.
What threats does the Madison River face?
The Madison River faces increasing pressure from heavy recreation, warming water temperatures, altered flows, erosion, and habitat loss. Growing visitation and development can compound these stressors. Without proactive conservation, restoration, and education, these impacts can reduce water quality and habitat over time.
How can I help protect the Madison River?
You can make a difference by:
Practicing responsible, low-impact recreation
Learning about watershed-friendly behaviors
Supporting conservation through donations or membership
Sharing the importance of protecting the real Madison River
The Madison River Foundation works year-round to protect the watershed through conservation, restoration, and education; community support makes that work possible.
What is the Madison River Foundation?
The Madison River Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting watershed health in the Madison River basin. The Foundation partners with scientists, agencies, landowners, and community members to monitor river health, restore habitat, and educate the public about protecting this irreplaceable resource.
Annual Summer Fundraising Gala
SAVE THE DATE
Please block your calendar for the 2nd Saturday of each July!
Next year’s gala will be held on July 11, 2026.
“Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better.”
2025 Year In Review
Hello Neighbor! It’s me, Madison, with my reflections on 2025
I am the luckiest river in the world to have so many people looking out for my well-being. Believe me, your kindness is never “water off my back” (a little river humor). It truly warms my riffles. I’d like to share what I’m grateful for as we head into the new year, thanks to all of you.
2025 brought many exciting moments throughout my waters. There were waves of primping, grooming, and health checkups from bank to bank. My namesake Foundation, the Madison River Foundation (MRF), teamed up with the Madison Conservation District’s Stream Team on their Tributary Blitz, testing the waters that run through my veins to be sure everything was flowing as it should.
Some of my side channels aren’t working quite like they used to (I’m not as young as I once was). But the folks at MRF, along with dedicated partners at Northwestern Energy, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and GEUM Environmental Consulting, initiated a restoration plan to guide them back toward a more natural state. It feels good knowing these channels will once again provide expanded habitat for fish and other critters that call my watershed home.
If you noticed a bit of ruckus on my bridge in Ennis this summer, it was thanks to a partnership between the USGS and MRF to install a shiny new monitoring gauge station. You can now check my flow, temperature, and dissolved oxygen as I pass through town. Trout just love dissolved oxygen, by the way. And there goes my modesty! You can now see it ALL, from Ennis FAS to Varney Bridge and south to Kirby Bridge, on the MRF website.
Another meaningful stretch of work in my watershed was the completion of Phase 19 of 20 on O’Dell Creek, one of my most important tributaries. That’s especially good news for the brown and rainbow trout that return each fall to spawn and raise their young.
Beyond restoration, there’s more good work unfolding along my banks. While healing my channels and tributaries matters deeply, education ensures that care for me carries forward. That’s where Mia and her team stepped in, bringing learning to life through programs for kids throughout my watershed and inspiring the next generation of caretakers.
MRF partnered with Ennis Middle School and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on Trout in the Classroom, teaching fifth graders about trout lifecycles, habitat, and the environmental conditions that keep fish, and rivers like me, healthy. Starting that curiosity early does my waters good.
Each year, as the school year draws to a close, Bear Creek Days, hosted by the U.S. Forest Service, brings three full days of hands-on conservation education to hundreds of local students. Mia’s team was right there in the mix. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that one, yes, a fly. I’m a river; it tracks.
My future flows through people, just as it flows through the landscapes around me. Each year, MRF awards eight scholarships to college-bound students studying earth-science-related fields. Maybe a few of them will find their way back to Ennis someday and work alongside my friends at the Foundation.
All told, my pools were full and my buckets overflowing in 2025. I’m looking forward to a quiet winter to rest and settle back into the flow, because 2026 is shaping up to be an even bigger year.
See you on my water,
Madison
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