2026 Yampa Valley Crane Festival

 The 15th annual Yampa Valley Crane Festival will be held on September 3 ­– 6, 2026 in Steamboat Springs, Hayden, and Craig, Colorado.

Join us for guided crane viewings, bird walks, expert speakers, live raptors, films, family activities, and more. Speakers include:

  • Keynote speaker Anne Lacy, International Crane Foundation’s Director of Eastern Flyway Programs – North America
  • Noah Strycker, author, photographer, and bird man
  • Ted Floyd, author, birder extraordinaire, and editor of the American Birding Association’s Birding magazine
  • Sandra Noll, naturalist and crane expert
  • Van Graham, retired wildlife biologist and expert on the Rocky Mountain Population of Greater Sandhill Cranes, CCCC emeritus board member
  • Meg Karschner, Executive Director, Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition

Registration opens mid-July, 2026.

To stay current on the latest festival-related announcements and more, click the button below to subscribe to CCCC’s newsletter:

Save the Date for the 15th annual Yampa Valley Crane Festival:

September 3 – 6, 2026

Yampa Valley Crane Festival

Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition, Inc. presents the annual Yampa Valley Crane Festival every fall. The festival occurs during fall staging – when cranes gather in large numbers in the fall to feed and gain energy for their migration south. The festival is held in beautiful Northwest Colorado with events in Steamboat Springs, Hayden, and Craig. The festival features guided crane viewings, bird and nature walks, expert speakers, films, crane and bird art, children and family activities, and more.

Behind the Scenes of the Yampa Valley Crane Festival

Join along and experience the dedicated effort that goes into producing the crane festival each fall with this video produced by Jo Smith.

YVCF Partners

Bud Werner Memorial Library
City of Steamboat Springs
Clark Hill PLC
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Gerhard Assenmacher
Hayden Granary/Wild Goose Coffee Shop
Inclusions Bakery & Dessert Bar
KT Law
Marabou Ranch
Off the Beaten Path

Omni Graphics
Photographics Art
Steamboat Ace Hardware
Paul King
USDA Forest Service
Yampa River Botanic Park
Yampa Valley Birding Club
Yampa Valley Brewing
Yampatika