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, Vice President of North America Programs, International Crane Foundation
- 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
The complete festival schedule is now live!
Check back soon: Registration opens July 15, 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.
