Chris Barclay is a bona fide small stream enthusiast,
and happens to design/build some KILLER 4pc small stream tapers.

If it were me, and i had your criteria, id start (and end!) with him

It's usually not a problem to bring a rod case on an airline with your carry-on luggage. Things may have changed, but 9 years ago, I brought a 2-piece rod with me for no extra cost. Just in case, call the airline.

All that to say that I would choose your rod based on conditions. I don't think you'll have a problem with transportation within the U.S.

What kind of streams do you intend to fish out west? When are you coming, and what size flies do you plan on fishing

I'm not sure I would consider the Epic a go-to small stream rod, but it can certainly handle them well. It's a versatile rod, and I've fished it here in MT from anything to tight, brushy water a few feet wide to large, complex rivers. It kind of depends on your definition of "small stream," but if it were me, I'd start with the ********* Western Glass series in the 3- or 4-weights (the 4-weight is one of my favorite all-time rods). But the 5-weight wouldn't be too much either out here, and it gives you the versatility to throw bigger hoppers, etc.

If you can narrow down some of the water you are looking to fish, that could be helpful. It is not likely you will be able to fish all the waters “out west” with a single rod, thus the notion of trying to narrow down the intended waters. I have one of Chris’ 8’2” Tailwater Specials 4/5wt. I have landed 20”+ fish with that rod. I love that rod. I know folks who have his 64P and swear by it. His Synthesis series of rods offers some good options. All of his rods are great and mostly 4pc. Some of his rods come available on this forum. In longer rods, the ********* glass rods come highly regarded. Again, I know someone who swears by Dusty’s 8’6” 3wt for most rivers he fishes. So, see what you can do to narrow down the where and that would be helpful with the what. Also, don’t sell 3pc rods short. I travel with 3pc rods up to 8’6” with no problem.

Thanks for everyone’s thoughts. To be more specific about the water I am thinking about, this whole idea started on the Big Wood in ID, in the National Forest section. (North of Ketchem). But Greyling Creek in MT is another spot I have fished that comes to mind as a possible location.

I am working on a trip this summer to southern WY that may include some smaller water.

I have a medium action, 9 foot 4 weight graphite rod that I really enjoy on tailwaters, etc but it is not the right tool for smaller water where the casts are not that long and space is tighter. Which is where I am thinking a shorter glass rod could be a good add.
Pro

I do a 7'0" 2/3wt 4pc in raw tip-over config, rolled by Mike McFarland. Just finished the last prototype and it was worth developing. Now that I have the treat of hiking with 4 kids under 8, the smaller I can pack a fishing rod into a suitcase and hiking pack the more likely my wife is to let me fish.

Wthorpe has a very sharp point. Not sure where it will lead you. For meadow brooks you can jump across--gosh they can be fun to fish--almost anything will do. If a 9' graphite 4 weight were my go-to rod, I'd let that fill the 4 weight niche. In 'glass, I'd want a 6 or 7 weight to tumble some Bitch Creek nymphs through some boulder-strewn "small" streams, or work size 4 and 6 streamers along cut banks for big fish.

At the very least, base your line weight choice on the time of year as it relates to the size of flies you might expect to fish, not the size of the water. Typically the line weight will be heavier than you think if conditioned to what folks do with "light" line graphite rods. That graphite 4 will do a lot for you, so something comparably versatile in 'glass, but across a different range might add more to your fishing out there

Hope you will post more about your choice and then the trip.

Sounds like this would be your first glass rod, as well as your first 3 wt. In that case, I wouldn’t recommend a 3 for western small streams. In the past a time or two I’ve taken a glass 6’6” or 7’ 3wt that I’ve fished a lot, but a 4 wt is as light as I use there these days. I’d suggest a 5, especially as you already have a 4 wt. There will be wind at some point, even on small wooded streams, and I’d have to go way up the E Fork of the Big Wood before I’d begin to think 8’ was cramping my style. Grayling Ck too, although that’s been at least 10 years. And an 8’ 5wt is nice if you’re on small hopper water, and generally versatile.

Currently made multi-piece rods that come to mind include the Barclay 82 Tailwater Special (name aside). Pretty sure when I cast it was with a 5 wt, and maybe retiredfisher will mention his line choice. Another Barclay I cast the same day was his 79 General Practioner, in the 5 piece configuration. Cast a lot of good rods that day, and those stuck with me, for what you might be looking for. I’d also not hesitate to recommend the Kenney 8055. I have a rod built on a prototype of that blank that turned out to be a little more of a 6 than the 5 wt that was intended; I happily fish it as a 6, and it’s one of my favorites.

Is this for this summer? Unlike a Scott or something, you cant go to a shop and have them say, “not in stock, but it’ll be here next week.” Pretty sure you couldn’t get a 8055 from Larry Kenney by July, not sure about Chris Barclay’s rods. You might put out a request on our “rods wanted” board, and scan the rods for sale board. If older multi-piece rods might interest you, that opens up more options like a FF756-4; I usually fish it as a 6 but it’s often thought of as a 5/6 and I’m usually one to be on the heavier line of those choices.

Upstream and I were casting the Barclays at the same time. There were three that impressed me: the 8’2” 4/5 4pc, the 7’9” 4/5 5pc and the 6’8” 3wt 4pc. As for lines, I think that Chris uses 406’s on most of his rods. On my 8’2” I use an Orvis 5DT.

a 5 or 6wt is a much more useful rod IMHO, and like mentioned above, a 7ft rod is a little too short, again, IMHO

Looking forward to a trip report.

PS methinks most people take way too much gear (too many rods) and it complicates, rather than enhances, their fishing and their trip.

I think I bought one of those once thinking it was my perfect find and traded it off some years later because the blank was a bit heavier than I liked. Do I remember that right?

If you’re wiling to go with a 3 piece rod I would recommend the Orvis 805 Superfine Glass rod or the 7’6” 3 wt. glass rod.

It looks like it (starting Memorial Day weekend). I think I remember something about it being closed for killing and restocking actual grayling. Maybe I'm wrong on the timing.

Here are the current regs for Northwest Yellowstone.