Fish hatcheries are generally located in beautiful locations; the Columbia River Gorge National Fish Hatcheries are no exception. Visitors can enjoy a picnic at a peaceful spot along the river; watch birds that include ducks, geese, osprey, and eagles; and see salmon returning to the place of their birth--in this case, to the hatcheries where they began their life two to five years earlier.
For more details about activities at the hatcheries or to schedule a group tour, please call the hatchery at 509-427-5905 or the Columbia Gorge Information and Education Office at 509-493-2934.
Spring
As the weather warms up and wildflowers brighten the Gorge, spring chinook
salmon return up the Columbia River, entering the Wind River on their journey
back to Carson National Fish Hatchery. Others swim up the Little White Salmon
River through Drano Lake to the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery.
Anglers flock to the mouth of the Wind River and to Drano Lake to try their
luck at catching the 15 to 20 pound fish. All state fishing regulations apply;
check with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife for latest
season information (360-902-2500 for latest updates or 306-902-2200 for general
information).
Summer
During the summer, the hatcheries are good places to enjoy the park-like settings
and see wildlife along the nearby rivers. Picnic facilities are available,
and there are public restrooms and parking for cars and recreational vehicles.
Carson Hatchery releases their spring chinook salmon smolts in mid-April.
Adults start returning in May and can be viewed through July. Spawning takes
place on Wednesdays in August, call the hatchery for exact dates and times
at 509-427-5905. The hatchery has an excellent self-guided tour and brochures
are available in the main office. Carson Hatchery is located in the heart
of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and has vast opportunities for hiking,
camping and picnicking. The hatchery holds their annual Open House on the
last Sunday of June, please call for more details.
Fall
As the summer ends in late August and early September, tule fall chinook salmon
begin returning to Spring Creek hatchery. Visitors can pick up a brochure
at the parking area and take a self-guided tour through the hatchery or arrange
group tours in advance. Each September, on the second or third Saturday, Spring
Creek holds an Open House during which visitors can take hatchery tours, watch
adult salmon being spawned in the state-of-the-art spawning facility, enjoy
refreshments, and have fun with special activities for children. Call the
hatchery at 509-493-1730 for details. The Carson Hatchery holds an Annual
Kid's Fishing Day in early September each year. Call the hatchery for further
details at 509-427-5905.
Winter
The strong Gorge winds and sometimes-harsh weather provide a dramatic setting
for a visit to the hatcheries. In February and March, thousands of fall chinook
salmon are marked with coded wire tags before being released into the rivers
leading to the Pacific Ocean. Visitors are welcome to watch the tagging inside
the comfort of the trailers that are moved to each hatchery during tagging
season. Winters are also the best time to watch the eagles soaring in the
wind and at river's edge, feeding on salmon carcasses returned to the river
after the spawning is finished.
