Fish hatcheries are generally located in beautiful locations; the Columbia River Gorge National Fish Hatcheries are no exception. As part of the Little White Salmon/Willard National Fish Hatchery Complex, visitors can visit the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery to 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.
For more details about activities at the hatcheries or to schedule a group tour, please call the hatchery at 509-538-2305.
As the weather warms up and wildflowers brighten the Gorge, spring chinook salmon return up the Columbia River, entering 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. Adult Spring Chinook salmon can viewed throughout the summer at the Little White Salmon hatchery. Spawning takes place mid-July through mid-August, call for further details and dates, 509-538-2755. At the Willard hatchery coho smolts can be viewed in the raceways.
Fall
As the summer ends in late August and early September, Upriver Bright fall chinook salmon and coho begin returning to the Little White Salmon hatchery. Visitors can pick up a brochure at the main office and take a self-guided tour through the hatchery or arrange group tours in advance. Spawning of Upriver Brights and coho salmon begins in October and continues through late November. After the coho eggs hatch and develop into the eye-egg stage in which they can be handled, they are transferred to the Willard hatchery for incubation and rearing.
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.
