Green Lake
Ellsworth, ME 04605-3502
Plan Your Visit
Visitors are welcome year round at Green Lake NFH and the opportunities available for fish viewing vary throughout the year. From September to April, visitors can see Atlantic salmon parr (3-5 inches in length) and smolts (8 inches in length). From April to August, visitors can see Atlantic salmon fry which range in size from 1 inch, soon after hatching from eggs, to 3 inches length.
There are plenty of recreational opportunities at Green Lake NFH year round also. Come fish in Reed's Brook or Graham Lake or enjoy our nature trail year round to hike, bird, watch wildlife and in winter snow shoe or cross-country ski.
Green Lake NFH is comprised of several buildings for water treatment, fish rearing, offices and public use areas on over 129 acres and is located in Ellsworth in the Downeast region of Maine. Ellsworth is a small city with plenty of small family-owned shops and restaurants, as well as larger retailers, and a microbrewery. Ellsworth is known as the crossroads of Downeast Maine and is 15 miles from Acadia National Park and 30 miles from the city of Bangor.
Driving Directions
Directions from Ellsworth, ME
Drive north on Route 1A to junction of 1A and Route 180. Turn right onto Route 180 and travel approximately 4.25 miles until reaching the Hatchery entrance sign on the left. Travel time from Ellsworth is about 10 minutes.
Directions from Bangor, ME
Drive south on Route 1A to junction of 1A and Route 180. Turn leftt onto Route 180 and travel approximately 4.25 miles until reaching the Hatchery entrance sign on the left. Travel time from Bangor is approximately 40 minutes.
Activities
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Featured Species
Get Involved
Whether you want to further conservation, learn more about nature, or share your love of the outdoors, you’ve come to the right place. National Fish Hatcheries provide many opportunities for you to help your community and fish and wildlife by doing what you love.
Services
Green Lake National Fish Hatchery uses very specific hatchery breeding and rearing protocols to produce disease-free fish and to maintain the genetic integrity of Atlantic salmon. These protocols also help ensure salmon will successfully make the transition from the hatchery environment to the wild. To support recovery, Green Lake NFH raises and stocks approximately 650,000 yearling Atlantic salmon smolts (8” fish) and 200,000+ fall parr (3-5” fish) annually.
About
Green Lake National Fish Hatchery is a large-scale cold water hatchery located in Downeast Maine, established in 1973. Its mission has evolved from providing sport fish to serving as a conservation hatchery dedicated to recovering endangered Atlantic salmon in the Gulf of Maine. It plays a vital role in research and restoration, with three out of every four Atlantic salmon returning to U.S. waters originating from this facility.