Jones Hole
Vernal, UT 84078-2042
Plan Your Visit
Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery provides many exciting visitor opportunities at the hatchery and surrounding area. Open to the public, the hatchery welcomes visitors to the hatchery for a close-up view of the fish production process. With over 7,000 visitors annually, the dedicated staff is happy to answer any questions while you explore the hatchery grounds and view the fish. Dust off those boots as you hike to Dinosaur National Monument in the spectacular surroundings or try your luck landing 'the big one' in Jones Hole Creek. Be sure to bring your binoculars and test your wildlife knowledge while hiking or fishing.
Jones Hole NFH is located on the Utah-Colorado border, 40 miles northeast of Vernal, Utah. Take Diamond Mountain Road from Vernal, which will merge into Jones Hole Road 20 miles in, until you reach the dead-end at which the hatchery is located. The paved road from Vernal to Jones Hole is periodically closed by snow drifts in the winter months. During the spring thaw, melting snow can become ice on the roadway as temperatures drop below freezing. Please use extra care when visiting the Hatchery during these two seasons.
Activities
Featured Species
Get Involved
Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery operates closely through a series of partnerships, including: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Bureau of Reclamation, Eastern Shoshone Tribe, and Northern Arapaho Tribe.
In addition to other Service and State hatcheries, many local schools and citizens are actively involved with the hatchery's research, operations, and education. These many dedicated partners and volunteers help keep Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery operating to help bring trout to the Upper Colorado River System and promote a healthy aquatic ecosystem for you, your family, and future generations!
Services
Currently, the hatchery produces a variety of trout species for the Upper Colorado River System. These trout help to replenish and encourage sustainable fish populations to promote a healthy Upper Colorado River Ecosystem and provide angling opportunities for recreational users like you! To meet the high fish production demands, Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery has 40 rearing tanks and 50 raceways. In fiscal year 2000, Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery reared almost 2 million trout, and stocked fish in over 30 different water areas in Utah and Wyoming, the largest one being the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. As a result of Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery's stocking efforts, economic benefits weigh-in at 185,000 angler days valued at over $9.25 million per year. Since this hatchery keeps no broodstock , approximately 2 million rainbow, cutthroat or Kokanee eggs are received annually from other federal or state hatcheries.
About
Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery was established in 1968 to provide trout for mitigation of Colorado River Storage Project waters and meet Tribal trust responsibilities. The hatchery utilizes a 54-degree underground spring to raise species including Bonneville cutthroat trout, Kokanee salmon, and tiger trout. It annually produces up to 1.2 million trout, the majority of which are stocked into waters such as Flaming Gorge, Steinaker Reservoir, and Redfleet Reservoir.