Iron River
Iron River, WI 54847-7527
Plan Your Visit
Iron River National Fish Hatchery is located in beautiful northern Wisconsin a few miles from Lake Superior near the town of Iron River. There are many things to do and see at the hatchery. Don’t miss the visitor center with aquariums, where large coaster brook and lake trout broodstock can be seen up close. Visitors can also tour the early rearing tankroom, broodstock building and production building. Take a stroll on the hatchery’s 3.5 mile Simpson Trail or test your archery skills on the 3D Archery Range. Trail maps are available in the visitor center and at the kiosk at both trailheads. From the main parking lot, visitors can also access the pavilion with grilling stations and playground.
Points of Interest
When you arrive at the hatchery please park in the main building parking lot and check in at the main office. Don't miss the visitor center and aquariums in our main building, the early rearing tankroom, broodstock building, production building, 3D walking archery range or the interpretive hiking and cross-country ski trails found on our property. Please call in advance to schedule group tours of our facilities. Group tours are generally provided between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Know Before You Go
When visiting the hatchery, please use foot baths and hand sanitizing stations and keep hands out of the raceways to prevent the spread of fish diseases. Please do not turn on the lights in any rearing areas and do not feed the fish. Dogs are not allowed in the buildings, should be on a leash at all times and be cleaned up after. No fishing is allowed.
What To Do
If you have 15 minutes
- Explore the visitor center
- Take a self-guided tour
- Relax in the pavilion
- Watch you children play on the playground
If you have one hour
- Call ahead for a scheduled tour
- Hike, ski or snow shoe the Black Bear loop on the Simpson Trail
If you have half a day or more
- Hike, ski or snow shoe the Simpson Trail
- Bring a lunch and eat at the pavilion
- Bring your own charcoal and grill out at one of the grilling stations
From Highway 2 in Iron River, WI, travel north 7 miles on County Highway A, turn right and travel 1 mile on Fairview Road to hatchery entrance. From Highway 13 Port Wing, WI, travel south 9 miles on County Highway A, turn left and travel 1 mile on Fairview Road to hatchery entrance. When you arrive at the hatchery please park in the main building parking lot and check in at the main office.
Activities
More Activities
Featured Species
Get Involved
Our volunteers are individuals who want to give back to their communities: parents who want to be good stewards of the land and set examples for their children, retired people willing to share their wealth of knowledge, and citizens who want to learn more about conservation. Please call (715) 372-8510 to learn about future volunteer opportunities.
Services
The hatchery produces approximately 1.5 million lake trout annually to be stocked in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. In addition, about 65,000 brook trout are stocked in Lake Superior waters where stocks are depleted. Lake trout and coaster brook trout brood fish are held in the broodstock facility to provide eggs for conservation of these species.
About
Iron River National Fish Hatchery was established in 1979 to produce lake trout for restoration programs in the upper Great Lakes and to serve as a broodstock facility. Currently, the hatchery produces eggs for the National Broodstock Program and rears lake and brook trout for interagency restoration in lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior. It also manages a program to isolate future broodstock through the collection of gametes from wild populations in Lake Superior and Yellowstone National Park.