Little White Salmon
Plan Your Visit
Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery is located on the scenic Little White Salmon River and Drano Lake. Enjoy the river scenery with a peaceful picnic, get an up-close view of the river at one or our viewing platforms, wildlife watch along our entrance road or simply watch the salmon swim home to the hatchery in the fish ladder or underground viewing room! As the weather warms up and wildflowers brighten the Gorge, Spring Chinook salmon return up the Columbia River, swimming up the Little White Salmon River through Drano Lake to the Hatchery. Spring Chinook salmon continue to enter the hatchery fish ladder during the summer and are held in large tanks until spawning begins in August. Upriver Bright Fall Chinook salmon begin returning to the hatchery in mid-October and can be seen from our above-ground viewing deck or underground viewing room in the Visitor's Center. Fall Chinook spawning takes place in late October through mid-November. Call the hatchery at 509-538-2755 for exact days and times.
We also offer fishing opportunities along our entrance road. Drano Lake is one of the most popular salmon fishing sites in the gorge! We also offer fishing access to people with disabilities with our accessible fishing ramp. Walking along the entrance road to the upper hatchery provides beautiful views of the river and lake, unique wildlife viewing possibilities as well as opportunities to see salmon return to their natal stream and the hatchery.
We are located in south central Washington on the Little White Salmon River approximately one mile upstream from the Columbia River. The Little White Salmon River joins the Columbia River at river mile 162. Drano Lake is a natural lake at the mouth of the Little White Salmon River and is a popular sport and tribal fishing area.
Activities
Featured Species
Get Involved
Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery offers many ways to be 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. National fish hatcheries partner with volunteers, youth groups, landowners, neighbors and residents of both urban and rural communities to make a lasting difference. There are opportunities for everyone to get involved!
Learn about opportunities at Little White Salmon!
Services
Little White Salmon produces 1.4 million spring Chinook and 4.5 million upriver bright fall Chinook salmon for on-site release and another 1.1 million upriver brights for marking and transfer to the Yakama Nation Prosser Hatchery. Little White National Fish Hatchery also collects eggs for various federal, state, and Tribal programs, bringing the annual egg numbers to around 16.5 million.
About
Established in 1898, Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery is the oldest hatchery on the Columbia River and a pioneer in salmon propagation. The facility produces spring and upriver bright fall Chinook salmon to fulfill tribal trust responsibilities and mitigate for fishery losses due to hydroelectric dams. It is part of the Columbia River Gorge National Fish Hatchery Complex, which produces over 25 million salmon annually in partnership with Tribes and other agencies.