Winthrop
Winthrop, WA 98862-9715
Plan Your Visit
Winthrop National Fish Hatchery is located in Okanogan County in north central Washington, at 453A Twin Lakes Road, Winthrop, WA, 98862. The 42 acre site lies ninety miles north of Wenatchee and sits just outside the town of Winthrop.
Visitors are welcome to tour the hatchery, and in summer, volunteers may be available to show you around. A two story concrete structure houses returning adults from May to late August with a viewing window to see the fish. The 42-acre site also features access to the Methow Valley Community Trail for cycling and skiing. Pets must be on a leash. Commercial activities must have a special use permit.
As you drive along State Highway 20 to Winthrop, look for Twin Lakes Road on the east end of town and follow the signs to the Hatchery.
Activities
Featured Species
Services
Winthrop National Fish Hatchery provides data on fish returns and daily weather updates. The hatchery coordinates a tribal food program, donating excess spring Chinook salmon to local tribes for ceremonial and subsistence purposes. Additionally, the facility offers educational hatchery tours and access to the Methow Valley Community Trail for cycling and skiing.
About
Winthrop National Fish Hatchery was established as part of the Grand Coulee Fish Maintenance Project in 1937 to mitigate the impact of the Grand Coulee Dam. It currently raises 200,000 steelhead, 400,000 spring Chinook, and 250,000 coho salmon for release into the Methow River. The hatchery operates using a conservation model that emphasizes tribal partnerships and genetic diversity while also offering public recreational opportunities like cycling and skiing trails.