Mammoth Spring
Plan Your Visit
At Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery there is an abundance of activities to participate in, including visiting our Aquatic Conservation Center and Aquarium, or attending one of our regular outreach events. While visiting the Aquatic Conservation Center you can also take a stroll around our hatchery ponds and raceways to check-out the variety of fish being raised here, feed fish in our display pond, or walk through our pollinator garden. Fish production at the Hatchery varies depending on the season and the needs of the Service and our partner agencies. Mammoth Spring NFH is located next to the beautiful Mammoth Spring State Park (home of the world's tenth largest spring) and is mere walking distance from the historic downtown. The Hatchery is also a short drive from Grand Gulf State Park (Missouri's Little Grand Canyon) and the Historic town of Hardy. You can easily make a day full of wonderful memories as you explore the area.
Hatchery staff also provide outreach and education resources at our Visitor's Center. These events can be scheduled throughout the year. For questions or if you would like to schedule a tour, please contact Rick Peek.
Mammoth Spring National Fish hatchery is located just behind Mammoth Spring State Park nestled between the railroad tracks and the Warm Fork River.
Driving Directions
- From HWY 63, Turn East onto North Park Drive (Just North of the spring);
- The road changes to State Line Drive;
- At the fork turn right onto state Park Drive;
- Cross the Railroad Tracks;
- The Hatchery will be straight ahead.
Activities
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.
Volunteering
Here at Mammoth Spring NFH we are constantly in awe of our volunteers and what experience they bring to this facility. We have volunteer programs for full time RVers and those that are local and want to contribute from time to time. These experiences are for all ages, to give back or build your experience.
Discover for yourself what tens of thousands of volunteers have learned: Volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is fun and rewarding in many ways. Master new skills. Meet new friends. Enjoy a sense of accomplishment from doing your part to further wildlife conservation for the pleasure of generations to follow. Check out our station's latest volunteer opportunities on volunteer.gov
We have a constantly evolving the list of opportunities at Mammoth Spring NFH and these opportunities are listed at Volunteer.gov.
Outreach
Here at Mammoth Spring NFH we have an extensive outreach program. You can get involved in this program by stopping by our Visitors Center, engaging in our events that are held throughout the year, or volunteering during outreach events. The fundamental purpose of Service outreach is to build understanding and trust in the Service by helping you understand who we are, what we do, and why we do it.
Education Programs
Explore paid and unpaid opportunities to learn and develop leadership skills.
Partners
At Mammoth Spring NFH, we have a constant evolving partnership with a variety of organizations. These partnerships can range from assistance with fish culture, event organizations to environmental assistance. Partnerships foster creative solutions to challenging situations and often the results are greater than the sum of the parts.
Services
Mammoth Spring NFH produces rainbow trout, striped bass, lake sturgeon, walleye, small mouth bass, largemouth bass, golden shiner and thread finned shad. The fish are stocked annually in reservoirs, lakes, rivers and coastal streams across the southeast. As a National Fish Hatchery our main service is providing fish for conservation and recreational purposes. This service has a net economic output for every tax dollar spent $12 dollars is created for the economy. Since there is such a vast selection of water types available here this hatchery can shift the species it raises as the demands and needs of species change. Along with fish production this hatchery also investigates spawning and rearing techniques for endangered and threatened species to ensure these animals are available for current and future generations.
About
Established in 1903, Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery is one of the oldest in the United States, using cool water from the world’s tenth largest spring for production. Current programs focus on recovering endangered species like freshwater mussels, restoring Gulf Coast Striped Bass, and raising rainbow trout. The facility features an Aquatic Conservation Center with a silver LEED rating, using recycled materials and a specialized water cycle to conserve energy.