The Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery, located below Wolf Creek Dam, just off of U.S. 127 in Jamestown, Kentucky, is a popular destination for people near and far. For visitors, our interactive Visitor/Environmental Education Center is fun and educational, along with our Hatchery building and raceways where fish production can be observed. Visit Hatchery Creek for a day of fishing, or walk the nature trail and observe the beauty and tranquility that wildlife can offer.

An estimated 1,000,000 trout weighing 275,000 pounds are produced each year. These fish provide over $50 million dollars per year in direct economic benefits. These fish are stocked in coordination with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources in over 125 public fishing waters within the commonwealth of Kentucky.

Visit Us

At Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery, visitors can tour our interactive visitor/education center, learn about the trout life cycle in the hatchery building, feed fish in the outdoor raceways, take a walk through our Nature Trail, and spend some time fishing at Hatchery Creek. 

The Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery Visitor/Environmental Education Center boasts an interactive exhibit hall.

Come face to face with the region’s underwater friends, explore karst terrain, see the inner workings of an active honey bee hive, and meet Dale, the lifelike animatronic fish biologist—all by stepping into the unique and exciting exhibit hall at the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery Visitor/Environmental Education Center. Much more awaits the entire family in a fun and engaging educational journey through the center—located on a working trout hatchery at the base of Wolf Creek Dam and beautiful Lake Cumberland. Visitors are welcome to tour the hatchery and fish the well-stocked creek below the hatchery. A theater, gift shop, picnic area, wheelchair accessible fishing ramp and special events make Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery a destination not to be missed. Nearby camping at Kendall Campground is available. 

Our gift shop is operated by the Friends of Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery, Inc. The shop offers a wide array of books, pins, fishing bait and light tackle, home decorations and more - all designed with an outdoor/environmental education theme in mind. All proceeds from sales in the shop are used to help support the hatchery, its mission and environmental education and outreach needs.

Lots of nature inspired gifts are available in the gift shop run by the Friends of Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery
Friends of Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery maintains a well-stocked gift shop, with lots of fishing gear

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      Since 1871, the National Fish Hatchery system has been at work improving recreational fishing and restoring aquatic species that are in decline, at risk, and are important to the health of our aquatic systems. Across the country, the network of National Fish Hatcheries work with states and tribes to conserve, restore and enhance the fish and aquatic resources of America for future generations. 

      Access the live Hatchery Creek cam: https://wcnfh.com/cam0.php

      Visit a live feed from the Hatchery Creek webcam


      Access the live raceway webcam: https://wcnfh.com/cam1.php

      Tours

      A group of children enjoy a tour of Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery.

      The hatchery offers self-guided tours and pre-arranged group tours for children and adults. We provide tours to many school, church, and community groups throughout the year. Tours can be tailored to meet the educational needs and age level of the group. For example, if your group is interested in learning about fish production practices,  the life cycle of trout, or about environmental issues in our community and world, just reach out to us and we will work with you to provide a fun, educational experience! 

      What We Do

      Over a century ago, environmentalists recognized that conservation measures were necessary to maintain good fishing opportunities in our public waters. Fishing has always been one of America's leading forms of outdoor recreation. The primary responsibility of Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery (NFH) is to raise rainbow, brook and brown trout which will help preserve this tradition for present and future generations of Americans.

      Access the interactive Stocking Map here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0e88b596b2d74fb9b58d15cd351725e5

      Our Species

      Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery is a cold water facility that produces trout. Approximately one million trout are produced each year. Species include rainbow, brook, brown, and cutthroat trout.

      Rainbow Trout 
      Brook Trout 
      Brown Trout 
      Cutthroat Trout 
      Steelhead are usually dark olive in color, shading to silvery white on the underside with a heavily speckled body and a pink-to-red stripe running along their sides.

      Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) belong to the family Salmonidae which includes all salmon, trout, and chars. Steelhead are similar to some Pacific salmon in their life cycle and ecological requirements. They are born in fresh water streams, where they spend their first 1-3 years of life....

      FWS Focus
      A fish in hand with dark circular spots along it's side

      The Bonneville cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki utah) is a subspecies of Cutthroat trout that once inhabited the Late Pleistocene-aged Lake Bonneville of Utah, eastern Nevada, and Southern Idaho (USA). Since the desiccation of Lake Bonneville into Great Salt Lake which is too salty for any...

      FWS Focus
      Snuffbox

      The snuffbox is a small- to medium-sized mussel, with males reaching up to 2.8 in (7.0 cm) in length (Cummings and Mayer 1992, p. 162; Parmalee and Bogan 1998, p. 108). The maximum length of females is about 1.8 in (4.5 cm) (Parmalee and Bogan 1998, p. 108). The shape of the shell is somewhat...

      FWS Focus
      The following description of the Fluted Kidneyshell is taken from Parmalee and Bogan (1998, pp. 204–205) and Williams et al. (2008, p. 627). The Fluted Kidneyshell is a relatively large mussel that reaches about 13 centimeters (cm) (5 inches (in)) in length. The shape of the shell is roughly oval...
      FWS Focus

      The round hickorynut mussel is a wide-ranging species, historically known from 12 states, though now occurs in nine, as well as the Canadaian Province of Ontario.  It is currently found in five major basins: Great Lakes, Ohio (where it is most prevalent), Cumberland, Tennessee, and Lower...

      FWS Focus

      Our Library

      Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery's Library is a great place for you to dive deeper into what the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is about. 

      Library Collection
      Historic rail carts used for transporting fish
      Our conservation roots run deep. In 1871, people recognized that America’s fisheries were in trouble and called on congress to act. The United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries was formed on February 9, 1871. Their charge was clear - to determine if America’s fisheries were declining, and if...

      Get Involved

      Friends and volunteers

      Friends of Wolf Creek NFH, Inc.

      Friends of Wolf Creek NFH, Inc. is a 501©(3) non-profit organization formed in 2005. The friends group provides a number of services for the community including:

      • Plan, sponsor, and carry out four fishing events a year for children, seniors, and veterans;
      • raise money to help the hatchery promote a better understanding and appreciation of the natural history, resources, and habitat of Kentucky;
      • provide a scholarship to one Russell County High School senior wanting to major in fields of conservation of natural resources/environmental science in college; and
      • sponsor several local students in the 4th-6th grades to attend conservation camp at Camp Earl Wallace.

      The Friends of Wolf Creek NFH meets every 2nd Tuesday of the month at Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery-1:00 p.m. CST. Contact Friends of Wolf Creek NFH to learn more or to become a member: friendsofwolfcreeknfh@gmail.com, or (270) 343-3797. Visit our Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/fowcnfh.

      Friends of Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery is a non-profit 501 organization dedicated to supporting Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery and its mission.

      Volunteer

      Wolf Creek NFH relies heavily on volunteers to maintain facilities and provide services. Here, the contributions of volunteers are equivalent to nearly six additional full time employees per year.

      There are many opportunities to volunteer with Wolf Creek NFH–whether that’s assisting in the Visitor Center or helping with fish production, volunteering during special events, or becoming a resident work camper. 

      Workcamping Program

      We rely on work camping volunteers to staff and maintain our Center and assist in outreach activities year-round. Minimum three month commitment preferred.

      In exchange for 20-27 hours/person/week (summer) and 18-24 hours/person/week (winter), volunteers receive a full hook-up campsite on a large, level, gravel lot, with fire pit and picnic table, onsite laundry, and limited WiFi. Propane provided during winter.

      Work camping volunteers at Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery have a full hook-up campsite with beautiful views.

      Work camping volunteer duties include: serving as point of contact for visitors–answering questions/providing assistance; leading tours and helping with field trips; caring for live education animals; performing day-to-day operation of Center gift shop; stocking brochures and handouts; cleaning Center including restrooms; performing minor maintenance; helping to plan special events, workshops and other outreach programs.

      Contact

      Marsha Hart

      Projects and Research

      Threatened and Endangered Species

      Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery is actively engaged in the recovery and restoration of imperiled aquatic species. Recovery and restoration activities include: on-station propagation; reintroductions; field surveys. 

       

      Barrens topminnow 

       

      Currently, Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery is working with the Barrens Topminnow species. We receive juvenile Barrens Topminnow from spawning facilities (Conservation Fisheries Inc., Tennessee Aquarium) and after grow-out, stock Barrens Topminnow into native streams in Tennessee. 

       

       

      Freshwater mussels 

      Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery is also engaged in the recovery and restoration of native freshwater mussels. The conservation of the freshwater mussels include species such as Cumberland Bean, Cumberland Combshell, Purple Cats Paw, Pink Mucket, Tan Riffleshell, Fluted Kidneyshell, Cracking Pearlymussel and Snuffbox.                                                

      Trout Production at Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery 

      Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery raises rainbow, brook and brown trout to support recreational fisheries that have been impacted by federal dams. Over a century ago, environmentalists recognized that conservation measures were necessary to maintain good fishing opportunities in our public waters, the fish that Wolf Creek...