The Long Way
Taos County
A large group of small fish swim in a tank.
Plate I. Young fish, Red River Fish Hatchery. From santafenewmexican.com
People look at indoor aquaculture tanks in a facility.
Plate II. Hatchery interior, Red River Fish Hatchery. From santafenewmexican.com
A view of a mountain valley with steep slopes and distant peaks.
Plate III. Aerial view of Red River Fish Hatchery. From visitquesta.com
A man holds up a piece of equipment indoors.
Plate IV. Hatchery tray, Red River Fish Hatchery. From santafenewmexican.com
Fish swim in clear water.
Plate V. Trout swimming, Red River Fish Hatchery. From santafenewmexican.com

Red River Fish Hatchery

Questa, NM, Taos County, New Mexico. Fish hatchery.

Details

Map. Questa, NM, Taos County, New Mexico. Larger map
Where
1 State Route 515, Questa, Questa, NM, NM 87556. Directions
When
Open daily 8a-5p for self-guided tours, the fishing ponds area are accessible dawn-dusk.
Getting there
Drive south on NM-522 for 5.5 miles (toward Taos), turn right/west onto State Route 515 looking for directional signage on the road; follow the road for 2 miles to the fish hatchery on your right.
Access
Open daily 8a-5p for self-guided tours, the fishing ponds area are accessible dawn-dusk.
Walk-in or reserve
Self-guided tours, open daily.
Phone
(575) 586-0222
Website
wildlife.dgf.nm.gov
Managed by
New Mexico Department of Wildlife.
Established
1941.

Open for fishing and self-guided tours, this state-run fish hatchery is less than 10-minutes from Questa. It is the largest hatchery in New Mexico producing over 1.7 million rainbow trout each year, including catchable 9 – 10-inch fish.

Notable Events

  1. 1985The hatchery had a major retrofit that renewed most of what is there today. taosnews.com
  2. 2000sWhirling disease came through; a fairly aggressive disease with no cure, it forces a hatchery to liquidate everything on station and disinfect everything. taosnews.com
  3. 2003Covers were put over the raceways because of the disease issues; animals can transmit the fish diseases, especially with the Red River right there. taosnews.com
  4. The Works Progress Administration under Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal program provided construction projects in Questa, including construction of the road to the Fish Hatchery. another-time.org

People

  • Daniel Evans, manager of the Red River Fish Hatchery.
  • Dan Arevalo, hatchery manager.

Sources

  1. wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/fish-hatcheries
  2. wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/home/contact/location-map
  3. visitquesta.com/fishing
  4. visitquesta.com/businesses/red-river-state-fish-hatchery
  5. wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/download/revitalized-nm-hatcheries-see-bright-future/?wpdmdl=44424&refresh=637b0122c0ca01669005602
  6. taosnews.com/news/getting-down-to-business-at-the-red-river-fish-hatchery/article_763bd6d4-85ec-5c4e-9a22-2345c657d081.html
  7. another-time.org/the-20th-century-comes-to-questa