The Long Way
Okanogan County
Two people in waders fish in a snowy river.
Plate I. Fish collection, Winthrop National Fish Hatchery. From fws.gov
A smiling man holds a large fish he caught near the water.
Plate II. Steelhead handling, Winthrop National Fish Hatchery. From fws.gov
People looking at a beaver project enclosure outdoors.
Plate III. Visitors and volunteer, Winthrop National Fish Hatchery. From fws.gov
A trout swims near the rocky bottom of a stream.
Plate IV. Chinook salmon, Winthrop National Fish Hatchery. From fws.gov
A man releases fish into a body of water from a large hose.
Plate V. Employee releasing fish, Winthrop National Fish Hatchery. From fws.gov

Winthrop National Fish Hatchery

Winthrop, Okanogan County, Washington. National fish hatchery.

Details

Map. Winthrop, Okanogan County, Washington. Larger map
Where
453A Twin Lakes Road, Winthrop, WA 98862. Directions
When
Posted hours, typically 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Season
May to late August (returning adults visible through viewing window).
Getting there
From State Highway 20 in Winthrop, turn east on Twin Lakes Road at the east end of town and follow the signs to the Hatchery.
Access
Pets must be on a leash; dogs must be on leash at all times; commercial activities require a special use permit.
Phone
(509) 996-2424
Website
fws.gov
Managed by
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Leavenworth Fisheries Complex.
Established
1942.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service mitigation hatchery on a 42-acre site on the Methow River, just outside the town of Winthrop in north-central Washington.

Notable Events

  1. 1942Construction occurred between 1940 and 1942. Fish culture operations were initiated at Winthrop in 1942. fws.gov
  2. 1945Sockeye salmon was the primary species produced. fws.gov
  3. 1950sDuring the 1950s, Winthrop National Fish Hatchery stocked lakes and streams in the area using a variety of transportation methods, including airplanes. fws.gov
  4. 1959Coho salmon was the primary species produced. fws.gov
  5. 1969Production switched to rainbow trout. Fish were primarily released into lakes. fws.gov
  6. 1976The hatchery began releasing spring Chinook salmon (Carson stock from the lower Columbia River) into the Methow River. fws.gov
  7. 1995A summer steelhead program began at Winthrop NFH. Eyed eggs were received from Wells Dam Fish Hatchery to support the program. fws.gov
  8. 1996The hatchery began releasing coho salmon (Tanner and Eagle Creek stock) into the Methow River to initiate the Yakama Nation coho reintroduction program. fws.gov
  9. 2012The Yakama Nation kelt reconditioning program began at Winthrop NFH, taking spawned steelhead females and reconditioning them to spawn again in the wild. fws.gov
  10. 2021Estimated Winthrop NFH coho adult return to Bonneville Dam was 11,400, surpassing the 2014 return. fws.gov

Sources

  1. fws.gov/fish-hatchery/winthrop/visit-us
  2. fws.gov/fish-hatchery/winthrop/visit-us/tours
  3. fws.gov/fish-hatchery/winthrop/visit-us/trails
  4. fws.gov/fish-hatchery/winthrop/events
  5. fws.gov/fish-hatchery/winthrop/news
  6. fws.gov/story/2026-03/community-salmon-tanks-salmon-beyond-hatchery
  7. fws.gov/media/visitors-winthrop-national-fish-hatchery
  8. fws.gov/fish-hatchery/winthrop