Carson National Fish Hatchery

Facility · Washington ·

Managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service

Gifford Pinchot National Forest (NF) · Open Access

1,241 ft
Elevation
The Carson National Fish Hatchery, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, began rearing salmon and trout in 1937. Carson National Fish Hatchery produces 1.17 million spring Chinook smolts (young salmon) annually, including 250,000 smolts for tribal efforts to restore salmon to the Walla Walla River Basin. This program has the goal of producing a naturally spawning, self-sustaining population of spring Chinook in the Walla Walla Basin. The hatchery also helps mitigate for fish losses in the Columbia River Basin due to the impacts of main stem hydropower, and contributes to important tribal ceremonial and subsistence fisheries as well as non-tribal sport fisheries.

Getting there

Carson National Fish Hatchery is at the confluence of Tyee Creek and the Wind River, 14 miles north of the Columbia River, about 60 miles east of Vancouver, Washington. To visit the hatchery, turn north off State Route 14 at the Wind River Highway, about 3 miles east of Stevenson, WA, and continue for 14 miles to the hatchery.

45.86670, -121.96700 · 45°52'0.1"N 121°58'1.2"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 82°F in Aug, down to 38°F in Dec.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F384350576672818274604638
Low °F292931354146494944383329
Precip in14.511.39.86.13.32.20.50.82.88.113.815.8

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 0.3 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Member photos

Common questions about Carson National Fish Hatchery

Can you reserve a site at Carson National Fish Hatchery?
No. Carson National Fish Hatchery is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

Camping near Carson National Fish Hatchery

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Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-02-25.

Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.