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    Nimbus Fish Hatchery

    4.7 (122 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Nimbus Fish Hatchery Photos

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    Lillian H.

    The Nimbus Fish Hatchery is a great family friendly place and it's all free! It's a nice place to enjoy some nature and fish. There's free fish feeding which is my favorite activity here. The feeding area closes before the visitor center so plan to do that first. Be sure to check their Facebook page for the latest updates on hours and closuresThe visitor center is also worth a stop, with educational displays about fish spawning. There's restrooms available inside as well.

    Judith G.

    This is an amazing place to go to see the salmon and steelhead trout fish hatchery. There was a school bus in the parking lot which indicated that a group of students were here to learn about these fish and the life cycle of the fish. It was fun to hear the children squeal as the huge salmon jumped in the air up the ladders as they do naturally in the rivers in their spawning areas. I suddenly realized my squeals were louder than the little kids. It is an amazing site to watch! Thanks to Tom, a volunteer there who spent time with us explaining the stages of hatching. Great time!

    Heidi M.

    I love the Nimbus Fish Hatchery! I think most of us who grew up in the area have fond memories of feeding the fish while on field trips! I recently went back for a chance just to get out in nature. I went through the small museum, took some nature pics along the water, and of course, fed the fish! It is a relaxing place to take a time out and the people who work here are kind and informative! It is free to visit and I highly recommend that you stop by if you are in the area.

    Michael S.

    A fish hatchery somewhat close to home? We're all over it! The incredible and best part about this hatchery is you get to feed the enormous amounts of fish - for free!! Not lots of parking so best to go early or just go later morning when patrons are heading out. Don't stop with the first hatchery housing lots of little baby fish. Keep walking past the baby fish, explore the cozy little setup for patrons, and keep walking until you see a gate-lined area with more fish! Just be sure to close the gate door behind you. If available, there's a bucket of fish food at the entrance with cups - feed the fish and have fun doing it! Absolutely wonderful local exploration for everyone, especially for kids of all ages 1-100. Highly recommended if you like outdoorsy stuff, like fish, or just looking for something to do and get out of the house. Welcoming ambiance and there's a hiking trail right off the parking lot. Free Willy! Jk

    Sharon P.

    As long as I've lived here, I never came to the hatchery. I have used the trails in the nearby area plenty of times. This was pretty cool, and I learned how the hatchery plays a part in keeping the population thriving. I attended the tour, and the guide was great. He gave a great deal of information.

    Little guy taking in the informational videos
    Chris C.

    Was a nice stop to take our 5 year old on a family trip to see Grandma. We visited in the offseason, so we got to see the exhibit and a few of the fry runs with the baby baby salmon. The rangers onsite were still very friendly and were more than willing to share all of their knowledge on the salmon. Will have to visit again during the busy season to really partake in all the hatchery has to offer.

    Visitors center display
    Candace Y.

    The fish hatchery at Nimbus is fascinating to visit. Here is where generations of salmon get their start before their long journey to the Pacific. The visitors center displays dramatise the process, starting from when they are but part of a cluster of salmon eggs. There are always busloads of school kids visiting the hatchery in the fall. The nearby fish ladder where returning salmon who have spent their whole life adventuring in the ocean before their instinct draws them back up the waterways to begin the cycle again. It's a day spent on the edge of the American River. The bike trail runs alongside it. The hatchery is but one of the coolest aspects of living in a city with two major rivers coursing through it. Oh, and well-behaved doggies on leashes are allowed to walk around the baby fish tank area. Every half hour, they come out and give little paper cups of fish food to sprinkle in the nursery tanks for the baby salmon. I love coming here every Nov-Dec.

    Can you see the fish ?
    Darci K.

    When the bestie says, let's go play in the sunshine... It's my moral imperative, to go out, and do just that! I love this part of Sacramento, and spend a fair amount of time enjoying the area. Especially back in the day, walking through the hatchery itself, and looking at all the little fishies jumping through the water... Pretty cool stuff. Newsflash! Who knew that there are epic trails for walking, hiking, and biking, all around this part of the hatchery?!? Apparently, I'm the last one on this page lol If you've never been, and you want to have those moments in nature, this is absolutely the place for you. Everything is absolutely beautiful, worth stopping to look at, and it truly is a piece of heaven, right in our own backyard! We saw owls, deer, fish, all sorts of birds, and even some pretty awesome humans! When you hear the phrase a room with a view, it truly doesn't get better than this view. There are some places along the way if you feel the need to stop and sit that you can. It's a pretty epic place to go bike riding, as the trails, for the bikes are paved and marked. This truly is a happening spot. Go get your nature on, and you will thank me later!

    Bicycle and walking path to the fish hatchery
    Lillian W.

    I have been visiting the hatchery for the past 25 years. It is one the best lesser known attractions in the Sacramento area. It is totally free to visit and to park in the parking lot. FREE. Great family friendly outing to enjoy nature. It is located off Gold Country Blvd off the Hazel Avenue exit of Highway 50. Things to do: + Check out the visitor center which is open year round. But I recommend looking at the website for updated information and hours of operation. + Check out the raceways. The raceways are the small outside fish ponds located next to the visitor center. The fish hatched here are raised in the raceways until they are released. You can buy fish food to feed them. A kiddo handful of fish food cost a quarter. But the raceways are currently closed to the public until further notice. + Salmon and trout ladder run viewing. The Chinook salmon usually tun around the beginning of November - mid December and the steelhead trout run January - February. The fish swim the ladders in search of a place to spawn. The ladders lead into the hatchery. It is quite a sight to behold, the multitude of fish swimming the elevated ladders. There are see through reinforced windows along the ladder that provide views of the underwater action. + Walk 1/4 mile River Discovery Trail. It is ADA accessible. Has gorgeous views of the river. + Walk or bike the American River (AR) Trail, it is also ADA accessible. The trail can be accessed near the front of the parking lot. But the paved trail has lots of curves and blind spots. + Walk to the Nimbus Dam. When the water level is low, you can walk the higher dry river bed near the ramp. Stay close to the ramp because they do release water. When they do, an alarm will ring with a 5 minute warning. So no entering the water. Tip: You can walk the America River Trail from the hatchery to get there. I do not though. Even though I walk single file on the AR Trail, the cyclist come on fast taking those blind curves and there is no jump space.I take the sidewalk on Gold Country Blvd to get to the Nimbus Dam.

    Chloe B.

    Have you driven by the hatchery sign and said one day? It's time to finally go! It's a free activity and you get to feed fishes! Don't forget the little bit of exercise you get walking up and down the fish. Highly recommend bringing your own containers for the food to feed the fish. Don't feed the babies (please follow/read the signs). They're too itty-bitty for the food offered. Recommend for kids and adults.

    Pu B.

    My kids love this place. Make sure you guys go early or they run out of fish food pretty quick. It is a very informative place you can learn about our local trout and salmon from the spawning and hatching stage all the way through their life cycle. They even have a cute little playground for the kiddos. Staff is super friendly.

    The entry to the fish hatchery.
    Rebecca M.

    My family has been coming here nearly every year since I was little. It's a tradition for us. We learned about the fish and their ecosystems and we are at the age that are children are now learning and feeding fish at young ages. It is fun for all ages and everyone can learn something. We also like to take a walk down the path a little ways and see if we can find any fish swimming up. Such a cool place! I learn something new everytime.

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    Shows nature, environment, you can feed fish, awesome ! I had fun with my grandson! Recommended!

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    Ask the Community - Nimbus Fish Hatchery

    When is the best time of the year to go?

    Hi Kristine; most people visit the hatchery in November or December to see the salmon in the fish ladder and river. January and February, when the steelhead trout take their turn climbing the ladder, are also great times to visit. In the fall and… Read more

    Hi. Is there any more activity by the fish ladder around this time? Thank you.

    Yes there are still fish in the ladder..I went a couple days ago..It's not crazy packed ,but there are still fish..There at also plenty of trout in the feeder holders even big ones walk all the cement holders and bring an empty cup so you can load… Read more

    Are they open on weekends?

    Hello! We will be open on Saturdays beginning October 8th from 8:30 AM-3 PM. In Nov-Dec we are open Sat-Sun from 8 AM-3 PM.

    Can we see salmon right now (June) from the trail?

    Hi Jessie! This time of year, salmon are out in the ocean. You may spot other species, such as trout or shad, from the trail, but for salmon you'll want to come back in the fall. We usually start seeing a few show up in the river in September, and… Read more

    Is the hatchery still closed ? Thanks.

    Hello Leo, the hatchery's public facilities are still closed at this time. The outdoor areas that remain open include the fish ladder, viewing windows, river discovery trail and public parking lot located at 2001 Nimbus Rd. The parking lot is open… Read more

    Are we open as of July 2021 yet?

    Hello Ashiyah, the hatchery and Visitor Center remain closed, however the parking lot and river access are open until 3:00 PM daily. Thank you for your inquiry!

    Hi, are you open now and what is there to see this month (April 2021)?

    Hello Dana, We remain closed at this time and for the foreseeable future. We hope to reopen within… Read more

    Is the fish ladder open now to see the salmon? 3/3/2021

    Hi Pat! The ladder is now closed as both salmon and steelhead have finished laying eggs for this year. It will be empty from now through the summer, but I hope you'll plan on visiting us next fall, beginning around the first of November, to see… Read more

    Can you see fish along the American River Discovery Trail?

    Hi Belinda; yes, we are starting to see a few fish jumping in the river near the hatchery! The Discovery Trail along the river bluff here is a great place to look down into the spawning beds as we get into late October and November, too.

    Is there an entrance fee?

    No its free.. and fish food is also provided free...

    What is the fish food made out of?

    Hi Warren-the food is mainly fish meal and fish oil, wheat and corn meal, poultry meal, and lots of vitamins and minerals.

    Are there still fish around this time to feed or only during breeding time?

    There are fingerlings to feed all the time in the long rectangle tanks before you enter the hatchery! Enjoy going there all thru the year!

    When is the best time to see salmon run?

    Thanks for asking! Generally, we open the fish ladder right around November 1st and the salmon continue to use it until mid-December. They will start showing up in the river in September and October, however, where they will wait until the water… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Nimbus Fish Hatchery

    If available, there's a bucket of fish food at the entrance with cups - feed the fish and have fun doing it!

    Mentioned in 36 reviews

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