I took my cousin to the self-proclaimed "Only municipal Fish Hatchery in the US", a great place to visit right in the heart of downtown Issaquah.

One of the first hatcheries in the country, the hatchery provided the perfect location for the study and discovery of what we now almost take for granted when it comes to Salmon.

Its now jointly operated by the city, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife, and local Native American Tribes.

The hatchery sits on the grounds of the old cannery building, which is now work and storage space for the hatchery.

Placards are positioned around the facility to help educate people on these amazing fish.

Ponds that will soon hold returning Salmon now hold fish being conditioned to return to this river when they spawn (and, I suppose, to give people something to look at when they come and visit).

Fingerlings, almost ready to be released, jump into the flowing water, vying to be the first to get a crack at the food. 

Its best to visit in the fall, when the action is in full swing, but I enjoy swinging through the hatchery at any time of the year.

< Back to Currently