The Sawtooth Fish Hatchery is an anadromous fish hatchery located 5 miles south of Stanley, Idaho on Highway 75. Constructed in 1985, it is part of the Lower Snake River Compensation Program, which is a federal mitigation program created to compensate for fish loss due to the construction of the four Lower Snake River dams. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game operates the hatchery with funding provided through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Lower Snake River Compensation Program. The facility was built to rear spring Chinook salmon and collect eggs from steelhead.
Related Location
10 Fish Hatchery Drive
Stanley, ID 83278
United States
To get there from Riggins, head south on Idaho State Highway 95 for approximately seven miles, turn right onto Rapid River Road and drive about three miles to the end of the road.
The hatchery consists of an incubation and early rearing building, six small outside raceways, and 14 large outside raceways. There is also an adult trap, holding, and spawning facility on site.
The Sawtooth Fish Hatchery sources water from the Salmon River and from three production wells. River water is distributed to indoor vats, outside raceways and the adult spawning facility. Incubation and early-rearing water is provided by the production wells.
Sawtooth Fish Hatchery is responsible for trapping, spawning and rearing spring Chinook Salmon to smolt stage for release. A-run steelhead are also trapped and spawned. The steelhead eggs are incubated to the eyed stage, then transferred to other hatcheries for rearing. Sockeye salmon reared at the Springfield Hatchery are acclimated on Salmon River water at Sawtooth in late April and early May prior to their release into Redfish Lake Creek. Catchable Rainbow Trout are held at the hatchery for stocking into lakes and streams around the valley in the summer months. A fishing pond is available on-site for anglers seventeen years of age and under.
The Sawtooth Fish Hatchery is a popular stopping point in the Sawtooth Valley, with the majority of visitation in June, July and August. Our visitor center is open year round from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Tours are available daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day at 1:30 p.m. Group tours can be arranged by phone at 208-774-3684. You can see adult steelhead at the Sawtooth Fish Hatchery from late March through early May. Adult Chinook salmon can be seen at the hatchery or from overlooks along Highway 75 from late July through mid-September.