Coleman National Fish Hatchery

Call Directions Website

Coleman National Fish Hatchery For official information visit: https://www.fws.gov/fish-hatchery/coleman Directional signs to the Hatchery are along the route.

Directions to the hatchery:
From Interstate 5 go east on Deschutes Road, turn right on Balls Ferry Road, turn left on Ash Creek Road, continue over the Sacramento River bridge, then turn right on Gover Road and then left on Coleman Fish Hatchery Road; the Hatchery is at the end of the road.

Yesterday approximately 600,000 fertilized fall Chinook salmon eggs were transferred from Coleman NFH to our sister hatc...
10/24/2026

Yesterday approximately 600,000 fertilized fall Chinook salmon eggs were transferred from Coleman NFH to our sister hatchery, Livingston Stone NFH. This is the first of two planned egg transfers.

These eggs will be raised at Livingston Stone and released into the Sacramento River near Redding. By raising and releasing these at Livingston Stone NFH we anticipate adults from these egg transfers will return to the Sacramento River, near Redding, to spawn.

Did you know Chinook salmon egg fertilization happens within seconds? Non-viable eggs quickly absorb water and turn whit...
10/22/2026

Did you know Chinook salmon egg fertilization happens within seconds?

Non-viable eggs quickly absorb water and turn white. You might expect us to pick them out right away, but fresh, healthy salmon eggs are fragile.

Because of this, all the eggs go into the incubation stacks together with minimal disturbance. We wait until the viable eggs reach the "eyed" stage, when you can clearly see dark eye spots through the shell. Once they have visible eyes, the eggs are tough enough for us to safely sort out and remove the non-viable ones.

Spawning adult Chinook salmon is major work, but collecting the eggs is just the start,. The behind-the-scenes work of ...
10/21/2026

Spawning adult Chinook salmon is major work, but collecting the eggs is just the start,. The behind-the-scenes work of taking care of the eggs, long after spawning has ended, is an intense process.

We’ve collected over 11 million eggs so far, and they’re all located in our incubation building.

In about 30 days, the eggs will reach the "eyed stage," where visible eyes develop. Once that happens, our staff will go through every single tray to remove non-viable eggs and return the healthy ones to keep growing. They will sort through every single egg collected!

We expect to fill every tray over the next couple of weeks as spawning continues.

10/20/2026

Battle Creek is still full of salmon!

Fall is a beautiful time to visit Coleman National Fish Hatchery and see these incredible fish as they return to their spawning grounds.

Spawning will occur daily this week with the goal of collecting approximately 12 million eggs this week. 

Need lunch today? Come grab it from Red Bluff High School class of 2028 at the Return of the Salmon Festival from 9a-3p...
10/17/2026

Need lunch today? Come grab it from Red Bluff High School class of 2028 at the Return of the Salmon Festival from 9a-3p.

We are getting ready! Join us today from 9a-3p for the Return of the Salmon Festival!
10/17/2026

We are getting ready! Join us today from 9a-3p for the Return of the Salmon Festival!

Did you know a single female Chinook salmon produces about 5,000 eggs? This season, our goal at Coleman National Fish Ha...
10/16/2026

Did you know a single female Chinook salmon produces about 5,000 eggs?

This season, our goal at Coleman National Fish Hatchery is to collect nearly 30,000,000 eggs to produce fall-run Chinook salmon for the Sacramento River watershed.

Whoa, that really is a lot of fish!

Two more days! Check the comments for the link to the event!
10/16/2026

Two more days!

Check the comments for the link to the event!

10/14/2026

Fall spawning season is in full swing here at Coleman National Fish Hatchery, and Battle Creek is bustling!

Join us this Saturday, October 17, from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM for the annual Return of the Salmon Festival. It’s a full day of free family fun, hands-on educational exhibits, and a front-row view of our fall-run Chinook salmon operations.

🐟 THE SALMON ARE COMING HOME TO SHASTA COUNTY...Every fall, Chinook salmon make their way back into freshwater, returnin...
10/12/2026

🐟 THE SALMON ARE COMING HOME TO SHASTA COUNTY...

Every fall, Chinook salmon make their way back into freshwater, returning from the ocean to the waters where a new generation will begin.

And next Saturday, you can see it happening right here in Shasta County.

The Return of the Salmon Festival is coming back to Coleman National Fish Hatchery on Saturday, October 17th, from 9 AM to 3 PM.

This isn't just another fall festival.

October is typically one of the best times of the year to see adult salmon returning to Battle Creek, and the festival gives families an opportunity to get an up-close look at a process that has been taking place in our region for generations.

Live salmon viewing
Salmon spawning operations
Interactive informational booths
Activities for kids
A chance to learn about salmon, steelhead and the work being done at the hatchery

And there is no admission charge. Parking is also free.

The Return of the Salmon Festival has been a North State tradition since 1991, making this 35 years since the event began.

But the history of Coleman National Fish Hatchery goes back even further.

The hatchery was established in 1942 after the construction of Shasta and Keswick dams blocked salmon and steelhead from approximately 187 miles of their historic upstream habitat.

Today, Coleman National Fish Hatchery releases approximately 12 million fall Chinook salmon, 1 million late fall Chinook salmon and 600,000 steelhead trout each year.

That's roughly 13.6 million fish annually.

And on October 17th, you'll have an opportunity to see part of that story for yourself.
24411 Coleman Fish Hatchery Road, Anderson

If you've never taken the family out to Coleman during the fall salmon run, this might be the perfect weekend to do it.

It's educational. It's outdoors. It's something kids can actually see happening right in front of them.

And most importantly, it's part of a story that has been unfolding in the waters of the North State for generations.

Have you ever watched the salmon return to Battle Creek?

This next weekend the weather should be beautiful.

Make sure to tell your family and friends and let's bring the community together for some truly wholesome North State fun.
😉

Address

24411 Coleman Fish Hatchery Road
Anderson, CA
96007

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5:15pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 5pm
Sunday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+15303658622

Website

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