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Bonneville Dam Fish Hatchery
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
4 reviews for Bonneville Dam Fish Hatchery
This place is like Disneyland for the fish crowd. Which would make Hermann the Sturgeon the Mickey Mouse of this operation. I have a son obsessed with fish. And because of his obsession, I've visited my share of fish hatcheries in several states as well as spent hours upon hours along rivers while he casts a line and talks endlessly about fish. OK, that second part is mostly with dad.
I've been bored to tears at other hatcheries, but this place is pretty cool. The setting is gorgeous with manicured grounds and roses so it is just a tranquil place to visit even if you don't care a whit about fish. They have an above ground tank to display large fish next to dozens of breeding pools so you can see the fingerlings grow into small fry before they are released into the Columbia River. They also have several pools of rainbow trout where you can pay $.25 to feed the fish.
The star attraction is Hermann the Sturgeon who has a special underground viewing area. Just follow the painted fish on the pavement to his 'house.' There is something prehistoric about this 10' gentle giant. It was interesting to find out that he only eats dead fish (Mickey is a cannibal!), except for his favorite morsel, fresh shad. So I've started calling my son Shad and I think he digs it.
It is free to visit the hatchery, so it makes a great stop on a day trip to the gorge. Since it is free you can stay five minutes if it's not your thing or stay an hour if you are entranced like our family. One of the things that we enjoyed most was driving past the Visitor's Center, crossing the bridge and parking by the fishing area. You take a short path down to the river where you can watch the fish heading up stream during spawning season. They also had lots of berry bushes for one of our family's other favorite pastimes, berry picking.
There is a nice gift shop and coffee shop, which I believe may only be open during the summer months. Some may think I'm crazy for giving this place five stars, but woo-hoo, this might be the best fish hatchery there is. And besides, if you fish, you are prone to exaggeration.
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If I didn't have family who lived in this area, I probably wouldn't know about this place (or even consider seeing it). But, it is a stress-free, cost-free form of leisurely activity, especially with young kids. Parking is plentiful and free. We knew we were going to a hatchery and so we didn't have high expectations. Most of us didn't know what a sturgeon looked like so we were easily entertained when we came face to face with the giant sturgeon, Herman, swimming in his pond with a viewing glass. Herman is actually the only main attraction here. But viewing trouts and other fish and being able to feed them are other simple activities the whole family can enjoy here. What's more, it's nice to just avoid crowded, touristy places, which this one is certainly not. And don't forget to just look around and appreciate the nature that surrounds the grounds. It is awesome!
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I love sushi...
...but a fish hatchery is probably just too - oh I don't know - biological, I guess, for me to appreciate without a little wasabe and shoyu.
Understand that Chuck, the avuncular Gray Line tour guide, left this place to the next-to-last stop of a very long trip up the Columbia River from Portland. Timing is everything, and unfortunately, this came after the impressive spectacle of Multnomah Falls, so the sedate nature of the hatchery seemed rather anti-climactic.
That aside, we did get to see Herman, an 11-foot, 500-pound, seventy-year-old sturgeon, who swims by in the underwater tank. He doesn't seem to mind the teeming crowds staring at him. Other than Herman, there are the various rainbow trout and younger sturgeon swimming about.
I'm the first to admit that the intricacies of fish breeding are beyond my limited capabilities, and I'm sure there is an appreciative audience for the passive observation of the rearing ponds (what a name!)...but is it time to get back on the bus, Chuck?
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It isn't exciting. Staring at pools of fish just isn't an AMAZING experience. That said, it's a lovely place, with lots of fish and information. For 25 cent you can feed the rainbow trout, which kids love. There is an underwater viewing station of the sturgeon, and I dare you not to be awed as the 10 and 14 foot long sturgeon swim by. There are ample areas for running and skipping, great for kids who need to be let out of the car, and picnic areas. Dogs on leash are allowed, but probably not in the buildings, as one would expect.
This is not a place you go to be entertained. You go to see the fish, learn about hatcheries, and enjoy the day with your family. It's a great part of a dam/falls day trip.
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