Sawtooth Hatchery

HC 64, Box 9905
Stanley, ID 83278
(208) 774-3684

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 for fish loss compensation from the construction of the four Lower Snake River dams.

The Idaho Department Fish and Game operates the hatchery with funding provided through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Lower Snake River Compensation Program. The facility was built to rear spring chinook salmon and collect eggs from steelhead trout.

Site Overview
The hatchery consists of an incubation and early rearing room, six small outside raceways, 14 large outside raceways, and an adult spawning facility.

The Sawtooth Fish Hatchery receives fish culture water from the Salmon River and from two 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 two production wells.

Visitors
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 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Tours are available daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day at 1:30 p.m. Group tours can be arranged by phoning 208-774-3684 or email at sfh@ruralnetwork.net. 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 September.

Species Production
Sawtooth Fish Hatchery is involved in trapping, spawning and rearing spring chinook salmon to smolt stage for release. A-run steelhead trout are also trapped and spawned. The steelhead eggs are incubated to eye-up then transferred to other hatcheries for rearing. The facility also traps and rears sockeye salmon. Catchable rainbow trout are also held at the hatchery for stocking into lakes and streams around the valley. Westslope cutthroat trout are stocked into high mountain lakes in late August.