This was truly a little gem! We happened to stumble upon the hatchery and we were so pleased we did. The grounds are absolutely beautiful! The volunteers staff were all very knowledgeable and very friendly. Cool history spot you could easily spend a couple hours at.

We were staying in Spearfish and driving through downtown when we spotted the signs for the fishery. The location is beautiful and admission is free to the place.They still raise trout there for demonstration purposes and the museum and grounds are very informative. Would highly recommend.

Just of side of town, hidden historic stop. Stuff was friendly and knowledgeable. Kids loved feeding the fish.

Very, very interesting. We were treated to as real slice of history by Bruce! Everyone was amazing, and incredibly knowledgeable. The buildings and grounds are very well kept. The hatchery was such a learning experience. Great job U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, well done!!!

This free attraction shows the entire lifecycle of trout. It also shows the history of the Department of Commerce’s efforts to stick trout.

Very fun place to visit, especially if youre into fishing! Bring quarters to buy fish food pellets from the old gumball machines. The trout go crazy for them. Very cool underwater viewing area and a little gift shop too! Fun stop to spend about an hour on vacation!

Wonderful place. Great History.Went to 125 year celebration and it was a very nice event.

Very neat fish hatchery. It was a welcome break from all the costly tourist attractions because it is free entry. Fish food is a reasonable price. $5 for a half full lunch bag; there are other sizes too. Loved the gift shop! I found some darling wildlife earrings made from recycled cereal boxes.

Great place to stop & learn about the fisheries programs. Kids had fun feeding the trout.Some of the tourist brochures have a coupon for some free fish food or they have packs of fish food for sale.The fellow @ the fish rail car gave us an excellent explanation of how the rail car worked.SIGN THE GUESTBOOKS!

What a terrific little day trip. Although the museums and buildings were closed for COVID safety there was still plenty to see. Informational signs helped give the history of the property. Very friendly volunteer was on site to point out key features. Lots and lots of fish in every pond and the underwater window was cool to see.

Fun little place to stop. Its free to the public. Theres a gift shop, you can feed the fish and there is also an underground observation window to watch the trout from. Dont forget to check out the museum and the restored railroad fish car too!

I can’t believe this place is free to visit. The facilities are well kept and wonderful learning experience for all ages. They have fish food available in bags for $1 or $5 to feed the fish.

Doing amazing with the mask mandate. Great tours and very informational. Plus its always beautiful.

Great free little stop. The kids can feed the trout. There is an under water viewing area and a fantastic playground right next door with a stream for the kids the splash around in.

Such a fun place to visit. The hatchery was awesome. They have a lot to see, and so much information not to mention the biggest trout Ive ever seen in my life.

Neat little place! Its free to visit but donations are welcome. Plenty of history & a fun time for the kiddos. Very handicap friendly.

Free admission and only a dollar to buy some fish food to feed the fish. There is a scenic overlook up the hill, a tour of a historic house, a train car, and great views of trout. Great for kids.

One of the larger hatcheries Ive been too. Beautifully kept grounds, 3 large ponds and an underwater viewing area that was cool but needed to be squeegeed. You can buy bags of fish food and feed them. Theres a museum about how the hatchery functions and about early fish transport across the country. With a replica fish car for train transport. That you can also get a guided tour of. All in all a great place thats free to take the family and get outside. They function on donations so dont for get to drop a Duckett in the bucket when you leave.

Wonderful, peaceful, and airy place to walk and discover history of the conservation efforts put into place over a century ago. Many of the practices are still in place and growing from just supplying fish in abundance to studing fish, habitat tracking, health and maintaing native fish geniology. As a resident of Alabama, I was very interested in the invasive species prevention as we have sturgeon, zebra muscles, and hydrillia in lakes as far noth as Guntersville that are not native to our rivers and streams.

Very interesting. Nice volunteer gave us a tour. I learned much about the history of fish hatchery and stocking in this country.

The fishes are cute!! 🥰🐟 The staff was very fun to talk to!

This was an awesome place to visit. Lots of history and the fish were so cool. The grounds were lovely and we especially enjoyed the tour of the Booth house. No charge to get in... just free will donation boxes. Fun for all ages.

Great place to spend a few hours outdoors, feeding fish and learning about a fish hatchery. Clean restrooms also!

The DC Booth fish hatchery was an unexpected pleasure that my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed! Take 30 minutes to enjoy it with your family, too!!

The Fish hatchery id amazing this time of year !!

Great place to go with young children and educational for adults as well. A unique blend of history, education, and nature! Kids loved watching and feeding the fish- $5 for a bag of food- and seeing the boat and fish rail car. My baby enjoyed watching the fish up close in the underground viewing room. The museum and Booth house were really interesting too. Right next to this place there is a really nice park and playground and stream for wading. Made a nice day trip to Spearfish!

Jim Wallace was an amazing guide. He is very, very knowledgeable in fact, all the volunteers were top flight. Anyone reading this review should go to the fish hatchery. Besides the fun in seeing the fish, there is a beautiful museum and replica of a train that the fish used to be transported in. It is in a beautiful setting, quiet & serene and just a great spot to hang out in. And, its free- what more could you ask for??

Came at the end of season, still fish to see with outside info stations, exibits and a playground at the city park within walking distance. Not far off 90 great place to stretch your legs and kids burn off some energy.

This place is beautiful and amazing. The staff here are friendly and informational. You are able to buy fish food here for a small bag its $1 for a large bag its $5. There is a park by the entrance that has the clearest water a creek could have that you can float down or even wade in as you see in the photos. The museum was closed the day we went, but when its open it has history of the hatchery and the area. The hatchery is a must see. You will not regret it at all.

This place was such a pleasant surprise!! I wasnt expecting much, but we had some time to kill so decided to stop by. Our kids had a blast running around, feeding the fish! They had little mini museums, plus a lot of little trails that went off to different places. I didnt go on any of the trails because I had a stroller, but I was wishing we could go check them out. My favorite part was the train car!! I found it genuinely fascinating, and it was gorgeous inside!A really fun, free activity to do, Id absolutely recommend!!

Great educational place for kids and adults!

Fun place to visit. Feed the fish, see different species of some huge trout from an underwater view, learn about the history of transporting fish 100- 140 years ago and enjoy the quiet, serene setting.

Plenty of free parking, free admission, grounds open dawn to dusk - plenty to see. Bring quarters to feed the fish (vending machines with fish food). Plan on two hours. Theres a couple short out and back trails (500 yards +-), a fish window, open ponds with fish & ducks, and an old 30 foot boat. The buildings include a gift shop, museum, old hatchery building, old restored train car, and an old Victorian house. Note that there is an adjoining city park with a shallow creek folks play in, a paved walking trail, picnic tables & shelters, a playground, bathrooms- very well-maintained.

A neat place to spend some time. Fall hours seem to start at 10:30am for visitors center. We.went before that and still enjoyed our time.

This is a wonderful and free attraction. Plus you learn where your food comes from. When we went the center was closed, but they still had plenty of signs outside and we could see the fish.

What a beautiful place! You can take a lovely walk on the grounds as well as feed the fish. Loved the tranquility. Well worth a visit!

Stopped in when closed and was able to enjoy the Hatchery. The grounds with plush grass and fine statues. A few steps to see the fish under water. Twenty-five cent fish food machines. Restrooms next to the Gift Shop. Wooden bridge crossing the babbling clear water brook.

This a must stop! Such a great place to stop and walk some easy family friendly trails and very inexpensive entertainment for the whole family. Loved feeding the fish and ducks!

Worth a trip. The fish were fun to feed

Fun, free place to go. Was there with the family. We all enjoyed feeding the trout. They were hungry! Small bag with a lot of fish food costs $1. And a larger bag with a lot of fish food costs $5. You can view the fish underwater. There was a short but steep trail up. Watch for poison ivy.

It was so interesting and such a pretty area.

This place is a staple in Spearfish; a must go!! Beautiful and relaxing walks along the hatchery with tons of historical sites to visit during the summer season. The shop is really neat and has some great souvenirs to gift. You can even buy fish food and feed the fish/ducks.

Great place to learn about wildlife, especially trout

Its a great place to stop even when the buildings are closed - beautiful place to enjoy the fall colors and watch some big fish.

Even with COVID, theres still plenty to do and see! Great place for the kiddos to run around and feed the fish

A wonderful stop nestled in Spearfish. Very educational with history and just plain fun watching and feeding the big rainbows and browns!

I go back every year, its a refresher course in history especially about the local area back when the hatchery first started. I took all my kids here to teach them about the history. Fascinating place.

Fun and informative. Our kids really enjoyed feeding the fish. Small gifts hope on site. Restrooms available. Right next to community park.

Take the tour. The hatchery has a rich history that far surpasses other hatcheries I visited. The house is amazing.

Family and pet friendly! Tons of fish here! There is no entrance fee! Would recommend checking this place out to anyone!

My son loves fish hatcheries for some reason so Ive been to about 5 and this is the best one Ive ever been to. Actual museum pieces and house to tour. Grounds are immaculate.

Great free stop for the family to walk around and go on fun little trails.

We love the fish hatchery. Its not just fish either. They have a museum and the DC Booth house with tours. Its right next to the park so there is something for everyone.

This is a remarkable place to learn more about fisheries and the department of the interior. Great preservation effort and a nice spot to relax a bit.

First time ever being here, we definitely enjoyed it but didnt get the full experience due to covid stuff. We also came during cleaning week so the water levels were pretty low but everyone had a blast anyway! Staff was super friendly and knowledgeable! Also found a picture frame in the gift shop that couldnt be any more perfect! We will definitely be back

Beautiful! It was a nice place to go for a walk while we stayed at the Spearfish City campground.

Very interesting. You can spend as little or as long as youd like. Shaded in many areas. Bring a little money so you can get food to feed the fish.

My kids loved this place. Pretty cool seeing all the fish

The kids loved feeding the fish! Easily spent an hour here feeding fish and going through the train car & house. The underwater tanks look like the glass hasnt been cleaned in awhile, we could hardly see the fish. It’s very clean and much more interesting than I expected a fish hatchery to be. Theres a lovely park right next door with a great playground. Easy parking with our 25 gooseneck trailer.

Half-planning on stopping here, were glad we did. An amazing property and so many ponds of fish! Several species of trout from the area are here and can be fed ($1 or $2 bags of food). The docents in the several museums and outdoor exhibits are friendly and knowledgeable and led great tours for us. Well worth the stop!

Very enjoyable tour. Well done displays. The history of fish stocking in the west is not something you think about every day.

If you or your kids enjoy feeding and learning about fish, a great place to go. Store was closed in off season.

Interesting place to visit. Informative and friendly guides, lots of fish. Good for an hour or so of educational wandering.

This place is so much fun! We love feeding the fish.Tip if theyre open they sell fish food in bags at the store.

Super friendly staff, clean grounds and dog friendly, all free of charge. Donations welcome of course to continue service. Plenty to see. Fun had by all.

Good times as usual....casual, peaceful, and nature ❤

Very interesting place to visit. Grandson enjoy feeding the fish.

Super interactive. Very entertaining for the little ones. Make sure to support and purchase a bag of food for the fish.

Great place with lots of history for the adults and fun fish to watch and feed for the kids. The underwater viewing area was a highlight.

Lots to see in a beautiful setting. Learn all about raising trout, tour the fish car (train) and on site home. Walk up to fish cemetery and view the hills around Spearfish.

Always a favorite place to stroll around. And its fun to feed the fish!

Great place to visit if youre in the area. They give history lessons, interesting museum on site, beautiful views and so much to learn!

This is a super fun, cool, and relaxing place to go! If you have children or are in town on vacation, like my family and I are, this is the stop of the town. You WILL see fish and you can feed them too! They have a little house museum, a preserved boat, and even a little gift shop. The staff members were nice and helpful and there’s even an “underground” area where you can see the fish inside of their little pond. Great FREE way to kill an hour if you want something to do! Awesome experience, 10/10 would recommend!

This is an amazing place. It was so fun to see all the different trout they have. You can pay for food to feed the fish. Be sure to go down the stairs to see the fish underneath the water. There was a museum there, but unfortunately we didnt have time for. This place is definitely worth a visit.

I have been visiting the Fish Hatchery since I attended college in the early 90s. I have raised my children going here too. It is my place of calm and reconnection to nature. After walking around the grounds, I always wall along thw banks of Spearfish creek, and take in the beauty of the area. My happy place for 26 years. ☀️🐟

Volunteering here summer of 19, great place free to visit and learn about the national fish hatchery system

Great family spot. And right next to the city park along the creek. A nice afternoon in one stop.

This was an awesome place. We learned so much about fisheries. The kids loved feeding the troudt! The staff was awesome. They allowed my kids to sing for food to fees the fish.

Beautiful, freedom, life, energizing, fresh air, open

We stopped here after driving in from TRSP North Dakota. What a pleasant surprise. Wonderful walking trails, informative signs and beautiful fall weather - - all for free. A real gem.

Amazing...huge rainbow trout... alot if history definately bring kids to feed the fish...

Super fun place to stop. Volunteer staff was very friendly and informative and fun for kids, and adults to feed the fish.

Amazing place it was so much fun great nice people and the underwater viewing field is awsome place

Loved this place, beautiful stop to rest & enjoy nature!!

Enjoyed the grounds and historyGreat park next door.

Such a great free family activity!

It was fun, we didnt stay long so didnt get to see it all but I would come back.

Absolutely a great place to take kids. It is fun to see all the fish and history. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable.

Excellent place to come visit. Free admission, bags of fish food are only $1-$2 in the gift shop. Fun to feed the fish, lots of cool spots for pictures. Make sure to visit the park right next door and go wading in the creek.

Fun place to wander around. Kids of all ages will enjoy. The host is fantastic. Full of local information and quick to offer to take a photo of you and your family.

Well kept fishery, fun feeding the fish there food....nice place to have a picnic...

What a wonderful place. Awesome history, the kids really enjoyed feeding the trout 😊

Nice walking tour. 4 foot bull snake slithering outside rail car was a bit surprising, but natural I suppose.

Always friendly volunteers. Fun and cool historical site. Good for all ages. Feeding the fish is super fun.

Thanks to the wonderful staff members whom we understood to be volunteers. Lots of history and historic buildings; it wasnt just the hatchery.

Free to roam. Great for kids who love to feed the trout. Interesting history.

It was cool. Great for the little ones

Always one of my favorite things to do in South Dakota, the kids loved seeing and feeding all of the fish!

My husband Todd and I had an amazing time here. He is wheelchair bound Desert Storm War Veteran but, we had NO problems with acess to anything. Such a relaxing place to visit. Its a MUST stop & visit place.

Great place. Granddaughter LOVES feeding the trout!