Martin Luther King Jr. Day Office Closure
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offices, including park visitor centers, will be closed for the state holiday, Monday, Jan. 19.
Pitkin Hatchery
Facility Type:
Cold Water
Hours:
Daily, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tours:
- Guided tours
- Self-guided tours
Address:
14214 County Rd 76
Pitkin, CO 81241
United States
Pitkin Hatchery
Facility Type:
Cold Water
Hours:
Daily, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tours:
- Guided tours
- Self-guided tours
Address:
14214 County Rd 76
Pitkin, CO 81241
United States
Navigate to:
Pitkin Fish Hatchery
The Pitkin Hatchery is a cold water facility that sits at 9,200 feet in elevation in the Quartz Creek Valley. It is a brood and production facility focusing on trout and kokanee salmon. Approximately 1 million fish are stocked out of Pitkin each year, including 150,000 catchable rainbow trout. Rio Grande cutthroat trout are raised as brood fish to enhance conservation of this native fish.
The hatchery has been in operation by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife since 1912. Come take a self-guided tour, feed the fish, and take in the beautiful scenery.
Pitkin Hatchery map painting by Kate Taylor.
Pitkin Fish Hatchery raceways.
Pitkin Fish Hatchery in the snow.
Visitors Welcome!
Hours: 8:00AM-3:00PM daily. Visitors are welcome to conduct a self-guided tour. Call ahead to arrange a guided tour.
Circa 1892, workers remove dead fish eggs from the live ones in the original Pitkin Hatchery building.
History
The Pitkin Hatchery is one of the oldest hatcheries in the state, operating as a private fish hatchery in the late 19th century. Colorado Game & Fish (now Colorado Parks and Wildlife) purchased the hatchery in 1912, and the stone hatchery building currently in use was built in 1924.
Your Fishin’ Is Our Mission!
Colorado’s Fish Stocking Program
Since 1881, Colorado Parks & Wildlife fish hatcheries have been dedicated to improving the fish populations of our beautiful state. Today, CPW operates 19 hatcheries that breed, hatch, rear and stock over 90 million fish per year. Many of the fish produced are to enhance angling opportunities, while others serve a critical role in native species recovery efforts. Colorado fish hatcheries support our angling pastime, which contributes 2.4 billion dollars annually to our state's economy!