Nimbus Fish Hatchery

Located in eastern Sacramento County, Nimbus Hatchery raises Chinook salmon and steelhead for release to the American River. The Nimbus Hatchery Visitor Center (temporarily closed) offers fun and educational activities for children and adults of all ages. Enjoy the on-site nature trail along the American River to view wildlife, as well as the American River Parkway trail directly adjacent to the Nimbus Hatchery.

Visitor Information

Location: 2001 Nimbus Road, Suite F, Gold River, CA 95670

Hours: Outdoor areas including the raceway ponds, playground, picnic area and trail are open 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. daily. The hatchery parking lot located at 2001 Nimbus Rd is open 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. daily. The Visitor Center is closed at this time. There are no restrooms or drinking water available on site.

Contact: (916) 358-2884, NimbusFish@wildlife.ca.gov

Directions: Off Highway 50, 18 miles east of Sacramento. Travel north on Hazel Ave. 0.7 mile, make a left hand turn at Gold Country Blvd. Travel 200 yards to the parking lot entrance on the right. MAP(opens in new tab)

Visitors Guide to Nimbus Fish Hatchery (PDF)(opens in new tab)

More about this Facility

Tours

2022 Nimbus Hatchery Visitor Center School Tours

At a glance:

For K-12 school groups only
Peak season: Oct 31-Dec 16 (spots given by lottery)
Non-peak season tours available by reservation (throughout the school year)
1.5 hour in-person guided tours for grades K-12
NGSS-aligned
Content areas: salmon life cycle, water systems, human impact on the environment, river habitats
45 minute live virtual tours via Zoom for those who cannot travel to site

After a 2-year closure, we are happy to announce that Nimbus Hatchery Visitor Center will reopen for guided in-person school tours in Fall 2022. We know you and your students have been waiting to visit the salmon once again!

We receive more requests for in-person tours during the salmon run than capacity allows, which is why we have traditionally used the lottery system to select schools for visitation during the peak-season (Nov-Dec). Pandemic restrictions will reduce our capacity even further: only 1 class will be permitted inside the Visitor Center at a time, meaning we will operate tours rotationally. Additionally, masks will be required for all persons and children in the school group.

Enter the School Tour Lottery

For questions, please call (916) 358-2884 or email Stephanie.Ambrosia@wildlife.ca.gov. Do not call Nimbus Hatchery directly.

Tours for Community-based Organizations

If you are a community-based organization and would like to schedule a tour, please call (916) 358-2884 or email Stephanie.Ambrosia@wildilfe.ca.gov. This includes scout groups, professional and non-profit organizations, nursing care centers, etc. Do not call Nimbus Hatchery directly.