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 offers free 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.

The salmon run occurs in fall, with hatchery operations taking place from the beginning of November through mid-December. The steelhead trout run occurs in winter, with hatchery operations taking place from January through February.

Visit

Cost: Free

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

Hours:

Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
The raceways (little fish ponds) close approximately 2:00 p.m. daily
The hatchery parking lot located at 2001 Nimbus Rd is open 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. daily.
Hours are subject to change based on staff availability or inclement weather. Please check our Facebook Page(opens in new tab) for the most current updates.

Contact: (916) 358-2884, Molly Shea

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)

See bottom of page for information about the visitor center's guided tour program.

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

More about this Facility

Classroom Aquarium Education Program
Fish Stocking
- Searchable Table(opens in new tab)
- Interactive Map

Check out the Region 2 “Explore and Learn” Newsletter!

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Tours

At a Glance

FREE, including parking
For K-12 school groups and community-based organizations (scout groups, professional and non-profit organizations, nursing care centers, etc.)
1.5 hour in-person guided tours for grades K-12 and community groups with more than 15 participants
NGSS-aligned for K-12 groups, covering salmon life cycle, water systems, river habitat, and human impact on the environment

Booking Tours

Beginning in August 2024, all guided tours will be booked through a new calendar reservation system. Due to the increased demand for guided tours during our peak season (November-February), this new system will utilize a staggered lottery for booking tours.

All teachers and community leaders interested in a peak season tour must complete the interest form no later than Monday, August 26, 2024 at 8 a.m. to be included in the lottery. Any entries after this date must wait until September 17, 2024 to book a peak season tour.

Peak Season Tour Interest Form

All entries will be randomized and those selected for the lottery will be provided access to the reservation calendar though an emailed link on the dates below.

August 27 - 35 randomly selected entries will get access to the reservation calendar
September 3 - An additional 35 randomly selected entries will get access to the reservation calendar
September 10 - An additional 35 randomly selected entries will get access to the reservation calendar
September 17 - The reservation calendar will open to all remaining entries not selected in the previous three rounds

After receiving a link giving you access to the calendar, you can book your preferred tour date and time using the reservation system.

Tours slots for August-October are on a first-come, first-serve basis, and all peak season (November-February) tours may only be booked after you receive an email from us, or after September 17, 2024. If you book a peak season tour before your group is selected, your tour will be cancelled.

Book a Guided Tour

The following instructional resources offer step-by-step instructions for using the new calendar reservation system.

For questions, or to schedule a virtual tour of the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, please call (916) 358-2884, or email Molly.Shea@wildlife.ca.gov. Do not call Nimbus Fish Hatchery directly.