There’s nothing more exciting than learning about the history of your own backyard. Though our town is small, it is rich in breathtaking beauty and majestic animals. At Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery, we offer a fun, engaging wildlife interpretation experience. When you visit us, you can learn about local animals, peruse our historical hatchery, and gain a deeper understanding of your surroundings.
Wholesome, affordable attractions can be hard to find. When you need to plan an educational outing without breaking the bank, visit Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery in Independence, California. As a historical trout hatchery, we operate an interactive fish feeding exhibit for all ages. There’s no cost to enter and food costs just one quarter, so you can connect with local species even on a budget.
Our fish feeding exhibit features ponds that are home to brooding fish, including rainbow trout. When mature, our trout range in size from 1 to 9 pounds. Inside the hatchery, we also have troughs of fingerling rainbow and golden trout. Fish food is available from our vending machine, which dispenses a handful of food for a quarter. For additional savings, we sell whole bags of fish food for $1. We also have a family of ducks that guests are welcome to feed.
Our wildlife program features a 15-minute video that explains the history of our hatchery. We also cover examples of wildlife native to the surrounding area — coyotes, bears, ducks, fish, and snakes — including taxidermied animals.
For more insight into our establishment, be sure to check out our hatchery-specific exhibits. This includes our original blueprints and exhibits on the life cycles of the golden trout and mud flow patterns that affected our hatchery. In order to continue operating our various attractions, we welcome any and all donations. Though it is not required, your help would allow us to continue sharing our history and preserving our beautiful grounds.
No outing is complete without a few souvenirs. In addition to our wildlife center, we also operate a gift shop. Here, we sell t-shirts, hats, keychains, and decals. All items feature hatchery — or fish-related designs. We also work with local artisans to provide handcrafted specialty gifts, including greeting cards and quilts donated by a local quilting club. In order to keep things fresh, we’re currently working on a new logo for our t-shirts. We do not offer warranties, guarantees, or return policies.