A wonderful FREE place to bring visitors as well as the grandkids for hands on learning experience at seeing the wonder of nature at work! Be sure to bring a cup and quarters to feed the hatchlings and wear good walking shoes for you will be able to do a great deal/or not to learn about the hatchery and its important work thru the facility. A paved path is available for you to take along the edge of the American River parallel to the hatchery as well as follow the ladder to see the fish make their way up to lay their eggs. There is a seating area in the facility to watch the workings of the hatchery as well as a video explaing the process. The hands on museum is such an added plus to the whole experience, the rangers very knowledgeable and personable, willing to answer any question. read more

Nimbus Fish Hatchery - Aquariums Near Me - Gold River, California

Once you finally find a place to park and get settled in, this is a really relaxing and enjoyable place to visit. You can walk up and down the fish runs watching the young salmon learning to swim upstream. For just 25 cents, you can get a cupful of fish food. You can watch the young fish leap and splash to get the food. If you are looking for something more intense, or want to bone up on your salmon facts you can drop into the visitors center. they have both fun (giant fish heads, gargantuan fish roe, videos!) and educational displays. There is also a play area with a giant salmon that kids can climb on that makes for some terrific pictures. Their is also prime people watching. from families to buses of tourist to choose from. Sometimes they are even more interesting than the fish. Definitely recommended. read more

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Came to check out toddler time and it was pretty busy! They read about 3 stories and had a song sheet for a singalong. The person in the front stamping our hands could've been a smidge friendlier but the people running the toddler time were lovely and so were the other people giving out cups of fish food. They had a craft after story time and then you were free to grab a cup of fish food and go feed the gazillion fish out in the raceways closest to the parking lot. read more

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I have fond memories of the fish hatchery from when I was knee high to a grasshopper - whether with my Mom and Dad on an outing or a school field trip. Yah, it's been around that long. As an adult, I introduced my kids to the hatchery and it has become a fond memory for them. The "kids" are now adults and the hatchery is a place of happy memories for them, visiting on occasion on bad days, tough emotional times, or even just to smile. Even if you're not really into being educated (via the visitors center or tour), you can walk amongst the raceways of young fish at various stages of growth. In the Fall when the water begins to cool, the fence is positioned across the river diverting the adult fish, swimming upstream to spawn, up the water ladder. If you're just in it for the fun swimming fish, this is where you might want to turn around and go back to the baby fish. If you're interested in the full cycle of the hatchery's operations, and happen to be there at the right time, you can watch the adult fish ... ummmm ... termed. The eggs are removed and the process of new fishies begins (pretty much in 5gal buckets, to start). It's the circle of life. Nothing is happening here that doesn't happen in the wild. Just done differently and done in a humane manner. read more

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I pass this place every single time I am in Sacramento. I was in town for the holidays and instead of watching a movie or going to the outlets in Folsom, I wanted to do something new. Yelp led me to the Nimbus Dam and I am glad I went because it was fun, FREE & educational! First of all, park off of Gold Country Blvd (on the opposite side and across the street from the aquatic center). There is a small parking lot to the right. Beware of cyclists, runners and hikers! If you look straight from the parking lot you see the Vistor's Center behind a gated area. At first, I wasn't sure how to get there, but I saw a small enter sign and you walk into the gated area, lift the gate up to enter and close it behind you (so birds and other wildlife don't get in). The area is fenced off on the sides and top; it looks like a restricted area, but it isn't. Walk in! There, they have several raceway ponds where they hold fish,specifically, steelhead trout and Chinook salmon. You can see small, young fish in one area and in the raceways by the visitor's center are slightly larger fish. You can buy fish food for 25 cents! I suggest you bring a napkin or cup to carry the pellets. It is pretty cool to see the fish jump and rush to eat. And don't worry they don't survive off the visitor's feeding them. While I was there, we saw the workers feeding the fish row by row via a truck that sprayed fish food out. The center has a lot of educational material explaining he egg cycle, salmon journey from the sea and impacts of pollution. There is a video you can watch and I suggest seeing it as it gives a good explanation of why hatcheries are needed nowadays. My husband sat through the video which is saying a lot as he is easily bored. This place is prob more interesting and action-packed when it is salmon run time! Still, even in the calmness, I enjoyed it a lot. HOURS: Visitor Center open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Saturdays/Sundays 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. ( Closed Christmas Day) Raceways (fish rearing ponds) open daily 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. read more

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Wow. This place was really good. You get free parking, no admission, and theres more. They have a side dor the chinook salmon, the steelhead trout, then there's the hatchery section, information room which has a lot of "information " about the river wildlife. There was a huge salmon outside, it was fake, but made a good picture option, kids and some family can fit inside. There little food machines to feed the fish with, for ONLY .25CENTS. They are open year round from 7am to 3pm. Mind that cause the doors open and close automatically, so if you go here and stop for a bike ride along the trail dont forget to be back by 3pm. We spent almost 2 hours here. And my kids asked to come back. It turned out great, will be back, note that fish are bigger towards October to December and are tiny during jan to may. The life cycle. . read more

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I went to this place as a kid and I missed coming! I haven't been in ages. It's a cool place to take the kids and go out for a stroll. I remember way back when the fish food was a nickel for a big handful of the stuff... Now it's a quarter!! My family is big on fish, so they loooooooooooooove when anything fish is involved. They also have a little "center" where you can go in and learn all about fish facts! I enjoyed it quite a lot. read more

What a wonderful place my son missed his field trip here due to weather so I took him this weekend to the fish hatchery and was walking around ran into one of the Rangers Jason and explain to him what happened he took upon himself to give us the same tour what a wonderful person really educated us on the needs for the fish hatchery this place is a really great place for kids shows them the cycle of life for salmon and other fish read more

It was okay. I'm sort of weird, I get uncomfortable when there is too much of something in one place. So THAT many fish in one area was just not my thing. However, my son enjoyed feeding them. In that way it was pretty exciting. The younger ones in my family enjoyed the little on-site park as well. I wouldn't come back though. I found it boring after a little while. read more

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Actually a review for the recreation area connected to the fish hatchery. We were driving from South Lake to SF, and this was a nice spot to stop, and go for a walk, while the hubby rode his bike. Really nice trails. read more

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I would've enjoyed my visit much more if the fish ladder was open. I must come back again. I did get to see the fish that were in the raceways. Salmon and steelheads grow in the ponds until they are released to ocean waters. For a quarter, you get to buy food to feed the fish. The fish were jumping up trying to get some. It's a good place to take kids. There is also a visitor center, so you can learn more about the fish and the hatchery. read more

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Pros: Fun for all ages. Educational and FREE! Cons: Parking can be a pain. read more

Nimbus Fish Hatchery - Aquariums Near Me - Gold River, California

We had a great time. It was free entrance and parking. My son was fascinated about feeding the fish and the visitor center was awesome!! Nice view of the American river along with a 0.25 mile walk. Thank you for all you do! P.S. Bring a recycle cup to fill fish food. They do provide but you might not be lucky to get a spare if it's busy there. read more

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I like to go at different times of the year to see the fish! Sometimes I see babies jumping in the fenced in area, sometimes adult fish in the larger ladder. Always cool and educational! Would be a great place to bring kids too. read more

This is an awesome place for younger kids! my two sons (4 and 6 years old) had a blast feeding the rainbow trout. Fish food is free, you just need to walk to the machine to get the food. So, added bonus: great exercise running back and forth getting food and feeding the fishes. My boys also learned quite a bit about salmon as well, the lifespan, what they eat, how they breed, how the hatchery helps with breeding, etc. We did not get to see the salmon ladder in action (happens in mid October to December), but we will for sure visit again around that time to see it. Great place overall. read more

My family enjoyed feeding the fishes ! Staff was friendly and informative, great place to take the kids, bring hand sanitizer and enjoy! read more

Great place to bring your family. Lots and lots of things you can do here. Feed the fishes, walk, bike or run the trails...many many more things to do around the area. My kids loved everything we were able to do....i reccommend checking this place out with the family... read more

Nimbus Fish Hatchery - Aquariums Near Me - Gold River, California

I was pleasantly surprised with this place. I brought it up to my daughter and her boyfriend when they were in town and wasn't sure they'd be interested, but they were. We saw salmon climbing the ladder, viewed the exhibits, and fed the fish. This is a great place for people of all ages. read more

So fun! We have a toddler so we're always looking for weekend activities. We came to the museum right when they opened and we had the place to ourselves. The museum is small but it has a lot of different stations to keep kids entertained. We weren't able to see the hatchery in action because we came in spring, but we definitely plan on returning in October! read more

This place is Awesome. At the moment due to construction the parking lot is closed. I've been here on numerous occasions with my children. They love to see the fish jump up for the food. There are food vending machines for 5 cents, you get very little food so make sure you bring a bowl/cup and plenty of nickels. We always go in to the visitors center and they have things for the kids to see and read about. Very pretty inside. The people that work inside are super pleasant. Last time we were there the lady behind the counter gave my kids calendars, posters and all sorts of goodies she had. After feeding and getting informed we take really nice hikes all along the trails. Fun education! They love it... I love it! read more

Did you know this hatchery raises 4 million salmon and nearly 500k steelhead trout annually? Because I had no idea! Today was my first time visiting the hatchery and I can tell you it will definitely not be my last. I look forward to returning next weekend when the gates are open so I can watch the salmon go up the ladder. The gates open tomorrow 11/5/12 at 10:30 AM but they close at 3. (I'm told the salmon will still be coming home through mid-Decemberish). I love this part of the river and if I'm not at work I am either kayaking Lake Natoma, hiking Sailor Bar or riding along the American River bike trail - the hatchery is smack dab between them all. Parking is free, the visitors center is free (including a brief, informative video about the lifecycle of Pacific salmon), walking through the hatchery is free. There is a wealth of information about salmon, steelhead trout. If you have kids, or are just interested in learning about our river you should definitely check out the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. read more

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Where else can you get entrainment for 0.25$? Here, and you get a really great interpretive center and a good old hike in it as well. Where else can you also become a salmon, and then climb on one that's like 20 ft long? It bring the inner kid in me out, and it brings out the not so hidden geek in me! Go there, it will be good for you, good for kids, and you all might learn something! read more

As previous reviewers have mentioned, this place is classic cheap entertainment. Located under the Folsom dam, it does have its own designated parking lot, which is great. Doesn't look like much from the outside but having young kids, this place is fantastic! Yes, it actually IS a fish hatchery and there is a small office/museum display in the front building that explains what they do and why... but, the fun is out back! In season, there are "ladders" where you can watch the fish swim up/jump etc. There are huge holding tanks where there are thousands of fish just waiting for your kids to feed them. For $0.05, you get some fish food out of the dispenser and let the kids go to town! Few cautions/tips: - Bring some paper cups/bags for the fish food. - Be prepared to see the occasional dead fish. - Keep an eye on your kids so they don't get TOO excited and climb/fall in! Bottom line: Awesome cheap entertainment, we'll be back! read more

A great place to to take the family for some free enjoyment. In the visitors center they display the different kinds of fish that swim through the Sacramento water ways. They also have toddler time in the center on Tuesdays and Wednesday from 10:30-11:00AM for music and hands on crafts. Outside you can observed the fish in the large canals, and can feed them by popping in quarters into the fish food dispenser. I highly suggest bringing a cup to hold the fish food, because its stinky. They have plenty of picnic tables, so you can pack and lunch and enjoy it outside. Also the views from the hatchery are simply beautiful, like the running trails, green hills, and the flowing river water. Overall a wonderful place to take the family and relax! read more

This is one of the best places to spend time outdoors in the Sacramento region. I've visited many times and have always loved it. It's free, it's beautiful and it's interesting. Bring nickels to buy fish food (they have gumball-like dispensers), but often the rangers dole out free food. I recommend bringing a container for the food because it will make your hands smell nasty for two days. My kids love this place but it's a good day with friends, a date (if they aren't a douche bag or girly-girl type), or solo. There are several places to hit when visiting. Two fish pens, on either side of the visitor center, have graduating sizes of hatchlings and fish. The pedestrian path runs along the river and is part of the American River Bike Trail. The visitor center has crazy interactive fish facts and interesting info about the Sacramento region. The gigantic salmon play structure is a must for hyper kids (behind the visitor center). A concrete ramp leads down to the river and former dam site and is a good place to critter watch. Last time we visited there was a river otter sitting on a rock about 15 feet out eating a fish and performing antics for the kids. Once a year they do the spawning run and it is the coolest thing since Logan's Run. Puts mating and dying in perspective. They open the ladders, huge fish jump all the way up to the plant attached to the center, and the rangers separate the males from females. You can watch it all through the glass wall in the center. They squirt the sperm out of the males (I'm not kidding--it's so cool!) and cut eggs out of the females, then mix them in containers. Like old school IVF. The run starts on a different day each year, but usually is around November 1. If you call the visitor center leading up to this time they will let you know when a date is settled on. The rangers are always nice and should get a special shout out for running such a cool place and tolerating a million questions from the kids and squirting fish sperm. read more

I love this place. I grew up coming here, now I take my kids here. It's nice to have a place to go and look at the wildlife we have to offer here. My boys love fish so it's cool for them to see the lifecycle and be able to feed em. Great place for kids to go and enjoy some fish. read more

This place is a government run service (fish hatchery) that has turned into toddler entertainment. You walk over to the fish hatchery which is right by the Folsom dam. The kids love the big dam and the sounds of rushing water. Well, maybe its the parents that like the sound of rushing water drowning out the kids whining! Anyway, during spawning season, you can spot tons and tons of fish that are swimming up the ladder. The toddlers love it! Know that this is a working hatchery and their existence is to fertilize and breed fish which include butchering male fish for their sperm. This is learned in the video that they show in the lobby. Note to parents: you may want to prepare your toddler for what they are about to see in the video. I made that mistake already. Best thing is it is completely free except for a few nickels that can be used to buy some fish food for toddler delight. read more

This is a fun stop while on a road trip. The kids had a blast feeding the fish. You can also feed the fish and the fish food is free. And when the fish eat it's a feeding frenzy, the kids were laughing hysterically. read more

Clueless how to entertain your kids during the summer or other vacation? Are they getting on your nerves? Take them to the fish hatchery. It's fun, it's free, it's educational, and I haven't met a kid that didn't like it. For a nickel, you can purchase a handful of fish food, but my suggestion is to bring a lot of nickels, along with plastic cups to put the food into. Especially if you have a kid that likes to dump the whole cup into the water at once (that's happened to me!) There is a great visitor center with some educational things inside, including an informational video about the salmon. What's great about this place is that you can visit month to month and see how they grow. I believe the salmon are at their largest around Thanksgiving and they're pretty huge then! And when you're done watching the fish, you can take a walk alongside the river, or go to the Old Spaghetti Factory for some lunch! read more

After parking here for years to use the bike trail- I finally explored the whole fish hatchery and I was really impressed! This place is so cool! I highly recommend making a visit during salmon season (Oct thru December). Its fun, informative and even better- free! You can walk around and look at all the little trout that are waiting to be released into the wild. They have dispensers where if you pay 5 cents you can get a handful of fish food. The visitors center has a ll sorts of exhibits explaining everything from fish eggs to salmon spawning process to watershed management. Its geared for kids- but as an adult I found it really interesting. My favorite part is the fish ladder where you can watch the hugest salmon I have ever seen. They also have a little trail that goes along the river with interpretive panels. Definitely check out the fish hatchery! read more

The fish Hatchery. Sometimes, I wish that i can be a sushi chef when i come here. But anyways, I like the Salmon festival they throw here. Especially the SALMON BBQ :) Fun for kids. Fun for enthusiasts. Fun For all. Pros: The nice people Cons: You can eat the live Salmon :P read more

This review is more about the nearby trails than the fish hatchery itself. Writing a yelp review about nature makes as much sense as transcribing a visual and sensory dream. I'll try... Itinerary: Park your car at the fish hatchery and make your way across the bridge and onto the other side of the water. It is here that the beautiful trails begin. The views atop the hillside are majestic, and more often than not, you'll be witness to the trance-like unison movements of the crew teams practicing on the water. If you want solitude, then familiarize yourself with the horse trails. Otherwise, the bike path will be fun enough - just adhere to bike path etiquette. Be creative and spontaneous but be safe too... I've run up the hill many times and can't get enough of it. Things to do: - nothing - just enjoy it! - hiking - walking , jogging, running - biking - fishing - check out the fish hatchery and exhibits Why go: Well, some times you just need to unwind and this is the place. read more

This is a favorite date spot for us. We always carry a roll of nickels in the car to buy food. It is also a good idea to bring your own container to hold the fish food. I enjoy throwing the food into the water away from the fish and watch them swim fast to the food. For just a few nickels, I can feel like a kid again. read more

Best 25 cent spent ever!!!!!! My kids loved this place. How come I ever thought of this place. It's free parking and admission. Lol. Will definitely return again read more

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A cheap, fun place to take the kiddos if your kids like fish as much as our son does. It's free to go into the hatchery. If you want to feed the fish, you can get some fish food from the 25 cent machines. I recommend bringing a cup of your own or else you'll have to cup the food in your hands. NOTE: They will be closing the hatchery at the end of July until around November. read more

I used to come here when I was a kid, whether it was with my parents or on a school field trip. This was my first time back in several years. Free parking, free admission, and open year round. They do close at 3pm every day, so plan on this being a morning/early afternoon adventure. Unfortunately, we came during the off-season for the fish ladder, which usually opens early November for the salmon and runs until March, when the steelhead season ends. If you come during these months, you can witness the egg-taking process of the fish. There is a small visitors' center with lots of educational material and information, and there are also some hiking and biking trails nearby. In my opinion, the best part is the raceways, which is where the salmon grow. For 25 cents, you can buy food to feed the salmon. Definitely the most entertaining thing to watch them devour the pellets of food you throw in. Make sure to bring lots of quarters and a cup to put the food in - it makes life a lot easier. Overall, a fun, educational, and essentially free little adventure! read more

I despise fish. As in turn my stomach, gives me the chills, makes me want to run away, hate, hate fish. Because this place uniformly freaks me out, I know they do a great job. Take the nature lovers & for god sakes, acclimate your kids young unless you want them repulsed by Little Nemo for the rest of their days. The parking lot is perfect for parking & getting your bike or a picnic out. It's free to park & you can walk the trails around Lake Natoma, or head over to Lake Natoma's picnic grounds without paying for parking. There are great trails near this place. It gets pretty busy on the weekends. read more

The fish ladder is now open. Go and enjoy the spectacle! read more

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Awesome and educational place for both adults and kids especially when the salmon are spawning in Nov-Dec. Entrance to the hatchery is free. I just need to make everyone aware that the cost of fish food increased 5x to 25 cents. I guess this was price jump was coming after being 5 cents for decades. Kids were disappointed to find this out as they came stocked with nickels and could not get any fish food. As of Nov. 1, 2012: BRING QUARTERS NOW TO FEED THE FISH! read more

Entertainment for kids and adults alike! Make sure you bring some nickels and baggies or cups for the fish food. The trout were just as fun to watch as the salmon. Those poor little guys kept trying to jump upstream but there is a grate that stops them. Can't wait to go back in October or November when the salmon are actually spawning! read more