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Feather River Fish Hatchery

Feather River Fish Hatchery raises Chinook salmon and steelhead on the Feather River just below Lake Oroville. An underwater viewing window shows migrating fish from about mid-September through June. It is open 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Checked October 29, 2026 on the operator’s own pages.

From Chico: about 35 min (typical, without traffic)

8:00 AM to 3:00 PMHours
Mid-Sept to JuneViewing window
Mid-Sept to mid-NovSalmon spawning
51,000 fish a yearAverage return
Concrete raceways at the Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville, with staff working beside the water
The hatchery raceways in February 2017, when cloudy water from the Oroville spillway damage was running through the Feather River. Public domain, California Department of Water Resources.

Plan It in Three Lines

  • Get thereFrom Chico: about 35 min, typical, without traffic. Address: 5 Table Mountain Boulevard, Oroville, CA 95965.
  • WhenOpen 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  • CostTo schedule guided group tours, call (530) 534-2306 (per the State Parks brochure).

Key Facts

  • The hatchery raises Chinook salmon and steelhead along the Feather River, just below Lake Oroville.[1]
  • Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; contact (530) 538-2222.[1]
  • The hatchery has two sections: the fish barrier dam, observation platform and underwater viewing are on the east side of Table Mountain Boulevard.[1]
  • The spawning room, hatchery and rearing ponds are on the west side of Table Mountain Boulevard.[1]
  • The underwater viewing windows are best for seeing fish from mid-September through June.[1]
  • Salmon spawning can be watched Monday through Friday from mid-September until mid-November.[1]
  • Steelhead spawning can be watched from mid-December through mid-February.[1]
  • Fish are in the rearing ponds all year.[1]
  • The annual Oroville Salmon Festival is held on the 4th Saturday of September at the hatchery and downtown Oroville.[1]
  • The hatchery raises and releases spring-run and fall-run Chinook salmon of Feather River origin.[3]
  • DWR worked with CDFW to build the hatchery after Oroville Dam altered the river; it has run from 1967 to the present.[2]
  • Average runs of 51,000 fish a year return to the hatchery.[2]
  • State Parks describes it as a 20,000,000 egg capacity salmon and steelhead hatchery.[4]

Areas Inside Feather River Fish Hatchery

  • Fish barrier dam and underwater viewing

    East side of Table Mountain Boulevard, with the observation platform.[1]

  • Spawning room and rearing ponds

    West side of Table Mountain Boulevard.[1]

Plan Your Visit

WhatAs the operator states it
Run byCalifornia Department of Fish and Wildlife
Address5 Table Mountain Boulevard, Oroville, CA 95965
Drive from ChicoAbout 35 min, typical, without traffic (Google Maps, plus 10 minutes, rounded)
HoursOpen 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.[1]
SeasonViewing windows best mid-September through June; salmon spawning Mon-Fri mid-September to mid-November; steelhead mid-December to mid-February.[1]
ReservationsTo schedule guided group tours, call (530) 534-2306 (per the State Parks brochure).[5]
Phone(530) 538-2222[1]
Official pageCalifornia Department of Fish and Wildlife

Not confirmedThe official pages we read do not publish fees, dogs, restrooms, accessibility for this place.

Hours at a Glance

Hatchery8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Days: not stated on the page we read.

Season, as printed: Viewing windows best mid-September through June; salmon spawning Mon-Fri mid-September to mid-November; steelhead mid-December to mid-February.

Bars are drawn from the hours printed in Plan Your Visit below; a faded or dashed bar means the page prints sunrise or sunset, not a clock time. Today is outlined.

Map of Feather River Fish Hatchery

The pin is approximate, placed from the address or place name. © OpenStreetMap contributors. Directions

Around Feather River Fish Hatchery

2 mi4 mi6 miN123456
  1. Oroville State Theatre: 0.5 miles southwest
  2. Downtown Oroville and the Riverfront: 0.6 miles southwest
  3. Oroville Chinese Temple: 0.7 miles southwest
  4. Oroville Dam Overlooks and Visitor Center: 4.6 miles east
  5. Bidwell Canyon Marina: 5.1 miles east
  6. Oroville Wildlife Area: 5.4 miles southwest

The yellow dot is this place. Rings are spaced so close places do not pile up, and a numbered badge may sit slightly off its true spot (a thin line ends at the true spot). Distances are straight-line miles worked out from the map points each page prints; they are not drive times or walking routes.

What We Could Not Verify

These items were not on an official page we could open on October 29, 2026, or two official pages disagree. Check with the operator before you rely on them.

  • Not confirmedAdmission fee (none stated)
  • Not confirmedWhether dogs are allowed
  • Not confirmedWeekend hours or holiday closures
  • Not confirmedParking details
  • Not confirmedAccessibility details
  • Not confirmedConflict: Phone: CDFW lists (530) 538-2222; the State Parks brochure (2018) gives (530) 534-2306 for guided group tours.

More in Oroville & Lake Oroville

All of Oroville & Lake OrovilleOroville Wildlife AreaDowntown Oroville and the RiverfrontLime Saddle MarinaBidwell Canyon MarinaOroville Dam Overlooks and Visitor CenterLake Oroville State Recreation AreaLoafer Creek Recreation AreaOroville Chinese TempleOroville State TheatreAll Places

Coming Up in Oroville & Lake Oroville

11 events are on our calendar for Oroville & Lake Oroville in the next 45 days. 1 is listed as free by the organizer; 1 is marked Not confirmed because we could not confirm it on the organizer’s page yet. This list rebuilds itself every day at midnight, Pacific time.

October 2026

November 2026

December 2026

Sources: each card links to the organizer’s own page and shows the date we checked it. This list shows the next 45 days; see every upcoming event.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to see salmon at the Feather River Fish Hatchery?

CDFW says the underwater windows are best from mid-September through June. Salmon spawning can be watched Monday to Friday from mid-September until mid-November.[1]

What are the hatchery's hours?

CDFW lists 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.[1]

When is the Oroville Salmon Festival?

It is held on the 4th Saturday of September at the hatchery and downtown Oroville.[1]

Sources

  1. Feather River Fish Hatchery, California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Read October 29, 2026.
  2. History of the Feather River Hatchery, California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Read October 29, 2026.
  3. Species of Fish Raised at Feather River Fish Hatchery, California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Read October 29, 2026.
  4. Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, California State Parks. Read October 29, 2026.
  5. Lake Oroville State Recreation Area park brochure (Rev. 2018, PDF), California State Parks. Read October 29, 2026.

Cite this page: “Feather River Fish Hatchery.” It’s Chico, checked October 29, 2026. https://itschico.com/oroville/feather-river-fish-hatchery/

Coming Up Here

No dated event at Feather River Fish Hatchery is on our calendar right now. We list a date only after reading it on the organizer’s own page, so an empty list means not listed yet, not that nothing is happening. See every upcoming event.

On The Map

9 places named on this page are pinned. Tap a pin for the page and directions. Dashed pins were placed from the street address and are approximate. © OpenStreetMap contributors.