Way out at the end of a beautiful redrock canyon lies the trailhead for Ely Creek Waterfall and the Jones Hole Fish Hatchery. The hatchery is open to the public, so make time to visit when you are in the Vernal area.
We have a few boys who love fishing in our family. They enjoyed the hatchery because we talked about how these fish will end up in the local lakes, and we might even catch some of them in the future.
We enjoyed visiting inside the building, where our kids picked up some free coloring books. We also saw where the rangers feed and breed the tiny fish. There were some large holding tanks with thousands of fish, and you can roam around and look at, but not touch, whatever you’d like.
Outside was even more interesting. The fish were much bigger, and they had an agenda. The fish were attempting to jump up the 15 inch waterfall that provided fresh water to their holding tank. Sometimes they’d make it to the top, but they were always turned back by the grate at the top. It was fun to watch them jump and try again and again.
The fish in the outside tanks could also see you coming, so as you walked around, they’d make a dash away from your shadow. We spent nearly an hour walking around the fish hatchery.
We should also note that the drive to the fish hatchery is beautiful. The road winds through an amazing canyon that is what you’d expect to see in southern Utah’s redrock country. Also, be sure to make the hike to Ely Creek Falls if you visit the Jones Hole Fish Hatchery.
Info for Families
- Hours: Monday-Saturday 7 am-3 pm.
- Address: 24495 East Jones Hole Hatchery Road, Vernal, UT.
- Check out our post on Things to do in Vernal for more fun in the area.
