Lost Valley Hatchery
Lost Valley Hatchery
4.5
This location was reported permanently closed
About
Lost Valley Fish Hatchery and Visitor Center *An free admission Visitor Center with views of hatchery production room and aquarium. *Kids fishing pond free to ages 15 and under. *Warm and cool water fish species reared in 77 production ponds. *969 acres of land containing glades, prairies, and wooded areas
Duration: 1-2 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Full view
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
27 within 3 miles
Attractions
9 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
41 reviews
Excellent
29
Very good
10
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Traveler-rs-10
Springfield, MO81 contributions
Jun 2013 • Family
Largest fish hatchery in Missouri. This is a fun place to visit and can be an educational experience also. Convenient location. Would take about 1 hour to tour the displays.
Written June 8, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
teecee1979
Hannibal, MO44 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
You gotta love the Missouri Department of Conservation - free exhibit with a fantastic aquarium, interesting information about wildlife in Missouri, and free fishing pond for the kids. Mine are 5 and 8 - we spent about 1 1/2 hours there. They loved it - made a really nice stop on our roadtrip. GREAT attraction - lucky to have it.
Written July 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan A
6 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
The hatchery has a huge aquarium with all the local fish. Has great learning exhibitions. The best part though is after your child reads the rules of proper fishing. They get a pole, bait and stringer and get to go fish in the well stocked pond. They can keep the largest fish they catch. There are catfish I've seen over 12".
Written July 12, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Coni M
Beresford, SD35 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
The hatchery is perfect for a stop on a family getaway. It is educational and great for young kids as they can fish in the hatchery, who provide the necessary equipment for the kids. The aquarium area was amazing. The staff were great and knowledgeable.
Written July 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sheri H
Bonner Springs, Kansas, United States10 contributions
Jun 2015 • Family
15 & under can fish for free here, and they even provide the gear and bait! We let our fish go, but you can keep 2/kid if you want. the people that work there are very friendly and helpful. We'll be back for sure!
Written June 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ken H
Kansas City, Missouri, United States13 contributions
Aug 2014 • Couples
We have taken our grandchildren to the hatchery for years. They like the idea of catching fish without wading through weeds. The staff is excellent. The fishing, borrowed equipment and bait is free. Even if the kids aren't into fishing the displays are wonderful. Don't wait take the kids to Lost Valley Hatchery
Written August 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mom76SS
Jefferson City, MO16 contributions
Sep 2012 • Family
The hatchery is a fun and educational place to take children. The staff are exceptionally friendly and welcoming. Indoors, there is a large aquarium featuring native Missouri fish as well as interactive exhibits and sensory stations. Everything is kid friendly, so you don't have to worry about being asked to quiet down or to not touch something. There is a stocked pond outside where kids can fish and keep up to two fish a piece. Remember to bring a bucket if you plan to keep your fish! The hatchery provides poles, tackle, and bait for fishing. It is also a man-made pond so you don't have to worry about the kids getting their tackle hung up on brush or rocks. The only downfall we encountered was that someone had cleaned a fish and left the remains laying in the grass (doing this is prohibited). A member of our group didn't see it and stepped on it, and the spine went all the way through his Croc and punctured his foot.
Written September 4, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Teresa K
69 contributions
Aug 2012 • Family
We took an off-road to see what this hatchery was all about and it was so much fun! So glad we went!!! The staff was very welcoming and friendly. They have a (large) children's fishing pond where they give kids their own fishing pole, tackle box and bait (worms and hot dogs) and let them go fish. My three (4, 7 and 9 years old) had a blast! Inside, there is educational material-a-plenty... windows to see where the fish "start life" and a little aquarium. There are even a couple great spots for fun pictures (like an over-sized clam) and a little coloring area. Everything is completely FREE!!! Wish we had more time there!
Written August 27, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kathy G
Bolivar, MO216 contributions
Jun 2016 • Family
Small place, but good fun. They let little tikes fish in a pond. My grandson had a great time. Nice aquarium.
Written June 27, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicki H
North Loup, NE4 contributions
Jun 2016 • Family
The people who worked at the hatchery were very short with us (but not quite rude). We arrived about 30 minutes before closing time...they wouldn't let the kids fish, we barely got any information. If I was going to be in the area again, I would probably go back because it's free, but earlier in the day.
Also, the aquarium has like 20 fish, but it is kind of neat for very young (toddler) children.
Also, the aquarium has like 20 fish, but it is kind of neat for very young (toddler) children.
Written June 22, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Showing results 1-1 of 1
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing