D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery
D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery
D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery
4.5
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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27 within 6 miles
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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.
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4.5
440 reviews
Excellent
317
Very good
103
Average
17
Poor
2
Terrible
1
Kelsey
New Zealand5 contributions
Jun 2021 • Couples
My husband and I visit the hatchery today and where blown away with the knowledge & kindness of the volunteers. Pat went out of her way to inform us on the history of the hatchery & then we popped over to her hubby Jim who works in the rail cart! Very nice people and if there was a volunteer couple of the year, my vote would be for them!
Besides the wonderful volunteers the fish where also super cool! Feeding them was such a cool experience and I was shocked at how many of them their are. Definitely worth the trip 5/5!
Besides the wonderful volunteers the fish where also super cool! Feeding them was such a cool experience and I was shocked at how many of them their are. Definitely worth the trip 5/5!
Written June 15, 2021
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.
vmsolko
Rockwell City, IA95 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
We were referred here by the Spearfish Visitors Center. It was a great choice for a relaxed place to tour and then eat a picnic lunch at the adjacent City Park afterward.
We fed the fish (coupons for free fish food from the visitors center) and learned about the current hatchery operations and the past. Randy in the rail car was especially knowledgeable and helpful - having the staff in the different areas made it 10x better than a self-guided tour would be.
A nice place to spend an hour. After our visit we ate our picnic in the park while the kids played on the large playground and waded in the stream water.
We fed the fish (coupons for free fish food from the visitors center) and learned about the current hatchery operations and the past. Randy in the rail car was especially knowledgeable and helpful - having the staff in the different areas made it 10x better than a self-guided tour would be.
A nice place to spend an hour. After our visit we ate our picnic in the park while the kids played on the large playground and waded in the stream water.
Written June 13, 2021
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.
cenzt
Ohio19,974 contributions
Aug 2023 • Solo
Good trip. We arrived at approximately 11 am and made our way towards the entrance of the fish hatchery. There was a lot to see and do at this location. There was a small store located at the entrance, that was selling bags of fish food. We bought a bag and were able to feed the fish located in the water below us. There were several informational plaques out for display, detailing the history of trout and their habitats. We walked down a set of stairs to an underwater viewing area, where we were able to see fish of all different shapes and sizes. There was also a short documentary playing about the history of the area. After viewing the fish, we walked over a bridge where we saw the yellowstone boat. We then made our way towards the museum, where we were able to see multiple artifacts related to the transportation of trout. There were informational plaques located in front of several of the pieces, that detailed what we were seeing in front of us. There was a short hiking trail on the property, that took us to a dead fish cemetery and allowed us to get sweeping views of the property. We made our way back down, where we viewed an ice house and an old transportation train. There was an employee on the train who gave us some background information on how the trout were transported during that time period. We finished off our trip by taking a guided tour of the D.C Booth House. The tour guide took us from room to room, showing us various pieces of furniture and explaining the history of the house and who occupied it.
Tip: I recommend spending 2.5 hours here if you truly want to see everything.
Tip: I recommend spending 2.5 hours here if you truly want to see everything.
Written March 31, 2024
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.
RYC88
Centreville, VA1,317 contributions
Jul 2021
The hatchery is a lovely complex that has the actual hatchery races from when the place was built in 1900 and you can see the different sizes of fish and you can feed the big fish if you want to buy fish food. The docents were very nice and very eager to chat. The museum was interesting, talking about how this was the first US fish hatchery and showing how they keep predators from getting the fish (harrassment options like noise guns and air cannons, etc.) and showing how the whole process worked with the eggs and the transport and the growth and keeping the water clean, etc. It was interesting to see the replica fish car with all the containers for the fish (basically, buckets) and the refrigeration units for the water and the bunks for the fish handlers, etc. DC Booth's house was very nice with lots of cool architecture and furnishings. The whole place was laid out so nicely and it was quiet and pretty and interesting. It's so different than all the natural beauty places we had been, it was a great stop.
Written August 8, 2021
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.
Jennifer T
Devore Heights, CA473 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
Visited with my family (two teenagers and one tween) the location is beautiful and we had a great time viewing and feeding the fish. The only con would be the grumpy old lady working the gift shop who was snappy with guests and little children in the shop. We made our transaction quick with her and got out of there in fear that our children would be her next victim of being scolded at. All the other volunteers on site were friendly and helpful and seemed to enjoy sharing information about the fish and history.
Written June 19, 2023
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.
pfefmeister
San Francisco, CA4,373 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
Totally impressed by this operation. Wonderful museum explaining how fish were transported across the country, a fantastic fish transport railway car that has been lovingly reconstructed, gorgeous grounds, fish to feed, gift shop - just perfect. And walking distance from downtown. Be sure to check out the underground viewing area - huge fish. Great fish hatchery, the best one we’ve seen so far.
Written July 17, 2021
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.
cpl5571
Livermore, CA34 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
I know in South Dakota there is so much to see, but take an hour or two to visit the DC Booth Fish Hatchery, Thanks to an audio tour we had we were tipped off to this attraction and decided to go check it out. We were sure glad that we did. The grounds and location are very beautiful and peaceful. There are a few different ponds where you can see trout varying in size from tiny to large. I didn't know that it would be so fascinating learning about the history of America's fish hatcheries, but the volunteers were full of knowledge and the museum and fish car were very interesting and educational. A fish hatchery may not seem as exciting as Mt Rushmore, the Black Hills, or Badlands, but I can attest that it is.
Written September 9, 2023
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.
my82pink
San Diego, CA2,601 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
As an adult, I find this place boring.
Nice concept but not for me. It’s free to enter but our friend’s kids ages 4,6,8 seem to enjoy it. You can buy a bag of food in the vending machines to feed the fishes.
You can post a photo on social media and tag them to get a free bag of food.
They’’s an underground area and you can see the fish eat from people feeding them up top. But these windows are so foggy that you won’t see a thing.
Many more things to do here but it was too hot to walk any further.
Nice concept but not for me. It’s free to enter but our friend’s kids ages 4,6,8 seem to enjoy it. You can buy a bag of food in the vending machines to feed the fishes.
You can post a photo on social media and tag them to get a free bag of food.
They’’s an underground area and you can see the fish eat from people feeding them up top. But these windows are so foggy that you won’t see a thing.
Many more things to do here but it was too hot to walk any further.
Written August 29, 2023
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.
gr8ful4222
Campbell, CA1,914 contributions
Sep 2022
This was a pleasant surprise on our visit to Spearfish. We enjoyed feeding the trout (bring quarters!), and watching them from the underwater viewing area. The museum was very interesting, but the most fascinating exhibit was the fish car. Who would have thought there used to be a special train car for fish? The replica fish car is very well done; really, the entire complex is lovely and well-maintained, and every staff member friendly and welcoming. Be sure to make a stop here.
Written September 26, 2022
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.
gingersnaps527
Spearfish, SD405 contributions
Jun 2020
The Hatchery is a part of the City Park. It is well maintained and offers information on the history of the area. The "underground" part of the hatchery makes it fun to get a good look at the fish up close. There is a small gift house. The bathrooms were closed when we were there due to covid. I like to stop by on a monthly basis when I walk through the park. Children would enjoy a visit. This place is free but does take donations.
Written July 11, 2020
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.
Yes it is! We have brought our leashed dog twice.
Written July 29, 2020
How much time is needed to do this place justice? We have a 13 and 15year old with us.
Written July 7, 2015
I agree with one to two hours, depending on interest level. If you feed the fish, pop inside a couple of buildings, read posted signs, and walk an outer nature trail or two, you could do it in an hour with a couple teens, or if they're really interested, you could take up to two. Never have done the fish car tour, but wish I had!
Written July 8, 2015
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