Michigan’s state fish hatcheries play a vital role in our Great Lakes and other waters , as they breed and stock fish to help maintain healthy populations. Their efforts ensure that those heading out to catch a trout, salmon, or other fish for a tasty dinner or trophy picture can do so. The Oden State Fish Hatchery and Visitor Center in Northern Michigan is one of the top facilities of its kind, and a great stop for the entire family. You can learn a lot here, and the stream viewing chamber provides a unique look at what goes on below the surface of the water. The Oden State Fish Hatchery raises brown trout and rainbow trout and kids will enjoy feeding the ones in the “Big Fish Pond.” We recently had the chance to visit here again and thought it would be a great time to update our old post from a visit in 2015.

Here’s a look at all the things you can see and do at Oden State Fish Hatchery:

Visitor Center – The large building next to the spacious parking lot is the visitor center, where you will find restrooms, exhibits that explain what the fish hatchery does, and even a gift shop. This was the site of the original fish hatchery that opened in the 1920s, before a new one was built nearby in 2002.

Trails – Close to two miles of trails wind through the property here. You can walk from the visitor center to the hatchery buildings (half mile), from the parking lot to the viewing chamber (.2 miles), and to the Big Fish ponds (half mile from parking lot, .3 miles from viewing chamber). Listen closely  for birds, and keep your eyes open for some of the structures from the old fish hatchery. Trails are mostly flat and are paved.

Stream Viewing Chamber – This is the highlight of the visit, and a unique experience as you get a chance to view fish in their natural environment. A glass panel provides a view into the stream as you watch fish move around. Interpretive signs show the kinds of fish you will see here and what their natural food sources are, as well as how the currents in the stream work. We saw a few trout in the stream, the video below gives a better look:

Being able to see a stream from the inside is a cool experience and one that all visitors seem to enjoy. From the viewing chamber you can either head to the hatchery or to the Big Fish ponds.

Picnic Areas – Need to take a break and have a bite to eat? You’ll find a covered picnic area by the stream viewing chamber, and there are also benches and picnic tables by the train car and parking lot.

Big Fish ponds – If you have younger kids with you when you visit, this is likely to be one of the best parts. Make sure you bring some quarters as you can get food for the large fish in these ponds. There are lots and lots of trout here, and we saw quite a few ducks as well.

Interpretive Signs – There are lots of signs spread through the nature trails and in front of the buildings. We learned a lot about the history of the hatchery, the types of trees along the trail, how fish are stocked in our lakes and rivers, and just how big the whole watershed is here in Oden.

Hatchery Tours – You can walk to the hatchery or follow signs to a separate parking area at 8258 St. Ayr Rd. Tours are offered Mon.-Sat. at select times (check the website or call visitor center for current times). This is the only way to see inside the buildings where fish are raised and learn more about the process. Our visit fell on Sunday, so we definitely have a reason to go back now!

Wolverine Train Car – Next to the parking lot is an old train car. “This historic exhibit depicts how employees of the old Michigan Department of Conservation lived on the train while transporting and stocking fish across the state. Displays include the sleeping berths, a kitchen and several uniquely designed stewardship messages.”

Art – You’ll find the sculpture “Ring of Bright Water II” by Kent Ullberg next to the train car. This depiction of two playful otters was a 2015 addition to the hatchery when renovations to the walkways, boardwalk, viewing areas, and fishing platform were also completed.

Michigan Historical Marker: Passenger Pigeons – There are two Michigan historical markers in the parking lot. One tells us more about the now-extinct passenger pigeon and its Michigan connections: “At one time Michigan was a favorite nesting ground for the passenger pigeons. Vast quantities of beechnuts and other food attracted them. Each spring immense flocks arrived, literally darkening the skies hours at a time as they flew over. Here at Crooked Lake a nesting in 1878 covered ninety square miles. Millions of birds were killed, packed in barrels, and shipped from Petoskey. Such wanton slaughter helped to make the pigeon extinct by 1914. The conservationist’s voice was heard too late.”

Michigan Historical Marker: State Fish and Game Warden/State Board of Fish Commissioners – A 2020 addition to the hatchery is this two-sided historical marker. One one side we learn how the board of fish commissioners helped preserve our waterways and make hatcheries like this one a part of the process: “Nineteenth-century commercial fishing and logging operations helped grow Michigan’s economy but also posed threats to resource sustainability. The logging industry’s use of waterways to transport logs contributed to pollution in rivers and destroyed fish spawning areas. The widespread installation of dams prevented fish passage and caused other damage to fish habitats. Each year relatively unlimited commercial fishing harvested millions of pounds of fish at a rate higher than the regeneration rate for some species. To prevent the extinction of the state’s fish species, the Michigan legislature established the Board of Fish Commissioners in 1873 to study the importance of “fish culture” and to establish a state hatchery to repopulate the state’s waterways.” On the other side we learn about how Michigan’s hunting and fishing seasons and laws began: “In the mid-nineteenth century the State of Michigan began regulating hunting and fishing to prevent extermination of the state’s wildlife. In 1859 it enacted a law creating hunting seasons for deer, turkey and other game. The fine for violations was $25. Another law outlawed the use of continuous fishing nets and seines in certain locations. Other game laws were passed over the years but implementation was left up to local and county officials, resulting in uneven enforcement. In 1881 the Michigan Sportsmen’s Association began lobbying for a state game law enforcement office. In 1887 the legislature created the office of Game and Fish Warden. Governor Cyrus Luce appointed William Alden Smith as the first warden. He was Michigan’s first statewide law enforcement officer.”