Tokul Creek Fish Hatchery in Fall City

Since opening in 1908 by King County, the Tokul Creek Fish Hatchery has been a part of the Fall City community. It was originally known as the King County Trout Hatchery until operations were transferred to the newly formed WA State Dept. of Fish & Game in 1932. Raising primarily trout and ocean-migrating steelhead, the hatchery has been a resource for fishing enthusiasts as well as providing educational events, and welcoming visitors of all ages. In our book Preserving the Stories of Fall City, many residents fondly remember visiting the hatchery, on their own, with families, and with school trips. In the 1920s, with the newly paved and expanded Sunset Highway, the hatchery became a popular tourist stop for everyone traveling over Snoqualmie Pass. Jack Kelley recalls the parking lot was often filled, only slowing after 1946 with the construction of US10.

The hatchery has changed and expanded over the years. In 1934, buildings for the hatchery, office and shop were added to the property, and in the 1950s ponds that were lost to flooding were replaced with raceways. A new large rearing pond was added in 1968, and further modified in 1996, while the old raceways were filled in about 1998. In addition to the operational structures, there were two houses on the property, with a third added in 1967. The early superintendent's house was moved just west of 372nd SE, while another house burned as a training exercise for the Fall City Fire Department.

In September 2008, the hatchery faced an uncertain future when Dept of Fish & Wildlife officials held a public meeting in Issaquah to gather input on the potential closure of the hatchery. Reasons for the closure were both financial costs and environmental impacts, specifically concerns about low levels of steelheads which had recently been designated as threatened. As stated in the Issaquah Reporter, "Things got heated at a meeting last week …" where almost everyone in attendance was against the closure. Quoted by the Issaquah Reporter, Rep. Glenn Anderson, a resident of Fall City, questioned the proposal in light of the conflicting data, as well as the recently approved $400,000 from the state legislature for the hatchery. Ultimately, the question of closure was dismissed, and it has remained open.

These days, the hatchery raises over 200,000 trout and Kokanee salmon for stocking local lowland lakes, alpine lakes and South King County lakes. Roughly, 70,000 Rainbow trout are raised for lowland area lakes (Alice, Langlois, Rattlesnake locally) and many others in Snohomish County, 60,000 Kokanee salmon for fall stockings into south King County lakes, 3,500 – "jumbo" trout (2lbs each) for fall stocking into Alice Lake and Snohomish County lakes, and 75,000 rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and golden trout for stocking into high mountain lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, North Cascades National Park, etc. Fall chinook adults entering Tokul Creek are also trapped and transported upstream to allow access to spawning grounds.

Currently the hatchery is in a transition from producing an early returning segregated stock of winter steelhead for sport harvest to utilizing the native Snoqualmie stock of steelhead to aid in enhancement and recovery of the native steelhead stock.

The hatchery is open 365 days per year for self-guided tours, 7am – 3pm, and scheduled tours are welcomed.