Neosho National Fish Hatchery

About Neosho National Fish Hatchery

The Neosho National Fish Hatchery was established in 1888, and is the oldest operating Federal Fish Hatchery in the U.S. But don’t let its age fool you, the hatchery has a welcoming park like atmosphere with outdoor ponds full of rainbow trout and inviting walking and biking paths for public enjoyment. Neosho National Fish Hatchery provides recovery efforts for endangered Pallid Sturgeon, protection for endangered Ozark Cavefish and raises threatened or endangered Native Mussels, all of which can be seen on a drop in tour or a scheduled group tour...So bring your friends! Stop by Neosho hatchery’s famous visitor center to enjoy the exhibits and the bookstore, where you can find just about anything your heart desires, including wonderful creations from local artists.

How to Get There

The town of Neosho was chosen for the hatchery site because of access to spring water and the railroad. The first source of water for the hatchery was Hearrell Spring.

Plan Your Visit to Neosho National Fish Hatchery

Heading to Neosho National Fish Hatchery? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)