Get Involved: Hatcheries

Mt. Shavano Hatchery, one of the largest hatcheries in the state, produces approximately 550,000 catchable (10 inch) trout and 1-2 million sub-catchable fish (2-5 inches) per year. Species such as Rainbow Trout, Snake River Cutthroat Trout, Cutbow Trout, and Kokanee Salmon are raised at the unit. Mt. Shavano Hatchery is located along the shore of the Arkansas River and lies between the Sawatch and Sangre De Cristo Mountain Ranges, approximately 2 miles from downtown Salida and within Chaffee County.

Responsibilities:

• Volunteer hosts live on site and your primary responsibility is to give tours to visitors of Mt. Shavano Hatchery. The number of visitors can total around 1,000 per month June-August.
• Volunteers also show a short video and lead visitors on a tour of the facilities, serve in the visitor's center, and provide grounds and maintenance (such as restocking printed materials and upkeep of visitor's center).

Applicants should enjoy meeting people and be physically fit and healthy.

Site elevation:

7,000 ft.

Looking for 2 hosts for the summer!

Pairs, individuals, families with children, and people who are still working/in their careers (e.g. working remotely) are accepted. Hosts are permitted to have pets at the RV site but not at the hatchery.

The Pueblo State Fish Hatchery is the only cold and warm water facility in Colorado. We raise fry, fingerlings, and catchables of rainbow trout. We also raise crappie, bluegills, largemouth bass, brown trout, saugeye, wiper, and walleye. The hatchery was built by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation, but Colorado Parks & Wildlife is responsible for its operation and maintenance.

The hatchery grounds sit on 80 acres and consists of the main hatchery building, various maintenance shops, 16 one-acre ponds, 16 half-acre ponds and 32 concrete raceways.

Volunteer host responsibilities include:

• Greet visitors at the hatchery and help give guided tours
• Maintain appearance of visitor center and landscaping around the visitor center

Tours can be scheduled around hosts' availability.

Pueblo State Hatchery is seeking 2 hosts for the 2025 season!

We welcome individuals, couples/pairs, and people still working/in their careers (e.g. working remotely)

Site elevation:

4,800 ft.

The Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery covers 783 acres, including two miles of the East River and four fishing ponds. The majority of the property is dedicated to wildlife habitat and includes amazing opportunities for wildlife viewing, fishing, and hiking.

Responsibilities:

Our volunteer hosts live on-site and:

• Provide hatchery tours to the public.
• Assist visitors with questions about the hatchery property.
• Maintain hatchery grounds, including but not limited to: mowing, weed whacking, landscaping, planting and watering flowers, picking up trash, maintaining trails and way finding signs, cleaning the visitor center, and some equipment maintenance.
• Hosts may also assist with fish culture work when staff is shorthanded.

Public speaking/good communication skills, landscaping, and equipment maintenance would all be beneficial, but not required.

Elevation:

 8,200 ft

Positions are full for the 2025 host season but feel free to apply to be put on a waitlist!

Couples/pairs are invited to apply. Hosts are permitted to have pets.