Oden State Fish Hatchery Walk Route Map

The approximate route of my walk around the Oden State Fish Hatchery, as depicted a la Google Earth...

Oden State Fish Hatchery Walk Route Map

The approximate route of my walk around the Oden State Fish Hatchery...

Michigan Fisheries Visitor Center

Michigan Fisheries Visitor Center...the entrance as viewed from US-31 north of Petoskey.

"The Wolverine"

The only remaining of three "fish cars." This train car was used from 1914 to 1935 to transport fish across the state of Michigan. It was moved here as a permanent exhibit in 2002. It is open for tours during the summer.

Michigan Fisheries Visitor Center

This is the original hatchery building which operated from 1921to the early 1940's. It now houses the visitors center and gift shop.

Original Holding Tanks

This area was the original location for the hatchery holding tanks. The tanks, which stretched over a quarter-mile were removed during the reconstruction project completed in 2002. It's remarkable how the area has recovered.

Interpretive Nature Trail

The interpretive nature trail begins behind the visitors center along Oden Creek.

Interpretive Nature Trail

The majestic branches of the White Pine, State Tree of Michigan, against a blue winter sky.

Interpretive Nature Trail

Looking through the bare branches of the Tamarack, the only conifer which drops its leaves in the winter.

Stream Viewing Chamber

A unique spot along the trail, this viewing chamber allows visitors to get a underwater view of the creek.

Stream Viewing Chamber

This was as good a shot as I could get of this Rainbow Trout who was nice enough to make an appearance at the stream viewing chamber.

Stream Viewing Chamber

A Brown Trout, snuggled right up against the glass at the stream viewing chamber. The odd pink area to the bottom left is a reflection.

Interpretive Nature Trail

The trail wanders through a beautiful wetland area.

Interpretive Nature Trail

Looking back downstream about halfway between the visitors center and the hatchery.

Holding Pond

A Holding Pond...one of at least three such ponds along the trail.

Holding Pond

I later learned that these ponds served as homes for fish who were to old to breed. A nice place to retire, don't you think?

Interpretive Nature Trail

As the trail nears the hatchery the trail climbs slightly into a stand of hardwoods.

Broodstock Building

This building houses both Brown and Rainbow Trout which are used as breeding stock for the facility.

Broodstock Tanks

The Oden Hatchery is one of only two that keep broodstock in Michigan. The less aggressive nature of trout allows them to do so here.

Broodstock Building

Big Rainbows...

Broodstock Building

According to the guide around 33% of the water in the facility is recycled. In these areas to the far end of the holding tanks water is drained out while solid waste (i.e. food & poo) settle to the bottom to be cleaned out separately.

Broodstock Building

The Brown Trout didn't like a camera pointing at them. Everytime I leaned in for a shot they would scatter.

Broodstock Building

The fish in these tanks are processed for their sperm and eggs twice a year until they are 8 years old. The fish in this tank are in their prime; about 4 years old.

New Hatchery Grounds

After touring the broodstock building we toured the rest of the facility. From left to right is the main hatchery building, the head tanks (wells), and the uppermost raceway building.

Head Tanks

Water for the facility is pumped up via five wells. Brought from a depth of 305' the water brought to the surface is very oxygen-poor. The blue-topped "head tanks" inject oxygen into the water before it is pumped out to the rest of the facility.

Main Hatchery Building

This is where the magic happens. This is the holding and rearing facility for the million-odd fish the hatchery produces each year.

Main Hatchery Building

Water is pumped in from the far end flowing down the main part of the tank where the fish are held to the tubes in the foreground. Some of the water entering the tubes is re-used and pumped back around to the other end...quite efficient I might say!

Main Hatchery Building

Overhead pipes deliver water which drains down through the trays of eggs.

Main Hatchery Building

A Closer Look

Main Hatchery Building

After hatching the "fry's," as they're called, are moved to these holding tanks.

Main Hatchery Building

Egg Trays - Fertilized eggs from the broodstock are brought here and placed in trays where they will hatch in 1-2 months.

Main Hatchery Building

30,000 Per Tray - That's right, there are potentially 30,000 little fish in this one tray! Amazing!

Main Hatchery Building

Water pumped into the tank simulates the natural currents of a stream. The tiny fish give a great demonstration of how fish naturally like to face currents.

Main Hatchery Building

Thousands of fry's chill out at the bottom of a holding tank. Still developing the tiny fish are not yet strong enough to swim to the top of the tank.

Main Hatchery Building

Now known as fingerlings, these young trout are about 6 months old. Soon they'll be moved to our next stop, the raceway...

New Hatchery Grounds

OK, It's Cold...the sun was setting and the 20-degree air was finally getting into my fingers.

Oden Hatchery Complex Pano

Looking back up the hill from near the bottom of the raceway. Raceway #2 is to the near left, the broodstock building to the far left, then the head tanks, and the main hatchery building to the right.

The Raceway

Eventually all production stock are moved out to the raceway. The raceway is a series of three buildings which house the trout until they are ready to be taken out to a lake or a stream near you!

The Raceway

Today I'm Authorized!

The Raceway

Once they reach one year old, the trout are known as yearlings, I doubt these are quite there yet. I'm guessing the fish in the center are Brown Trout as they don't want to get near me...

Raceway #3

The setup of the raceway buildings is similar to that in the broodstock building. Instead of pumps however, these building use gravity to provide the waterflow through these tanks.

Clarifier

This is the clarifier, which helps clean the impurities out of the water after it has drained through the tree raceway buildings.

Clarifier

Making one revolution per hour the arms of the clarifier scrape the sludge from the sides of the tank. After that it is sent to the...

Sludge Tank

...the Sludge Tank!. This slice of heaven holds 150,000 gallons of sludge when topped off. Believe it or not, it has to be emptied out about once a month!

Settling Pond

Finally, all the used water from the facility makes its way to the settling pond. Here, the remaining impurities naturally settle out of the water before it is finally released back into the area watershed.

Interpretive Nature Trail

X-tra info you can't get from me regarding the water purification process here at the hatchery...

Interpretive Nature Trail

The setting sun made for a beautiful sky on the return hike.

Interpretive Nature Trail

A wonderful afternoon at the hatchery, I'm sure I'll be back (though likely when its a bit warmer:) !