National Fish Hatchery · Washington · FWS Region 1

Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery is located in Chelan County, Washington, with about 868 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 2 mapped hunt units: 1 open under general rules and 1 closed, covering about 1,269 huntable acres.

1 open unit1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official website ↗
2hunt units
1.3Khuntable acres
868FWS-owned acres
5game categories

Leavenworth NFH hunt unit map

Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.

Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private) Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take it into the field: KML (Google Earth / onX) GPX waypoints GeoJSON

Hunting at Leavenworth NFH

Hunters can pursue big game, waterfowl, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery was built in 1940 to mitigate for the effects of Grand Coulee Dam on salmon and steelhead runs.

— U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridgeMigratory BirdsMourning dove, woodcock, snipe, rails, gallinules and sandhill craneSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammals

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Washington regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (2)

Acreage by status
Open: 1,269 (87%)Closed: 188 (13%)1.3Khuntable acres
  • Open1,269 ac 87%
  • Closed188 ac 13%
Units by size (acres)
Alpine Lakes Unit
1,269 ac
Hatchery Unit
188 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Alpine Lakes Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Open 1,269 —
Hatchery Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 188 —

Leavenworth NFH by the numbers

With about 1,269 huntable acres, Leavenworth NFH ranks #9 of 14 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Washington and #347 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 87% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Alpine Lakes Unit (1,269 acres).

1 unit totaling 188 acres is closed to hunting (Hatchery Unit). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

When to hunt Leavenworth NFH

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Washington sets the exact dates, and refuges often open fewer days than the statewide season — use this to plan scouting, then confirm the 2026–2027 dates in the state regulations and the refuge hunt brochure.

Typical season windows — Big Game, Waterfowl, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse
🕊️ Migratory Birds
Dove (Sept. 1 opener)Woodcock & snipeLate dove split
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Not listed

USFWS does not list a separate refuge permit for this station. Specific units or hunts (e.g. quota deer hunts) may still require one — check the hunt brochure.

You'll also need

  • A valid Washington hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Federal Duck Stamp (waterfowl hunters 16+) and HIP certification for migratory birds
  • Non-toxic shot for waterfowl (federal requirement)
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Leavenworth NFH

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery has raised spring Chinook salmon since 1974, supporting sport, tribal and commercial fisheries in the Pacific Ocean, Columbia River and Icicle Creek.

State fishing licenses and regulations apply. Some waters close seasonally to protect wildlife.

How to get to Leavenworth NFH

Navigate

Destination: Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
47.48582, -120.74854
DMS
47°29′09.0″N 120°44′54.7″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Wenatchee, WA21 mi W of town
  • Yakima, WA62 mi N of town
  • Moses Lake, WA73 mi W of town
  • Seattle, WA74 mi E of town

Closest airports

  • YKM Yakima Air Terminal64 mi
  • SEA Seattle–Tacoma73 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.

Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours

Today at Leavenworth NFH

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Los Angeles local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20265:50 AM6:20 AM7:46 PM13h 26m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:08 AM6:38 AM7:17 PM12h 39m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:30 AM7:00 AM6:44 PM11h 45m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:49 AM7:19 AM6:17 PM10h 58m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:15 AM6:45 AM4:47 PM10h 02m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:36 AM7:06 AM4:28 PM9h 22m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM4:15 PM8h 46m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:13 AM7:43 AM4:12 PM8h 29m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:20 AM7:50 AM4:21 PM8h 31m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:16 AM7:46 AM4:36 PM8h 51m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:00 AM7:30 AM5:02 PM9h 32m

Computed for 47.486, -120.749 (PDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Guides for hunting Leavenworth NFH

Deer Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Quota Hunts, Archery Units and Stand Rules

How refuge deer hunts work — lotteries and quota permits, archery-only and muzzleloader units, tree-stand rules…

Public-Land Duck Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Tactics That Work

How to find ducks, beat the crowds and set up on refuge marshes and WPAs — scouting, timing, small decoy spreads for…

Federal Duck Stamp Explained: Who Needs One, Where to Buy It and Where the Money Goes

Everything waterfowl hunters need to know about the Federal Duck Stamp — who must carry it, signing rules, the…

Nontoxic Shot Guide for Refuge and WPA Hunters

Why lead shot is banned for waterfowl, which nontoxic loads are approved, how steel, bismuth and tungsten compare, and…

Pheasant and Upland Bird Hunting on Waterfowl Production Areas

Why WPAs are some of the best walk-in pheasant ground in the Midwest, how to hunt them early and late in the season…

Dove Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Managed Fields, Openers and Rules

How dove hunting works on National Wildlife Refuges — managed fields and draw days, HIP and plugged-gun rules…

Leavenworth NFH FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Leavenworth NFH?

Yes. Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery offers hunting in 1 unit (1,269 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Leavenworth NFH?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Leavenworth NFH. You still need a valid state license, any required state tags or stamps, and (for waterfowl hunters 16+) a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Leavenworth NFH?

Yes. Fishing is permitted (freshwater fishing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.

Where is Leavenworth NFH located?

Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery is in Chelan County, Washington, about 21 miles W of Wenatchee, WA (straight-line). GPS: 47.48582, -120.74854.

What are legal shooting hours at Leavenworth NFH?

Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.

Nearby refuges & public land

Entiat NFH

Chelan County, WA · 25 mi NE

1 closed
🎣

Winthrop NFH

Okanogan County, WA · 73 mi N

1 closed
No hunting listed

Columbia NWR

Adams County, WA · 80 mi SE

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🎣

13.5K huntable acres

Toppenish NWR

Yakima County, WA · 83 mi S

8 special1 closed
🦆🐦🕊️

881 huntable acres

Hanford Reach National Monument

Grant County, WA · 85 mi SE

3 special3 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🎣

56.5K huntable acres

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR

Thurston County, WA · 97 mi W

2 open4 closed
🦆🕊️🎣

571 huntable acres

All refuges in Washington →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.