You’ll Love This One Awesome Activity In South Dakota And It Won’t Cost You A Cent

Have you ever visited the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery in Spearfish? While the grounds are always open year-round, the hatchery is getting ready to open up its museum, fish car and historic home for the 2017 summer season. A day at this 10-acre hatchery provides both a historic perspective and a whole lot of fun. And the best part? It won't cost you a cent to visit!

The D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery is located in Spearfish. It was originally created to place trout populations in the streams and lakes of the Black Hills.

After trout populations were firmly established in the mid-1980s, the hatchery stopped its operations, but continues to operate as an educational resource to the public.

Much of the history of this place has been preserved. Visit the Von Bayer Museum of Fish Culture.

The museum is housed in the original 1899 hatchery building, and contains more than 185,000 artifacts from the fishery's history.

Check out the fish car.

Fish cars were special rail cars designed to carry hatchery fish to lakes and rivers where they would find their new homes. These special cars carried 27 billion fish over more than 2 million miles! The replica of Fish Car #3 allows you to see how these specially-designed cars worked, and why they were so important.

Tour the Booth House to get a glimpse into the historic past of this place.

The Booth House was constructed in 1905 for Superintendent Dewitt Clinton Booth and his family.

The carefully-preserved home contains furniture and household items from the early 1900s.

Hike around the 10-acre fish hatchery on one of two trails.

The hatchery is on the National Register of Historic Places. While much of the scenery here has evolved over time, you can take a close look at the raceways where trout are raised.

You'll get to see both brown and rainbow trout up close.

Dig in your pocket for some spare change and feed the fish!

Fishing is a time-honored tradition in South Dakota; a pastime that brings generations together.

Take your family for a visit to the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery. The best part? It's totally free!

You'll find the hatchery at 423 Hatchery Circle in Spearfish.

Take a look at our list of Beautiful Places in South Dakota You Must Visit. Many of these are free, too!