Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery

Spent the weekend in Payson, AZ and just happened upon Tonto Fish Hatchery while exploring the area. Such a fun find! It’s a scenic drive up to the hatchery a little off the beaten path so follow the signs! Once there you’ll see multiple ponds full of trout. Inside they have a lot of information about the fish and different lakes around Arizona they stock. This is a fun ³⁰⁄₄₅ minute stop in Payson if you are exploring the area.

Not the Most Exciting Attraction & Unattended for Questions /​Information
I went to the Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery expecting employees full of excitement and information about the gorgeous trout they stock to lakes around the area (Mogollan Rim, Tonto Creek, Canyon Lake, Willow Springs Lake, etc., etc.). I had just bought my first ever fishing license and thought this would be a great place to start in order to get information about local fish and was interested in how the whole place worked!
When I arrived at the hatchery this particular day, I saw some ‘troughs’ (brick-​layed, rectangle-​shaped) areas full of silver/​gray smaller fish — not what I knew to be trought. I was dying to feed them, but the feed was out for the quarter machines!
Worst of all, I saw so many fins and fish missing fins and that sort of thing — which I’m not SUPER sensitive too — but I think should be cleaned up in order to make a nice impression for new anglers. This was potentially due to the fact that what was really bad about the visit is that no employee was there to speak with, tend to the fish, etc. Kind of makes me wonder why people can’t just walk up and grab the hatchery fish!!!
Could have improved the experience with anyone on hand for info and to explain the hatchery’s purpose, etc.

How is this place not on Unilocal yet?
Just 5 miles north of Kohl’s Ranch. Super interesting! Lots of raceways for brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout. You can even feed the fish (I think they like that!) There’s also an observation area to see the fish eggs and where they hatch and a small educational area with info on local waterways, fishing etc. We were all adults and really found it interesting, so I’m sure kids would like it too. Several kids there loved it! Oh yeah, and it’s FREE!!! No fishing though (duh!!)