Rainbow Trout Farm

No Fishing License Required!

Arizona is blessed to have one of the best rainbow trout farms in the country! It's located in Sedona off Highway 89A between Slide Rock State Park and Sedona's tourist's district in the heart of Oak Creek Canyon.

First opened in the 1950's, the Rainbow Trout Farm is open year-round, seven days a week and gets visitors from all over the country. If you just want to come in and look around, admission is FREE! But if you wish to fish, you will have to pay some fees.

This is a great place to bring the kids and teach them about rainbow trout and pretty guarantee their success in catching them! The Fishing equipment and bait is provided for you. Don't bring your own - it's not allowed!

In addition to being able to see rainbow trout up close, the trout farm also has BBQ and picnic tables for folks to enjoy. In order for the maximum number of folks to enjoy the trout farm, people are asked to limit their stay to 2 hours.

Fishing

Fishing is allowed at the Rainbow Trout Farm - and you don't even need a fishing license! The fishing fee is only $1 per person - but be forewarned, there is NO CATCH AND RELEASE! You'll pay $8-$12 for every fish you catch depending on size. The average trout size is 11 to 12 inches. So you might want to keep a close eye on the kids!

You'll be given a fishing pole and bait to use while at the trout farm. The staff there make the dough bait which is used for fishing and it consists of fish food mixed with flour and water. They even sell it if you'd like to try it in your local trout waters.

You can also choose to let the staff at the trout farm clean your fish for you at a cost of 50 cents per fish (no filleting). Once your fish is cleaned, you can cook it on the BBQ grills at the park or pack it on ice and take it home (the trout farm does sell ice for this purpose).

Another option is to take your trout to the Heartland Cafe in Sedona and have them cook it for you. Then you and the family can either enjoy it there or take the cooked trout home. This is a great option for folks visiting and camping in Oak Creek Canyon.

Hours

The visiting hour vary depending on season, but on average, you'll find them open between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. As summer approaches, and we have more daylight hours, the trout farm does extend it's hours.

Directions

You can get to the trout farm several different ways. Below are some directions depending on which way you're coming from. The Rainbow Trout Farm is located on Hwy 89A between Sedona and Flagstaff so ...

If coming from Flagstaff ....

Drive South on Highway 89A toward Sedona. After you pass the Slide Rock State Park you will see the Rainbow Trout Farm on your left about 3.5 miles north of Sedona. If you make it all the way into Sedona, you've gone too far.

If coming from the valley (i.e., Phoenix area) ...

Drive North on I-17 and take Hwy 179 to Sedona. It's a slow moving road that will eventually come to an end at Hwy 89A. Go right on Hwy 89A and drive through the tourist district in Sedona and then into Oak Creek Canyon. The Rainbow Trout Farm will be about 3.5 miles north of Sedona. If you make it the Slide Rock State Park, you've gone too far and will have to turn around.

Alternate Route

Arizona residents will be the first to admit that our state is always under construction - which means long road delays at time. Right now, Hwy 179 is currently undergoing construction (and has been for about 10 years now, or so it seems).

As such there is another route that local residents in the south part of the state are quite familiar with. Though not as scenic, this route will help you bypass most of the construction and reduce driving time. In short you will have to drive through Cottonwood on this journey.

So if you're coming from the Phoenix area, head North on I-17 and take the exit marked Hwy 260 and follow it into Cottonwood. Once in Cottonwood, follow signs to Hwy 89A and then take Hwy 89A into Sedona. Continue on Hwy 89A through Sedona and about 3.5 miles North of town, you should see the Rainbow Trout Farm on your right. Again, if you reach the Slide Rock State Park, you've gone too far.

Folks driving from Prescott usually prefer this route or sometimes drive or Mingus Mountain on Hwy 89A, through Cottonwood and then Sedona to get to Oak Creek Canyon.

Keep in mind that regardless of the route you take to get to the trout farm, you can reverse the directions to get back home.

Contact Information

Rainbow Trout Farm
Oak Creek Canyon
Sedona, AZ 86336
Phone: (928) 282-5799