Ballard Locks Fish Ladder

Set at Seattle's Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, the fish ladder allows salmon, trout, and other species to migrate between the saltwater of Puget Sound and the freshwaters of Lake Washington. During the summer months, three Pacific salmon species pass through to travel 40 to 50 miles upriver to hatcheries or to spawn: Sockeye numbers peak from mid-June to mid-July, Chinook in August, and Coho in September. Alongside the viewing room, the facility also includes a modern Salmon Education Center renovated with public donations.