Fish

The tangerine darter is a small fish found in creeks and rivers in the southern Appalachians. Male tangerine darters (above) can become elaborately colored, particularly during the breeding season. Tangerine darters can be found in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Photo by Chris Crippen.

From the small shady streams of the southern Appalachians to the wild rivers of the Alaska Range, national parks and their associated mountain streams and rivers support a diversity of fish. Due to rugged topography and higher elevations, streams and rivers in mountanous areas often have cooler water temperatures and steeper gradients than the surrounding lowlands. These mountain streams have unique fish communities — visit the links below to learn more.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

After leaving freshwater, this juvenile coho salmon will grow to 8-12 lbs in the ocean before returning to a park river to spawn.

Yellowstone National Park Native Fish

Yellowstone National Park supports 11 species of native fish, including the Yellowstone cutthroat trout.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Many visitors to the Smokies are interested in brook trout fishing, but the park also has many other interesting species!

Mount Rainier National Park

Coastal cutthroat trout, and many other trout and salmon species, can be found at Mount Rainier National Park.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Over 90 species of fish can be found across the Blue Ridge Parkway, including the small but very colorful mountain redbelly dace.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Every year, hundreds of thousands of sockeye salmon return to Lake Clark National Park and Preserve to reproduce in the park's cold waters.

Olympic National Park

Steelhead are anadromous rainbow trout. What's an anadromous trout? Read more about anadromous fish at Olympic National Park.