The Erwin National Fish Hatchery sits on Federal Hatchery Road on the northern edge of town and is one of the oldest federal hatcheries in the country, operating since 1894. It raises rainbow trout for stocking in rivers and streams across the Southeast, and the facility is open to the public during daytime hours.
A visit takes about an hour. You can walk the raceways and watch trout at various stages of development — fingerlings in the indoor tanks, larger fish in the outdoor raceways. The setting is pleasant, surrounded by mature trees along the creek, and the staff are generally willing to explain the hatchery's work. It is not a commercial attraction, so you will not find a gift shop or an entry fee, just a working federal facility that happens to be accessible to curious visitors.