Bidwell Park
This
is the country's second largest municipal park (over 3500 acres now), shrouded
by pristine oak woodlands and watered by Big Chico Creek meandering through
it, located in the quaint city of Chico (see map).
You can take a leisurely stroll along it's dirt paths following the creek or
ride your mountain bike in the upper park, perhaps seeing a mule deer or a playful
bunch of squirrels scampering around an oak tree. You can also bring the family
here to swim in the "one mile" pool, which is the creek dammed up, or "five
mile" pool, also a natural body of water about 5 miles upstream. You might see
wildlife in the park's upper reaches known as Upper Bidwell Park, a contiguous
part of the park running several miles up Chico Creek Canyon into the foothills.
On a hike leaving from
what we call the "ridge," we spotted a couple of shy wild turkeys, then some
mule deer and large salmon trapped in "Salmon Hole" as we looked down over volcanic
cliffs. For more pictures, be sure to check-out the Photo Gallery below.
Best Part: The Trees (400 year old valley oaks, sycamore, and other native
plants of an oak woodland ecosystem), easy access, easy biking in the lower
park or rugged mountain biking in upper park
Directions: Take
Hwy 99 from Marysville(or other routes) to Chico. Within the city center ies
Bidwell Park.
This
is the country's second largest municipal park (over 3500 acres now), shrouded
by pristine oak woodlands and watered by Big Chico Creek meandering through
it, located in the quaint city of Chico (see map).
You can take a leisurely stroll along it's dirt paths following the creek or
ride your mountain bike in the upper park, perhaps seeing a mule deer or a playful
bunch of squirrels scampering around an oak tree. You can also bring the family
here to swim in the "one mile" pool, which is the creek dammed up, or "five
mile" pool, also a natural body of water about 5 miles upstream. You might see
wildlife in the park's upper reaches known as Upper Bidwell Park, a contiguous
part of the park running several miles up Chico Creek Canyon into the foothills.
