Bidwell Park facts for kids
Bidwell Park is a huge park in Chico, California. It was started on July 10, 1905. A kind woman named Annie Bidwell gave about 2,500 acres (1,012 hectares) of land to the City of Chico. She was the wife of Chico's founder, John Bidwell. Over the years, the city bought more land. By 2009, the park grew to about 3,670 acres (1,485 hectares). It is nearly 11 miles (18 km) long! This makes it the third largest city park in California. It is also one of the biggest city parks in the whole United States.
Bidwell Park is split into different parts by Manzanita Avenue. The area west of Manzanita Avenue is called Lower Park. The area to the east is Middle and Upper Park. Upper Park is in the hills of the Cascade Mountains. It has steep land and many cool rock formations. Lower Park is flat with lots of big trees. These trees give plenty of shade for everyone. Special rules apply in Upper Park, and its road is mostly unpaved.
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Fun Places to Visit in Bidwell Park
- Sycamore Pool: This popular swimming spot is in the One Mile Recreation Area. The city first built a dam here in the 1920s. Later, in the 1930s, workers made the pool with concrete. It's a unique place to swim because Big Chico Creek flows right through it! A dam and a fish ladder control the water. Lifeguards are on duty from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Many locals just call this spot One Mile.
- Caper Acres Playground: Also at One Mile, this playground is perfect for kids. It was built in the 1950s with a fun fairy tale theme. A big storm in 1995 damaged some parts. But the community helped rebuild it. Adults visiting the playground must be with a child aged 13 or younger.
- Cedar Grove: This area is special because it was the second tree experiment farm in the U.S. John Bidwell planted trees from all over the world here in 1888.
- Five Mile: Located in the upper park area, Five Mile is a nice picnic spot. A flood control dam makes the water deep enough for swimming in spring and summer.
- Horseshoe Lake: This lake in Upper Bidwell Park was made in the 1930s. It was used to water the Bidwell Municipal Golf Course. The land around the lake used to have shooting ranges. A concrete bunker from World War II is still there. The lake also hosts a yearly "Hooked on Fishing" event for kids.
- Monkey Face: This is a cool rock formation that looks like a monkey's head. It faces west over a parking area and Horseshoe Lake. Park staff are working to protect the trails here. Please use only the marked paths.
- Alligator Hole: This is a shallow swimming hole in Upper Bidwell Park. It's near a spot where the Boy Scouts often camp. Please avoid building rock dams here. These dams can block salmon from moving upstream.
- Bear Hole: Further into Upper Bidwell Park, Bear Hole is a popular spot for swimming and diving. The water is deep in spring and summer. Rocks on the sides are great for sunbathing. But be careful, the currents can be strong and dangerous.
- Diversion Dam: This dam is just upstream from Bear Hole. It used to send some water from Big Chico Creek into a channel for the city. You can still see parts of this old channel.
- Salmon Hole: Located beyond Bear Hole, Salmon Hole is another swimming spot. It's like a large pond along the creek. It's a bit harder to reach by car and needs a short hike. Again, please don't build rock dams that block the creek.
Nature and Animals in the Park
Bidwell Park is home to many different plants and animals. This is because it sits where three different natural areas meet: the Sierra Nevada mountains, the Cascade Mountains, and the Central Valley. The park's environment changes from flat valley land to rugged hills. It has a Mediterranean climate, meaning cool, rainy winters and hot, dry summers.
You might see mammals like American black bears, coyotes, and beavers. Many birds live here too, such as acorn woodpeckers, red-tailed hawks, and turkey vultures. In the water, you might find salmon, trout, and bass. Fishing is allowed in some areas. Reptiles like Western pond turtles and Southern alligator lizards also live in the park. Be aware that the Western rattlesnake is also found here.
The plant life changes as you go from the valley floor into the hills. Along Big Chico Creek, you'll see Western Sycamore trees, valley oaks, wild grape, and blackberry bushes. Oak woodlands are very important to the park's environment. As you move past Five Mile into the foothills, you'll see more gray pines. Some areas near the creek have ponderosa pines and Douglas-fir trees. Other plants include California buckeye, manzanita, and miner's lettuce. On the flat tops of the hills, blue oak trees grow. Their deep roots help them survive in dry conditions.
Park's Land and Rocks
The park's land is quite interesting. Big Chico Creek flows into the park from the east through Iron Canyon. This canyon has huge basalt boulders and tall, steep cliffs. Iron Canyon is part of a larger area called Chico Canyon. As the creek leaves the hills, it gets wider and winds through the Sacramento Valley. In the western part of the park, the creek flows through more urban areas of Chico. At its western end, the park is just the banks of the creek.
The types of rocks in the park change as you go from the valley floor to the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Most of the rocks here are volcanic, because the Cascades are a chain of volcanoes. Big Chico Creek cuts through many layers of rock, showing the history of Northern California.
The oldest rock layer is called the Chico Formation. It's made of sandstone and has fossils from an ancient sea that covered this area long ago. You can see this rock in Upper Park. Above it is the Lovejoy Basalt. This dark, smooth rock makes up most of Iron Canyon, where swimming holes like Bear Hole are found. This rock came from an ancient volcano about 15 million years ago. On top of the Lovejoy Basalt is the Tuscan Formation. This layer is made of volcanic mudflows and ash from old volcanoes. It forms the steep walls of Chico Canyon and the famous Monkey Face rock. Small caves can sometimes be found in this rock. Lower Bidwell Park sits on deep soil deposited by Big Chico Creek. This rich soil helps the many trees and plants grow there.
Chico Creek Nature Center
The Chico Creek Nature Center is the park's official learning center. It helps people learn about Bidwell Park and its wildlife. The center has a museum with animals that cannot be released back into the wild. It also has a garden with plants native to the area. A new building opened in 2010 with cool exhibits and a hands-on science classroom.
The Nature Center offers many programs. These include workshops for young children, nature-themed birthday parties, and day camps. They also have field trips for school kids, guided nature walks, and learning programs for all ages.
Park History Highlights
- 1921: Land for the Forestry Station was added to Lower Park. This is now where Cedar Grove and the Nature Center are.
- 1937: Parts of the movie The Adventures of Robin Hood were filmed in Lower Park!
- 1942–45: The Diversion Dam was built.
- 1950: Water control dams were suggested for Big Chico Creek.
- 1958: A fish ladder was built to help fish move past dams.
- 1970: The Five Mile Dam Recreation Area was officially opened.
- 1970: The Caper Acres playground was built.
- 1973: Upper Park began closing at night to reduce damage.
- 1974: The park stopped giving permits for cutting wood.
- 1989: The Rod and Gun Club's shooting ranges closed.
- 1995: The park grew by 1,417 acres (5.73 square kilometers) on the south side of Big Chico Creek.
- 2001: An observatory was built in the park.
- 2002: A fishing pier was built at Horseshoe Lake.
- 2018: The Chico Creek Nature Center became managed by the Chico Area Recreational District (CARD).
See Also
- Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park
- Big Chico Creek
- City of Chico
Images for kids
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Cliffs and Big Chico Creek in Upper Park
