I turned onto a well-trodden dirt path, a sense of serenity washing over me as I entered the park’s atmosphere. Swallowtail butterflies flittered above, their bright flaxen wings matching that of the dazzling sunlight, as a creek gurgled nearby, synonymous with the laughter and shouts of children. As I continued my run, smiling and waving to others on the trail similarly reveling in the gorgeous day, I glimpsed a flash of chestnut flecked with white: a blacktail doe and her fawn.
On any given weekend, Bidwell Park is home to hikers, equestrians, mountain bikers, swimmers, and stargazers. Throughout the week, Bidwell Park hosts younger children on field trips to the Anita Ingrao Observatory and teenagers, who cluster in truck beds to enjoy a clear view of a sunset streaked with crimson and violet.
As one of the largest municipal parks in the nation, covering a staggering 3,600 acres, this park provides countless outdoor opportunities and is truly a crown jewel of the town. Since its creation in 1905, Bidwell Park has provided a sense of community to the town of Chico, California. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, when all other gathering places were shut down by social distancing and public safety guidelines, Bidwell Park remained an area where one could safely connect with both nature and their community.
As a younger child, I recall birthday picnics and bike rides on the Lower Park loop, with my pink bike tassels fluttering in the wind, collecting squirming, speckled tadpoles along the creek banks, and jumping off jagged basalt cliffs into Bear Hole, a popular swimming location. For many in my community, Bidwell Park represents fond memories and valuable time spent with loved ones. As recognition of this value, Bidwell Park was acknowledged as a California Park and Recreation Society “regional treasure” in 2013.
This park also serves as the center of the vibrant running community of Chico. While the competitions between the crosstown rival high school cross country teams is present, both teams run the trails of Bidwell Park on a near-daily basis; cheering and friendly fire audible when these groups pass. Fleet Feet, a local running store, hosts group training runs into Lower Park, further serving to boost the liveliness and inclusiveness of the Chico running community. The athletes of Division II distance running powerhouse, Chico State, also call the trails of Bidwell Park home.
Alongside runners and the black-tailed deer I spotted earlier on my run. Bidwell Park is home to over 100 species of birds, including the garish red-headed woodpecker, whose knocking is audible throughout the seasons, and the quintessential Californian bird: the quail. On hikes to the outermost boundaries of Upper Park, I have spotted mountain lion tracks and coyote dung, carefully positioned on higher rocks. During the spring breeding season, Chico Creek is alive with leaping Chinook salmon and Horseshoe Lake with the calmer catfish. The eastern roads along Lower Bidwell Park host flamboyantly iridescent peacocks, which are often found blocking traffic as they strut in all their feathered glory.
This abundance of life, coupled with the pure cheerfulness of all its visitors contributes to the vibrancy of Bidwell Park, yet this park isn’t immune to the environmental struggles that all outdoor spaces face. Due to the dry Californian climate, Bidwell Park is at high risk for wildfires, a danger only exacerbated by invasive vegetation, including star thistle and blackberries, among others. Multiple endangered raptor species within Bidwell Park are at risk of extinction and the once vibrant Chinook salmon population has dwindled to 60% of its original size.
While the community has stepped up to face these problems, in the form of the Chico Bidwell Park Project and the annual Bidwell Park & Chico Creek Cleanup, to remove trash and unwanted invasive vegetation and to raise awareness for the struggles Bidwell Park faces, improvements still need to be made. As I traverse the well known trails of Lower Bidwell Park today, I recognize the pure beauty of the park, while acknowledging the efforts that will be needed in order to preserve this beauty for my own children to form irreplaceable memories.
Bidwell Park is one of the crown jewels of Chico and Butte County California.
