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Bidwell Park
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Bidwell Park
Bidwell Park is a municipal park located in Chico, California. The park was established July 10, 1905, through the donation by Annie Bidwell, widow of Chico's founder, John Bidwell, of approximately 2,500 acres (1,000 hectares) of land to the City of Chico. Since that time, the city has purchased additional land, such as Cedar Grove in 1922, and 1,200 acres (490 ha) of land south of Big Chico Creek in upper Bidwell Park in 1995. As of 2009[update], the total park size is 3,670 acres (1,490 ha), nearly 11 miles (18 km) in length, making it the fifth largest municipal park in California, one of the largest city parks in the United States, and the 58th largest park in the world.
Bidwell Park is divided by Manzanita Avenue. The area west of Manzanita Avenue is referred to as Lower Park and the area to the east is referred to as Middle and Upper Park. Middle Park extends from Manzanita to a point roughly equal to the upstream edge of the Chico Municipal Golf Course. The Upper/Middle and Lower parks have differing terrain. Upper Park is located in the foothills of the southernmost Cascades. It has steep terrain and shallow soils, and contains many rock formations, including the unique Chico Formation sandstone, Lovejoy Basalt, and Tuscan Formation rocks. Lower Park is flat and level with a deep soil structure supporting a thick canopy of trees which provide ample shade for visitors. Special rules[which?] apply in the Upper Park and the road is unpaved for much of its length.
In July 2024, the Park Fire was begun by an act of alleged arson in the Upper Park, which burned a portion of the park near Alligator Hole.
Bidwell Park is home to a multitude of plant and animal species because it is at a point where Sierra Nevada, Cascade, and Central Valley species interact. The parks ecology also changes east-west as the park changes from flat valley to rugged foothills. The park's climate is classified as Mediterranean because it has cool rainy winters and hot dry summers.
Animal species include mammals such as American black bear, little brown bat, cougars, beavers, coyotes and others. Prominent birds in the park are acorn woodpecker, red-tailed hawk, Western screech owl, turkey vulture, mallard, Canada goose, and northern flicker. Fish species include salmon (although their numbers have declined greatly), trout, bass and bluegill. Fishing is allowed in certain parts of the park. Reptile species of the area include Western pond turtle, Western toad, Southern alligator lizard, and the venomous Western rattlesnake.
Plant life in the area changes as the park rises out of the valley, from riparian to chaparral and oak woodland. In the riparian along Big Chico Creek the main species include, Western Sycamore, the endemic to California valley oak, wild grape, blackberry, and Northern California black walnut. Oak woodlands are an especially important ecosystem in the park. Past the 5-Mile Recreation Area, the foothills of the southernmost Cascade Mountains begin and the flora changes. Gray pine or Foothill Pine become more frequent. In some parts along the creek ponderosa pine, incense cedar, and douglas-fir are present. California buckeye, manzanita, California bay laurel, miner's lettuce, interior live oak, and seasonal non-native field grasses cover the canyon floor. On top the mesas on each side of the canyon and on the slopes of the canyon blue oak are present due to their deep taproots allowing survival in dry conditions.
The geography of Bidwell Park is relatively simple. Big Chico Creek enters the park from the east within Iron Canyon, a deep, thin channel characterized by large boulders of basalt, and tall, steep cliffs. Iron Canyon is situated in a larger canyon called Chico Canyon. Chico Canyon is a bowl-shaped canyon with flat mesas on each side. Downstream, the creek exits Iron Canyon and begins to widen at the floor of the relatively flat bottom of Chico Canyon. As the creek leaves the foothills it begins to meander on the floor of the Sacramento Valley. West of 5-Mile Recreation Area, the creek enters more urban parts of the park. The park begins to thin as it stretches into the heart of Chico. By its westernmost point, the park encompasses just the banks of the creek. The western boundary is at the Esplanade road.
The geology of the park varies as the park travels from the Central Valley floor, to the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. The geology of the park is mainly volcanic due to the Cascades being a volcanic range. Big Chico Creek exposes many layers of geologic history of Northern California.
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Bidwell Park
Bidwell Park is a municipal park located in Chico, California. The park was established July 10, 1905, through the donation by Annie Bidwell, widow of Chico's founder, John Bidwell, of approximately 2,500 acres (1,000 hectares) of land to the City of Chico. Since that time, the city has purchased additional land, such as Cedar Grove in 1922, and 1,200 acres (490 ha) of land south of Big Chico Creek in upper Bidwell Park in 1995. As of 2009[update], the total park size is 3,670 acres (1,490 ha), nearly 11 miles (18 km) in length, making it the fifth largest municipal park in California, one of the largest city parks in the United States, and the 58th largest park in the world.
Bidwell Park is divided by Manzanita Avenue. The area west of Manzanita Avenue is referred to as Lower Park and the area to the east is referred to as Middle and Upper Park. Middle Park extends from Manzanita to a point roughly equal to the upstream edge of the Chico Municipal Golf Course. The Upper/Middle and Lower parks have differing terrain. Upper Park is located in the foothills of the southernmost Cascades. It has steep terrain and shallow soils, and contains many rock formations, including the unique Chico Formation sandstone, Lovejoy Basalt, and Tuscan Formation rocks. Lower Park is flat and level with a deep soil structure supporting a thick canopy of trees which provide ample shade for visitors. Special rules[which?] apply in the Upper Park and the road is unpaved for much of its length.
In July 2024, the Park Fire was begun by an act of alleged arson in the Upper Park, which burned a portion of the park near Alligator Hole.
Bidwell Park is home to a multitude of plant and animal species because it is at a point where Sierra Nevada, Cascade, and Central Valley species interact. The parks ecology also changes east-west as the park changes from flat valley to rugged foothills. The park's climate is classified as Mediterranean because it has cool rainy winters and hot dry summers.
Animal species include mammals such as American black bear, little brown bat, cougars, beavers, coyotes and others. Prominent birds in the park are acorn woodpecker, red-tailed hawk, Western screech owl, turkey vulture, mallard, Canada goose, and northern flicker. Fish species include salmon (although their numbers have declined greatly), trout, bass and bluegill. Fishing is allowed in certain parts of the park. Reptile species of the area include Western pond turtle, Western toad, Southern alligator lizard, and the venomous Western rattlesnake.
Plant life in the area changes as the park rises out of the valley, from riparian to chaparral and oak woodland. In the riparian along Big Chico Creek the main species include, Western Sycamore, the endemic to California valley oak, wild grape, blackberry, and Northern California black walnut. Oak woodlands are an especially important ecosystem in the park. Past the 5-Mile Recreation Area, the foothills of the southernmost Cascade Mountains begin and the flora changes. Gray pine or Foothill Pine become more frequent. In some parts along the creek ponderosa pine, incense cedar, and douglas-fir are present. California buckeye, manzanita, California bay laurel, miner's lettuce, interior live oak, and seasonal non-native field grasses cover the canyon floor. On top the mesas on each side of the canyon and on the slopes of the canyon blue oak are present due to their deep taproots allowing survival in dry conditions.
The geography of Bidwell Park is relatively simple. Big Chico Creek enters the park from the east within Iron Canyon, a deep, thin channel characterized by large boulders of basalt, and tall, steep cliffs. Iron Canyon is situated in a larger canyon called Chico Canyon. Chico Canyon is a bowl-shaped canyon with flat mesas on each side. Downstream, the creek exits Iron Canyon and begins to widen at the floor of the relatively flat bottom of Chico Canyon. As the creek leaves the foothills it begins to meander on the floor of the Sacramento Valley. West of 5-Mile Recreation Area, the creek enters more urban parts of the park. The park begins to thin as it stretches into the heart of Chico. By its westernmost point, the park encompasses just the banks of the creek. The western boundary is at the Esplanade road.
The geology of the park varies as the park travels from the Central Valley floor, to the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. The geology of the park is mainly volcanic due to the Cascades being a volcanic range. Big Chico Creek exposes many layers of geologic history of Northern California.
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