Skip to Content
It’s ChicoSearch

Bidwell Park Guide: Trails, Swimming and Rules

Bidwell Park runs nearly 11 miles along Big Chico Creek and covers 3,670 acres, which the City of Chico says makes it one of the largest city parks in the United States. It is day use only. Lower Park is flat and shaded; Upper Park climbs into the foothills, with trails, Horseshoe Lake and swimming holes.

Checked October 29, 2026

  • 3,670acres, per the City of Chico
  • 11 minearly, end to end
  • 1905year Annie Bidwell gave the first land
  • 5:30 a.m.main Upper Park gate opens
The Monkey Face rock formation above Big Chico Creek in Upper Bidwell Park
Photo: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Lower, Middle and Upper Park

Manzanita Avenue splits the park. West of it, Lower Park is level ground under a thick tree canopy, close to downtown and Chico State, with the One-Mile Recreation Area, Sycamore Pool and the Caper Acres playground. East of it, Middle and Upper Park rise into the Sierra Nevada foothills. Upper Park Road leads to Horseshoe Lake, the Chico Community Observatory, the Peregrine Point disc golf course and the trailheads on both sides of Big Chico Creek.

The city dates the park to July 20, 1905, when Annie Bidwell gave about 2,500 acres. Cedar Grove was added in 1922, and 1,200 acres south of the creek in Upper Park came in 1995.

Gate Hours

From the City of Chico gate and facility status page, updated October 16, 2026.
Gate or area Opens Closes April to September Closes October to March
Main Upper Park Gate 5:30 a.m. 11:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
Horseshoe Lake, Parking Lot E 7:30 a.m. 9:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
South One-Mile Gate (4th Street) 9:00 a.m. 9:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
North One-Mile lot and restroom 7:30 a.m. 9:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
Five-Mile Gate (Middle Park) 7:30 a.m. 9:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.

The Lot E gate at Horseshoe Lake is closed to cars on Sundays and Mondays and in bad weather. Trails can close on wet days or high fire-risk days without notice on the city page. When a trail shows as closed, it is closed to cars, horses and bikes; walkers may still use it. Check the city status page on the day you go.

Park Rules Worth Knowing

City of Chico park rules sheet (the posted file dates from 2010).
Topic What the city rules sheet says
Dogs Off leash 5:30 to 8:30 a.m. in Lower Park only; on a leash at all other times there. Off leash along the north side of Upper Park Road under voice control. No dogs in the One-Mile or Five-Mile swim areas or the designated Upper Park swimming holes.
Bikes Follow the vehicle code and yield to horses and walkers. Helmets are required in Upper Park except on pavement. Upper Park trails close to bikes and horses when wet.
Alcohol and glass No alcohol and no glass drink containers in any city park.
Overnight Day use only. No camping and no campfires. Portable barbecues only next to the existing barbecues in Lower Park and at Five-Mile.
Smoking None in Upper Park from May 1 to November 1.
Fishing at Horseshoe Lake Age 14 and over: catch and release. Under 14: catch and keep.

Chico Creek Nature Center

The city names the Chico Creek Nature Center, at 1968 East 8th Street, as the park’s official visitor center. The Chico Area Recreation and Park District runs it. Hours as posted: Fridays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $5 for children, $6 for seniors and college students with ID, and $7 for adults. Inside is a living animal museum with more than 80 animals. Phone 530-891-4671.

Swimming spots have their own page: Swimming Holes and River Floats.

Area guide: Chico.

Map of Bidwell Park

5 places are pinned. Pins are approximate and are not verified entrances or parking areas. Tap a pin for directions. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Coming Up in Chico

October 2026

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

What We Could Not Verify

  • Trail names such as the Yahi Trail and Monkey Face, and the Hooker Oak story, are not printed on the city pages we opened. Not confirmed
  • A city master plan PDF is reported to give July 10, 1905 and about 1,903 acres for the first gift. We did not open it, so we use the city web page figures (July 20, 1905, about 2,500 acres). Not confirmed
  • Lifeguards at One-Mile from Memorial Day to Labor Day are on the 2010 rules sheet; the current swim page does not mention them. Not confirmed
  • Parking rules and any parking fee are not published on the city pages we opened. Not confirmed

Questions People Ask

Is Bidwell Park open at night?

Lower Park is closed from midnight to 5 a.m. Upper Park is closed from 11 p.m. until an hour before sunrise, and the main Upper Park gate closes at 9 p.m. from October to March.

Can I bring my dog?

Yes, on a leash. Lower Park allows dogs off leash from 5:30 to 8:30 a.m. only, and dogs are not allowed in the swim areas.

Can I camp in Bidwell Park?

No. The city calls it a day use park and bans camping and campfires.

Where do I start?

The Chico Creek Nature Center on East 8th Street is the official visitor center, open Friday to Sunday.

Place Pages for This Guide

More Guides

Sources

  1. City of Chico, About Bidwell Park: https://chicoca.gov/__catapult_pages/6c7fb9a4-01b6-485f-886c-1f417fda1019/About-Bidwell-Park.html (checked October 29, 2026)
  2. City of Chico, Bidwell Park: https://chicoca.gov/__catapult_pages/6d24df70-6e40-4f5a-a194-4f3c5c038a7d/Bidwell-Park.html (checked October 29, 2026)
  3. City of Chico, Trail, Gate and Facility Status and Hours: https://chicoca.gov/Our-Community/Parks-Recreation-and-Experience-the-Outdoors/Park-Trails/Trail-Gate–Facility-Status-and-Hours/index.html (checked October 29, 2026)
  4. City of Chico, park rules sheet: https://chicoca.gov/documents/Community/Parks–Outdoors/rules_10_0824.pdf (checked October 29, 2026)
  5. City of Chico, Swimming: https://chicoca.gov/__catapult_pages/e291c23d-0d85-4c5c-92b3-49294d7bdeb9/Swimming.html (checked October 29, 2026)
  6. Chico Area Recreation and Park District, Chico Creek Nature Center: https://chicorec.gov/chico-creek-nature-center (checked October 29, 2026)

Cite this page: It's Chico, “Bidwell Park Guide: Trails, Swimming and Rules”, itschico.com/guides/bidwell-park-guide/ (updated ). By the It's Chico editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.