The Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve is a beautiful 3,950 acre tract of land in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Chico, California. The Creek drains out of the foothills of the northwestern Sierra Nevada Mountains, carving a 1,300-foot deep canyon before flowing through Bidwell Park, a large City park in the the town of Chico, through the center of Chico, and then joining with the Sacramento River. The Reserve is a nearly pristine cross-section of a Sierra foothills watershed, from ridgeline to ridgeline.With five square miles of creek, lush riparian forests, oak woodlands, grassland meadows and basalt cliffs, the Reserve offers habitat for numerous fish and wildlife species, including many threatened and endangered species. The lands within the reserve were acquired by Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC) in 2000 and 2001 and conveyed to the Research Foundation of the California State University for education, research, and natural resource protection.

While the reserve is managed primarily for education and research, public recreation use compatible with the Reserve’s primary mission is allowed. Hiking, wildlife and flower observation, fishing during the winter season, and hunting by permit are welcome at the Reserve. The provisions regulating public use of the land can be found on the reserve website.  The reserve also has a conference center which is available for rent.

How do I get there?

The reserve is located along California Highway 32 about 10 miles northeast of Chico. It can be accessed from Highway 32 or from a hiking trail at the north end of Bidwell Park. To get to the Highway 32 entrance, drive north from the Bruce Road/Highway 32 intersection in Chico for 9.7 miles. Turn left at the green 3521 sign and walk down a paved, single-lane road that disappears downhill. There is a parking area on Highway 32 just downhill from the green sign where you can leave your car. Follow this road to a gate, which is normally locked unless there is an organized event or tour going on in the reserve. Continue on through the gate into the reserve. If you are coming from the east, the turnoff is 2.4 miles from the Nopel Avenue intersection in Forest Ranch.

A map showing the trails within the reserve can be found on the reserve website.