Bidwell Park

Bidwell Park is a municipal park located in Chico, California. The park is 3,670 acres (15 km²) in size. It is the 6th largest municipal park in the United States. The park was named for John and Annie Bidwell, famous local landowners, and founders of Chico. See Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park.

The park is divided into Upper Park and Lower Park. In Upper Park there are many swimming holes fed by Big Chico Creek, including Alligator Hole, Bear Hole and Salmon Hole. Also in upper park is Horseshoe Lake, a rifle range, an old military training bunker, and a golf course.

Timeline

1918 20 acre fish hatchery proposed
1920 (approx.) Golf course put in - 9 holes
1921 Forestry Station land added to Lower Park. Now the site of Cedar Grove, the Nature Center, and World of Trees
1921,1926 Airplane field near golf course proposed
1925 First clubhouse built at golf course
1926 Company G, 184th Infantry gets permission to construct rifle range
1932 Polo field proposed
1933 CCC winter camp building east of the golf course proposed
1934 Kennedy tract (walnut orchard) added to north side of Lower Park
1937 (and prior to) Horseshoe Lake reservoir in existence
1937 The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn and Olivia De Havilland, was filmed in Lower Park
1939 Petersen Memorial Drive built by CCC
1940 Overnight campground proposed in northeastern end of park
1941 Military camping okayed
1942-45 Diversion Dam built (year uncertain)
1946 Archery area established by Glenn Archery Club
1947 25-year lease and improvements on Radar bombing site proposed
1949 Recreation District formed (CARD)
1950 Softball field moved to Hooker Oak area
1950 Water control dams on Chico Creek proposed
1951 Day Camp established by CARD and Chico Teachers College
1951 First mention of Easter Cross in BPPC minutes
1953 CDF Fire Station (1.6 acres) proposed NW of Live Oak Grove (30 yrs)
1953 Horseback riding groups ask BPPC for arena site. Okayed, but no funds.
1953 Area near One Mile Dam leased to CARD for Sycamore baseball field.
1953 Chief Evans asks for site for Police pistol range
1953-54 Pistol range under construction
1954 Campfire Girls dedicate Campfire Counciil Ring in Lower Park
1955 Local midget race car group builds 250' long track in Live Oak Grove
1955 & 56 Bridge requested for private property access above Day Camp
1956 New rifle range requested for sole use of the National Guard, lease for 10 yrs
1957-58 CARD develops Hooker Oak area
1958 $25,000 fish ladder built. 10 dams in 300' barrier
1958 Motorcycle club asks to further develop Live Oak Grove area
1959 Dam on Chico Creek (upper park) proposed
1963 PG&E claims it will cost $147,000 extra to bypass Bidwell Park with major power lines, plus $I6,000/ year. BPPC votes 3-1 to put lines elsewhere
1964 PG&E power lines through upper park under construction
1965 Sycamore Bypass diversion channel built
1968 Chico Riding Club puts up arena
1970 Five Mile Dam Recreation Area dedication
1970 Caper Acres playground built
1971 Footbridge at golf course replaced after old one washed out by high waters in 1970
1972 Rod & Gun Club reports 77,300 targets used in 1971--possible cleanup of used skeet clay birds discussed
1972 Extensive discussion and study of closing South Park Dr. to cars
1972 Rifle range shade structures built
1973 Upper Park to be closed from 11:30 pm to 30 minutes before sunrise to reduce vandalism
1973 Trial period for dogs off leash in Lower and Upper Park starts
1974 CARD proposes tennis court construction at Hooker Oak as part of renovation and improvement plan. BPPC opposed. City Council tentatively approves.
1974 Park Commission votes to stop issuing wood-cutting permits for Bidwell Park
1974 Park Commission discusses instituting a city tree ordinance
1974 Park Commission meeting minutes mention using sheep for weed control in park
1974 Upper Park Road to be closed during wet weather at discretion of Park Superintendent
1975 Park Commission discusses fire hazard in Park due to undergrowth
1975 Banning of off-road vehicles on North Rim Trail discussed but no action taken
1976 Bird sanctuary proposed for Lower Park by deer pen
1976 Park Commission votes to close pistol range within 6 months
1977 Bidwell Park site (by Mangrove Ave) proposed for new city/county library
1979 Roller skating to be allowed in Lower Park
1979 Request to fly remote control planes in Horseshoe Lake area including creation of a takeoff/landing area
1979 North Rim road to be closed to vehicles in the winter months
1980 20-station Par Course approved for Lower Park
1981 Upper Park controlled burns start, with 1/5 of area to be burned each year
1981 Commission Minutes note that there is only one trash can in Upper Park, users are supposed to "Pack it out"
1982 Horse-drawn carriage tours proposed for Lower Park
1983 Golf Course leased to private concessionaire with Park Commission relinquishing control over golf course management
1983 Bocce ball courts proposed for Hooker Oak area
1983 1300 acorns planted along Upper Park Road on north side
1983 California State Highway 99 mural approved
1983 Job title for Bidwell Park's two Community Service Officers is changed to Park Ranger
1984 Park Department hires their first Urban Forester
1984 Upper Park annual controlled burns stopped
1985 Lost Park area surveyed and encroachments noted on maps
1985 Tree nursery started in 1.2 acre Lower Park walnut orchard area
1986 North Park Dr. to become one-way westbound, open 11 am-11 pm
1987 Extensive discussion regarding use of park for military training
1987 Discussion begins regarding feral cats in park
1989 Rod and Gun Club's rifle and trap shooting ranges close
1989 Golf course expanded and Upper Park Road realigned
1990 Shakespeare in the Park begins
1990 Bidwell Park Master Management Plan (MMP) approved by City Council.
1992 1.5 mile "B" Trail built by volunteers from east end of Rim Trail to Middle Trail
1992 0.4 mile (600 m) Canyon Oak Trail (later renamed Maidu) built by volunteers from Middle Trail near Parking Area E to Rim Trail.
1992 Realignment of Upper Park Road and Golf Course using Mitigated Negative Declaration.
1991 Bidwell Park Wildfire Management Plan.
1994 Chico General Plan approved. Bidwell Park, especially Upper Park, designated as a Resource Conservation Area (pg. 7-11).
1993 Purchase of 40 acre (160,000 m²) BLM site on Hwy 32 (site of present disc golf courses).
1995 Acquisition of 1417 acres on south side of Big Chico Creek.
1997 Unofficial disc golf courses begin to develop on 40 acre (160,000 m²) Hwy 32 site.
1998-1999 Bloody Pin Trail rerouted and Guardians & Pine Trails built.
1998 Annie Bidwell Trail proposed, to extend from Bidwell Mansion to end of Upper Park "within sight and sound of the creek".
1999 1500 acre (6 km²) backfire covers north side of Upper Park between road and park boundary..
1999 Bidwell Park Trails Manual approved, described as a "work in progress".
1999 Existing disc golf course location approved by Park Commission and City Council, negotiations begin with Cal Trans regarding Hwy 32 access.
2000-2001 1.25 miles (2 km) of Yahi Trail relocated and/or rebuilt.
2001 Observatory built.
2002 Horseshoe Lake Fishing Pier built.
2002 GPS mapping of existing park trails and roads shows 40+ miles (60 km) of official and frequently used unofficial trails and road on the north side and 28 miles on the south side.
2000-2002 Trail plan developed with 23 "Focus Areas", includes new creekside ABT pedestrian trail segments on the south side (1-1.5 miles?), new 1 mile segment of S. Rim trail, new trail from the N. Rim Trail starting at the power lines to Bear Hole, a new trail from the eastern end of Lower Trail to Bear Hole, a new trail from the Middle Trail to the potential Day Camp area bridge site, a new trail from the junction of the B Trail and Middle Trail to Parking Area U at the end of the road, reroute of east end of Upper Trail and several reroutes of Yahi Trail between Bear Hole and Parking Area P.
2002 Bridges proposed above Day Camp and at the end of Upper Park Road.
2002 Boundary survey on south side shows that some park trails from disc golf area cross private property and may need to be rerouted.
2003 19 acre antimony, lead, copper and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons removal project planned for Horseshoe Lake and lead removal at former pistol range.
2003 Conceptual approval of observatory outdoor seating area & spotting pads, including realignment of the road to Parking Area C.
2003 Funding for update of Bidwell Park Master Management Plan and associated EIR approved by City Council.
2003 Conceptual approval of horse workout pen by Horse Arena