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Chico, California

Back to California

Chico, California is located in the Northern Sacramento Valley, just ninety miles north of the city of Sacramento, California.   It was founded in 1860 by General John Bidwell and started out with only a population of 1000, but soon began to grow, and now Chico has a population of just over 105,000.  With its historic downtown area and large park, though, it still maintains that small town feel.

 

  

The city doesn’t just have a large park—it has one of the largest municipal parks in the country! Bidwell Park is a 3,670 acre park full of trails for biking, hiking, and equestrian riding.

Chico typically has Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Chico also ranks top in the nation for the number a clear days per year. Most of the average 26 inches rainfall for the city comes mostly in the winter months, along with instances of Tule fog.

 

If you are concerned about the environment and take green issues seriously, Chico could be the place for you. In 2007 the city was voted the #20 Best Green City in America by Country Home magazine. Chico was also rated the #10 small art town in America and hosts a number of arts festivals annually, along with some other unusual festivals, such as the eight-day California Nut Festival.