The Annie Bidwell Trail starts off with short, punchy climbs up to the rim of the canyon, and follows with a steep, rocky downhill. At the bottom, you’ll enjoy a nice meadow and several swimming opportunities, followed by more climbing and drops, making it a moderate-to-challenging trail. Though it’s open year-round, the trail gets muddy in the rainy season; your best experience will be in the spring during wildflower season and in the fall during the color changes.
Find the easiest parking at the end of Chico Canyon Road.
Key Info
Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Trail Length & Type: 8.8 mile out-and-back (9.4 miles from Chico Canyon Trailhead to 10 Mile House Trail)
Best Used: March — November
Dogs: Allowed on leash
Trail Map: Upper Bidwell Park map
![Annie Bidwell Trail](https://explore-butte.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/images/Outdoors/HikeButteCA-Hikes/Annie-Bidwell-Trail_2021-3-23_CREDIT_@_morganbilleci.jpg?w=1440&h=1800&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.4515&fp-y=0.597&dm=1718144879&s=29d3b007721990d5b97e841eb18b7d38)
Driving Directions
From Hwy 99 take the East Ave. exit east. Follow East Ave. towards Manzanita Ave. At the roundabout take the first right onto Manzanita Ave. Turn left onto Centennial Ave. or Chico Canyon Rd. At the end of these roads park and look for trailhead signs.