A Family Guide to the Must-Visit Parks and Playgrounds in Butte County
July 25, 2024
Butte County boasts dozens of parks and playgrounds that families enjoy throughout the year. Visitors with kids needing to burn off a little energy will love the variety of play structures, open grassy fields, picnic shelters, and natural beauty found at many of Butte County’s parks. Discover some of the most notable parks in our area for family fun and adventure.
If you’re looking for a beautiful park nestled in a rural agricultural area, Durham Community Park has you covered. This sprawling park has a playground area, basketball courts, a horse-riding arena, sports fields, and lots of room to run around underneath mature valley oak trees. Like most community parks in Butte County, Durham Community Park has large picnic areas equipped with BBQs available for reservation.
Directions: South of Chico on Highway 99, exit Durham-Dayton Highway and head west for just over three miles. Durham Community Park will be on your left.
Gridley
Manuel Vierra Park
Gridley’s Vierra Park, the southernmost park in Butte County, fits a lot of action in just over 13 acres. The water tower splash pad is the feature attraction during the summer, while the large variety of playground equipment and structures keeps kids playing year-round. Vierra Park is also the home of Gridley’s public ball fields and tennis courts. You’ll find lots of room here for picnicking, BBQs, and even birthday parties.
Directions: From Highway 99 in Gridley, turn west onto Cherry Street. Cherry Street will shortly end at Haskell Street. Turn left and you’ll see the park and parking area on your right.
Paradise
Billie Park
One of the most beautiful small-town parks anywhere in California, Billie Park sits on the edge of Butte Creek Canyon in the Town of Paradise. The majority of the park enjoys ample tree-cover thanks to stands of ponderosa, redwood, oak, and even olive trees. All that shade makes Billie Park a cooler destination, making it a particularly good option during our hot summers. The sun shines through at the large grass recreation field and along the northern edge of the park where you can find the best views of Butte Creek Canyon.
Kids will enjoy the two playground areas, with one located at both sides of the expansive park. There is plenty of room for picnics including a reservable group picnic area. Bille Park also hosts scenic gazebos and event facilities. Remote-control truck enthusiasts can check out the RC crawler course. And in addition to the forested walking paths connecting the northern and southern sections of Billie Park, there are a pair of short hiking trails leading to Lookout Point and The Grotto.
Managed by Paradise Recreation & Park District (PRPD)
Directions: Take the Skyway into Paradise and turn left (west) onto Billie Road. Billie Park will be on your right after about a mile.
This park, along with the others listed below, is managed by Feather River Recreation & Park District (FRRPD).
Directions: From Highway 70 in Oroville, exit Nelson Avenue and turn west. Take the next right onto 6th Street which will shortly dead end at the Nelson Sports Complex.
Playtown USA
Sports fans visiting Oroville may already know of Playtown USA, which is next to the Gary Nolan Baseball Complex and Harrison Stadium. Playtown USA offers a playground structure and reservable picnic and BBQ areas to relax at after the game.
Directions: From Highway 70 in Oroville, exit Montgomery Street and head east for half of a mile. Turn right onto 5th Avenue. Playtown USA is on the southwest corner of the intersection of 5th Avenue and Pomona Avenue.
Riverbend Park
Riverbend Park stretches over a mile and a half along the Feather River. There’s obviously a lot of room to run around, and you’ll never be too far away from a sandy riverside beach, boat launch, or fishing spot. With four large reservable pavilions and plenty of parking, Riverbend Park is a popular place for large group gatherings.
There are several play structures available for kids surrounded by large multi-use fields. Don’t forget your disc golf gear as there’s an 18-hole course at the southern stretch of the park.
Directions: From Highway 70 in Oroville, exit Montgomery Street and turn west. Montgomery Street shortly empties right into Riverbend Park.
Chico
Caper Acres
Not far from the One Mile Recreation Area in Bidwell Park, Caper Acres has been entertaining children with a fairy-tale theme since 1970. A visit to Caper Acres will reveal a dragon, a pirate ship, a castle, Humpty-Dumpty, the iconic Crooked House, and many more playful attractions for kids and their families.
The magical theme of Caper Acres is even more fitting in the beautiful urban forest of Lower Bidwell Park. Large, long-established trees surround the playground and provide lots of shade and opportunities to spot woodpeckers and squirrels right from the playground equipment.
Caper Acres is closed on Mondays, so plan accordingly.
Directions: From Highway 99 in Chico, exit East 8th Street (Highway 32) and head west for a little under a mile. Turn right onto Cypress Street. At the intersection with East 4th Street, turn right into Bidwell Park via South Park Drive. Caper Acres will be on your left in a half a mile.
Community Park
Playground structures? Check. Tons of sports fields? Check. Picnic areas? Check. Don’t forget the volleyball court, tennis courts, pickleball courts, bocce ball court, gymnasium and art installations. Community Park is a 40-acre park that is great for a quick visit but has enough going on for a full day of fun.
This park, along with the others listed below, is managed by Chico Area Recreation & Park District (CARD).
Directions: From Highway 99 in Chico, exit East 20th Street and head west. At the first light, turn right onto Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. The entrance to Community Park will be on your left shortly before the road ends.
DeGarmo Park
DeGarmo Park is North Chico’s destination for playing outside. This 36-acre community park features a large and adventure-filled playground area complete with swings, spinners, and a giant web. The multi-use fields and softball fields are popular for sporting events. With lots of room for picnicking and two large covered group picnic areas available for reservation, families often stay a while. There’s even a play area for dogs at the northern end of DeGarmo Park!
Directions: From Highway 99 in Chico, exit Eaton Road and head west. At the first light, turn right onto Esplanade. After a half mile, DeGarmo Park will be on your right.
Hooker Oak Park
Only half a mile away from Wildwood Park, Hooker Oak Park feels like a relaxing step back in time. This park is the former home of the Hooker Oak Tree, made famous by the 1938 version of Robin Hood, and still remains beautifully wooded today. The Robin Hood theme continues at the Sherwood Forest Kids Disc Golf Course just west of the park.
Hooker Oak Park is one of the older parks in the area, but there’s still plenty to enjoy, including sports fields, two playground areas, a basketball court, and lots of room for picnics under a canopy of trees. It’s also a quick walk or bike ride from Hooker Oak to the Five Mile Recreation Area and Middle Bidwell Park.
Directions: Take Highway 32 east from Highway 99 for about a mile and a half. Turn left onto Bruce Road and keep going as it turns into Manzanita Avenue. Hooker Oak Park is accessed from the traffic circle with Hooker Oak Avenue.
Wildwood Park
Located at the entrance to Upper Bidwell Park, Wildwood Park pairs well with other adventures in the area. There’s lots of room for kids to run around at this park, with wide-open spaces and wide-open views. Children ages 5 – 12 can enjoy the large adventure play structure, with another play structure design for younger kids, too. Make sure to ring the giant chimes!
A unique feature at Wildwood Park is the dirt pump track with an area for beginner bikers and a more intermediate-to-advanced area. Like many other parks in the area, Wildwood also comes equipped with covered picnic areas and BBQs.
Directions: Head east on East Avenue from Highway 99 in Chico until it ends at a traffic circle. You can access Wildwood Park from Wildwood Avenue or Eaton Road immediately after the traffic circle.