Why Butte County is a Dream Destination for All Cyclists

Look­ing for an epic moun­tain bik­ing adven­ture? Butte Coun­ty boasts an array of scenic trails suit­able for rid­ers of all lev­els, from begin­ners to experts. Don’t let the mod­est alti­tudes fool you — Butte Coun­ty is home to chal­leng­ing ter­rain that will thrill even the most expe­ri­enced riders.

The place to start is Upper Bid­well Park, which is the epi­cen­ter of moun­tain bik­ing activ­i­ty in the coun­ty. The rocky ter­rain of Bid­well’s North Rim, B Trail, and Upper, Low­er, and Mid­dle Trails offer a unique chal­lenge that can help rid­ers devel­op their skills. Check out the Guardian Trail for a for­mi­da­ble test of your abil­i­ties or try the more mod­er­ate Annie Bid­well Trail.

For wider, less tech­ni­cal trails, head south to the Lake Oroville area. There, you’ll find a miles-long net­work of trails that offer a great ride, includ­ing Pot­ters Ravine and the North Fork Trail. 

But for the real dirt enthu­si­ast, explore the hid­den trails in the hills. Cohas­set Road turns into a dirt trail just above Cohas­set, offer­ing an almost-end­less ride on a bike. For­est Ranch also offers inter­est­ing rides, with trails con­nect­ing to High­way 32, Mag­a­lia, and all the way down into Cen­ter­ville, offer­ing great ways to explore the county.

If you’re a cyclist seek­ing some friend­ly com­pe­ti­tion or a true test of your skills, look no fur­ther than Butte Coun­ty. The region is the per­fect play­ground for any­one look­ing to get a respectable work­out in with­out bat­tling end­less stoplights.

The cycling com­mu­ni­ty in Butte Coun­ty is both com­pet­i­tive and tight-knit, with a mix of both expe­ri­enced rid­ers and young tal­ent that cre­ate a con­tin­u­al­ly com­pet­i­tive group (some even say that the lev­el of com­pe­ti­tion in Butte Coun­ty rivals that of big cities far­ther south).

If you’re look­ing for a great race to jump into, Chico Velo is an out­stand­ing local cycling advo­cate group and the per­fect place to start. But be care­ful — Butte Coun­ty rid­ers are always ready for a challenge! 

So get ready to ped­al to the met­al and join the com­pet­i­tive and fun-lov­ing cycling com­mu­ni­ty in Butte Coun­ty. With plen­ty of races and chal­lenges to choose from, you’re sure to find the per­fect way to push your lim­its and have a blast while doing it!

Bik­ing is also just an acces­si­ble and fun way to explore Butte Coun­ty. With plen­ty of bike lanes and mild hills, get­ting around on two wheels is a breeze.

The coun­ty’s urban areas, par­tic­u­lar­ly Down­town Chico and Down­town Oroville, are incred­i­bly bike-friend­ly. And it’s not just for com­muters — from week­end farm­ers mar­kets to leisure­ly rides for ice cream or din­ner, bik­ing is a fun way to get around town. Plus, the coun­ty has a strong bik­ing cul­ture, with a sup­port­ive pub­lic and plen­ty of park-and-lock places to hop off your bike and explore on foot. 

With a whole coun­ty to explore, there are end­less road options to choose from in Butte County.

Some local favorites include cruis­ing up to Cen­ter­ville (espe­cial­ly in the fall), the easy, flat ride through orchard-lined roads in Durham, and the icon­ic Hon­ey Run Road. The best part is the free­dom to explore and dis­cov­er new routes, tak­ing in the stun­ning land­scape of trees, moun­tains, farm­lands, rivers, creeks, and lakes that make Butte Coun­ty so spe­cial for cyclists.

Whether it’s the first ride in Butte Coun­ty or your mil­lionth, the area’s nat­ur­al beau­ty and diverse ter­rain nev­er stops inspir­ing cyclists. With flat roads, hills, down­hills, grav­el, moun­tain trails, fire roads, busy roads, and qui­et roads, rid­ers have end­less options for adven­ture. So grab your hel­met and hit the open road — adven­ture awaits!