WilsonBlock1000 Radio

How Chico's Bidwell Park Matches Up With State Parks Around The Country

Posted by on

In the friendly, tree-lined city of Chico, California sits a leafy beast that politely refuses to act its size. We're talking about Bidwell Park — a "municipal park" that, by all technical definitions, is actually a sneaky wilderness empire hiding behind a coffee shop and a Trader Joe’s.

Let’s break this down: Bidwell Park is 3,670 acres. That’s not just “big for a city park.” That’s call-your-lawyer-because-it-ate-your-hiking-group big.

So, what happens when this Chico local legend is thrown into the ring with actual state parks across the country?

Let’s find out.

Round 1: Bidwell Park vs. Central Park (NYC)

Central Park: 843 acres  
Bidwell Park: 3,670 acres

Verdict: Central Park is basically a charming backyard compared to Bidwell.

If Bidwell Park and Central Park were in a street fight, Bidwell would just lie down on Central and absorb it like moss on a rock. You could fit four Central Parks inside Bidwell and still have room for a picnic, a frisbee tournament, and three lost birdwatchers.

Round 2: Bidwell Park vs. Itasca State Park (Minnesota)

Itasca State Park: 32,000 acres  
Bidwell Park: 3,670 acres

Okay, now we’re in a different weight class.

Itasca is the birthplace of the Mississippi River and has over 100 lakes. It’s Minnesota’s flex move.

Bidwell’s response? “Cool river, bro. I’ve got Upper Park — where volcanic rock, secret swimming holes, and sudden mountain lions all casually coexist.”

Bidwell can’t beat Itasca in acreage, but it gets points for being walkable without a compass and bear spray.

Round 3: Bidwell Park vs. Humboldt Redwoods State Park (California)

Humboldt: 51,000 acres  
Bidwell: Still 3,670, but holding its own

Humboldt has redwoods the size of small apartment buildings, and enough moss to qualify as its own zip code. But while Humboldt is majestic, it’s also remote and occasionally spooky.

Bidwell? It’s got Monkey Face Rock, Sycamore Pool, and it’s within Uber range of a burrito place. Who’s really winning?

Round 4: Bidwell Park vs. Goblin Valley State Park (Utah)

Goblin Valley: 3,654 acres  
Bidwell: 3,670 acres

Wait, what?

Yes. Bidwell Park is bigger than Goblin Valley State Park, a certified desert fantasyland featured in sci-fi films and responsible for several children asking if they could live in a rock.

Bidwell wins on technicality — 16 extra acres of bragging rights. Take that, sandstone gremlins.

Round 5: Bidwell Park vs. Every Park in New Jersey

The largest state park in New Jersey is Wharton State Forest, clocking in at a whopping 122,880 acres. Okay, fine. Jersey brought the heat.

But let’s be real: Wharton has pine trees. Bidwell has cliffs, swimming holes, mountain biking trails, deer, disc golf, and people doing yoga on rocks. Also, it doesn’t take 45 minutes to find parking. That’s gotta count for something.

The Secret Sauce of Bidwell

- It’s in a city. That alone makes it a unicorn. State parks are usually a drive, a plan, and a park ranger’s pamphlet away.  
- You can grab a latte and be in wilderness within 10 minutes.  
- You might see a deer. Or a poet. Or a sociology major having a mild existential crisis near Bear Hole.  
- It goes from shady, dog-friendly strolls in Lower Park to legit rugged hiking in Upper Park — like two parks in one, and neither charges admission.

Bidwell Park isn’t just a city park. It’s a small national park with better parking and less paperwork. It punches above its weight, has the aesthetic range of a Renaissance painter, and if it ever decides to apply for “State Park” status, at least 12 smaller ones will immediately panic.

So next time someone tries to humblebrag about their fancy state park, smile, nod, and tell them:

“That’s cute. I’ve got Bidwell.”
Offical Podcast of Mistah Wilson

Comments

Post a Comment

Local Music Scenes

Music Scenes

Adelaide Music Scene African Music Scene Akron Music Scene Alabama Music Scene Alaska Music Scene Albany Music Scene Anchorage Music Scene Arizona Music Scene Arkansas Music Scene Atlanta Music Scene
Australian Music Scene Bakersfield Music Scene Baltimore Music Scene Beverly Hills Music Scene Boston Music Scene Brampton Music Scene Bronx Music Scene Brooklyn Music Scene Buffalo Music Scene California Music Scene Canadian Music Scene Charlotte Music Scene Chicago Music Scene Chicago drill music scene Cincinnati Music Scene Cleveland Music Scene Cologne Music Scene Colombian Music Scene Colorado Music Scene Compton Music Scene Connecticut Music Scene Dallas Music Scene Daytona Beach Music Scene Denver Music Scene Detroit Music Scene Durham Music Scene Finland Music Scene Finnish Music Scene Florida Music Scene Georgia Music Scene Germany Music Scene Ghana Music Scene Greece Music Scene Greensboro Music Scene Hawaii Music Scene Hiram Music Scene Honolulu Music Scene Houston Music Scene Illinois Music Scene Inglewood Music Scene Iowa Music Scene Ireland Music Scene Jackson Music Scene Johannesburg Music Scene Kansas City Music Scene Kansas Music Scene Kentucky Music Scene La Habra Music Scene Las Vegas Music Scene Lexington Music Scene London Music Scene Long Beach Music Scene Long Island Music Scene Los Angeles Music Scene Louisiana Music Scene Louisville Music Scene Maine Music Scene Marion Music Scene Maryland Music Scene Massachusetts Music Scene Melbourne Music Scene Miami Music Scene Michigan Music Scene Milwaukee Music Scene Minneapolis Music Scene Mississippi Music Scene Missouri Music Scene Munich Music Scene Nashville Music Scene Nevada Music Scene New Jersey Music Scene New Mexico Music Scene New Orleans Music Scene New York State Music Scene Nigeria Music Scene NorCal Music Scene North Carolina Music Scene Oakland Music Scene Ohio Music Scene Oklahoma Music Scene Ontario Music Scene Oregon Music Scene Oxnard Music Scene Pennsylvania Music Scene Philadelphia Music Scene Phoenix Music Scene Portland Music Scene Rhode Island Music Scene Rochester Music Scene Sacramento Music Scene Salt Lake City Music Scene San Antonio Music Scene San Bernardino Music Scene San Diego Music Scene San Francisco Music Scene Seattle Music Scene South Africa Music Scene South Carolina Music Scene St. Louis Music Scene Tennessee Music Scene Texas Music Scene Tokyo Music Scene Tulsa Music Scene Utah Music Scene Vallejo Music Scene Vancouver Music Scene Virginia Music Scene Waco Music Scene Wisconsin Music Scene Wyoming Music Scene altadena music scene american music scene local music scene music scene new york music scene northwest music scene pasadena music scene seattle music scene toronto music scene
Show more