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Bell tents near Chico with fishing

Answer the call of the wild in Chico—your gateway to Butte County reservoirs and the Sierra Nevada.

98% (740 reviews)
98% (740 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Chico

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Bell tents near Chico with fishing guide

Overview

Volcanic buttes, the Sacramento River, the Sierra Nevada foothills—in Chico, scenic landscapes lie in every direction. Nestled in the fertile Sacramento Valley (the birthplace of craft breweries), it's a real California paradise. Paddling, hiking, SUP boarding, and horseback riding are never far away.

You can't miss Lake Oroville State Recreation Area—it's the second biggest reservoir in California, after all. Get ready for boating, kayaking, and world-class bass fishing. Plus, camping at Lake Oroville gives you some serious bragging rights. Imagine being rocked to sleep by the waves on a floating campsite.

Just past Orland, Black Butte Lake Recreation Area is a quieter spot to get out on the water. Here, you can enjoy fishing, water skiing, and lakeside camping beneath sweeping buttes.

Driving into the Sierra Nevada Mountains brings you to Plumas National Forest. The sprawling woods offer wilderness tent camping and cabins. You can even hike the Pacific Crest and other national trails. Want to camp by a 410-foot waterfall? Check out the forest service's Feather Falls Campground.

Believe it or not, you don't even have to venture outside Chico to find wilderness adventure. The city's Bidwell Park is one of the biggest municipal parks in the USA. Get stoked about hiking trails through canyons and bluffs, paved bike trails, and fishing on Horseshoe Lake.

Camping near Chico offers just as much variety as the landscapes that surround it. Hunker down in a foothills tent campground, relax at an RV park, or browse rolling farms where landowners invite you to pitch your tent.

Butte County is an adventurer's paradise year round. However, keep in mind the Sacramento Valley is famous for its toasty summers and cool, wet Winters. For the best camping weather, you can't beat fall or late spring.

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