Chico Creek Nature Center

As the official Visitor Center of Bidwell Park, the Nature Center is a hub for fun, education, and wonder — all inspired by the outdoors!

May Creepy Crawlers

Join us for an exciting event featuring our local creepy crawlers! Explore the fascinating realm of invertebrates, including insects, arachnids, and other arthropods like millipedes and roly polys. Discover their ecological importance and even get the chance to hold a stick insect or beetle! Come face to face with scorpions, jumping spiders, death-feigning beetles, millipedes, and maybe even a tarantula.

Please note, this month's program will have only one session, running a bit longer to accommodate direct hands-on interactions. Due to space limitations, the event is limited to 50 people, so registration is required for each person attending.

📍 Location: Chico Creek Nature Center, 1968 E 8th St, Chico
📅 Date: Saturday, May 25th
⏰ Time: 12–1:30 PM
💰 Cost: FREE! Donations encouraged!

Register here!

Contact Information

Location: 1968 E. 8th Street, Chico, CA 95928
Phone: 530-891-4671

Seasonal Hours

The Janeece Webb Living Animal Museum and Nature Play Room | Friday & Monday, 10am-1pm, Saturday & Sunday, 10am-3pm

Admission is $3.00 for children, $4.00 for seniors and $5.00 for adults

Kristie's Nature Lab and Howard S. Tucker Exhibit Hall | For programs and by reservation

May contain: clothing, lifejacket, vest, face, head, person, photography, portrait, plant, vegetation, summer, swimwear, leisure activities, sport, swimming, water, water sports, tree, child, female, girl, nature, outdoors, land, woodland, body part, finger, and hand

Camp Chico Creek

This program provides outdoor exploration, builds friendships, and promotes a love for nature! Campers enjoy hands-on natural science labs, up-close animal visits, nature walks, arts and crafts, building tree forts, swimming in Big Chico Creek and camp BBQ’s every Friday.

Full Day Option for Ages: 5-11
Mon - Fri | 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM

Half Day Option for Ages: 5-11
Mon - Fri | 7:30 AM - 1:00 PM

A serene, small waterfall flowing between rocks, surrounded by lush greenery.

Creek Crawl

What runs but never walks? Water! Join us at the Nature Center as we explore Big Chico Creek and learn how we are part of the local Chico watershed. Participants will have the opportunity to observe, discuss and personally reflect on the diverse ecological connections to local creeks and river ecosystems within our watershed.

Ages: 6+
Sat | 5/25 | 10:00 AM
Sat | 6/22 | 10:00 AM
Sat | 7/27 | 10:00 AM

Field Trips

Bidwell Park provides an excellent and accessible opportunity to teach valuable lessons of the natural world. For over thirty years, the Chico Creek Nature Center has provided quality educational programs on the natural systems of Bidwell Park to elementary school students, using the park as a classroom.

May contain: nature, night, outdoors, starry sky, silhouette, person, sky, clothing, glove, astronomy, nebula, and outer space

Hikes

Nature ABC's

Nature ABC's is a time for families of children ages 0–5 to gather and enjoy an hour of fun free activities with our instructor.  Join us Fridays for an animal visit, story time, singing and dancing, an art project and a nature walk in our beautiful park. This program is offered free of charge through funding from First 5 Butte County.

Session 1
Ages: 0-5
Fri | 1/12 - 5/31 | 9:00 - 10:00 AM

Session 2
Fri | 1/12 - 5/31 | 10:30 - 11:30 AM

May contain: cake, food, dessert, and birthday cake

Nature Center Birthday Parties

Looking for the perfect place for your child’s birthday party? The Nature Center has just the spot!

Click HERE for more information.

May contain: person, human, adventure, and leisure activities

Nature Center- After School Program

This outdoor based program runs on the Chico Unified schedule and provides outdoor recreation such as swimming in Big Chico Creek (weather permitting). In addition to free play, science, craft and games, children have the opportunity to go on nature walks, build tree forts, attend live animal presentations and grow connections with their peers and nature. We hope to see you there!

Grades: TK-5th
M-F | Sep - May | 2:30 - 6:30 PM

A group of children playing outside, some with towels, in a natural, wooded environment.

Nature Explorers

Join us for an adventurous outdoor experience designed just for younger kids! Campers will enjoy up-close animal visits at our Living Animal Museum, explore beautiful Bidwell Park with daily nature walks, and splash in the creek.

Ages: 3-5
Mon-Fri | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

May contain: park, grass, outdoors, nature, plant, people, person, pants, clothing, bench, furniture, portrait, photography, face, head, tree, vegetation, jeans, child, boy, male, shoe, footwear, woman, adult, female, woodland, and land

Nature School

Nature School is a first learning experience for kids ages 3-5, who are potty trained and ready for an experience away from their family. This program has zero screen time and is predominantly held outdoors. Nature kids get to visit live animals at the Nature Center, go on nature walks daily and practice nature identification along the way. We provide fun themes every two weeks and work on social emotional and school readiness skills. All units include play-based learning, healthy body movement like yoga and dancing, themed stories, songs, art projects, sensory exploration and sign language. We PLAY, we teach KINDNESS, and we truly nurture a love of NATURE!

Option 1
Ages: 3-5
M/W | Sep-May | 9:00 AM-1:00 PM

Option 2
Ages: 3-5
T/Th | Sep-May | 9:00 AM-1:00 PM