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Chico Creek Nature Center

A sign saying "Chico Creek Nature Center" surrounded by autumn leaves, trees, and a picnic table.
Chico Creek Nature Center sign in November

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

When you visit the Nature Center, you will enter the Janeece Webb Living Animal Museum and Nature Play Room. Here you will find over 50 animals including snakes, John the desert tortoise, scorpions, red and yellow-legged frogs, spiders, and our newest addition, Luna our western screech owl! 

The Nature Center also houses Kristie's Nature Lab, which is used for programs and available to reserve.  

📍 Location: 1968 E 8th Street, Chico, CA 95928 
📲 Phone: 530-891-4671
🕙 Hours: Fridays 10 AM–1 PM, Saturdays & Sundays 10 AM–3 PM
💲 Admission:  $3.00 for children, $4.00 for seniors and $5.00 for adult
👥 Group Rate: $3.00 per person for groups of 16 and up

Help feed our animal ambassadors!

A tortoise is crossing a speckled floor indoors.
John the Mojave Desert Tortoise
An owl with striking yellow eyes nestled in a wooden enclosure.
Luna the Western Screech Owl
A snake on a log with its tongue out.
Hydra the Red-Sided Garter Snake
A turtle on pebbles inside an aquarium.
Flash the Western Pond Turtle
A frog perched on pebbles, half submerged in water, looking out of an aquarium.
Tina the Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog
May contain: animal, reptile, and snake
Checkers the Pacific Gopher Snake
A gray frog with black spots on a rock, surrounded by soil and vegetation, possibly in a terrarium.
Sierran Treefrogs
A worm on a person's hand, with foliage and part of a shoe visible in the background.
Jack the Slender Salamander
A millipede in a plastic container on a table.
Peewee the Millipede
A red frog near a hollow log on a bed of moss inside an enclosure.
Red-Legged Frogs
A gecko on soil with a log hideout behind it.
Lip the Gecko
A small brown snake is coiled around a person's fingers.
Scruffy the Rubber Boa
A snake with red, black, and white banding peers over a rock.
Coral the Coast Mountain King Snake
A tarantula peeking out from a hiding spot.
Sue the Johnny Cash Tarantula
A tortoise is crossing a speckled floor indoors.
An owl with striking yellow eyes nestled in a wooden enclosure.
A snake on a log with its tongue out.
A turtle on pebbles inside an aquarium.
A frog perched on pebbles, half submerged in water, looking out of an aquarium.
May contain: animal, reptile, and snake
A gray frog with black spots on a rock, surrounded by soil and vegetation, possibly in a terrarium.
A worm on a person's hand, with foliage and part of a shoe visible in the background.
A millipede in a plastic container on a table.
A red frog near a hollow log on a bed of moss inside an enclosure.
A gecko on soil with a log hideout behind it.
A small brown snake is coiled around a person's fingers.
A snake with red, black, and white banding peers over a rock.
A tarantula peeking out from a hiding spot.

At the Chico Creek Nature Center, we care for a variety of amazing animal ambassadors, including Luna the Western screech owl, Coral the Coast mountain king snake, and even Flash the Western pond turtle (who, fun fact, also eats pinky mice—turtles are omnivores!). We need your help to keep them happy and healthy. Did you know that a Western screech owl can eat up to 50 mice in a single month? And our snakes? They typically munch on about 12 mice each month!

Your donation through our friends at RodentPro.com® goes directly toward feeding these incredible creatures and ensuring they continue to educate and inspire our community. Every contribution makes a difference—thank you for supporting our wildlife ambassadors!

 Click here to donate!

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Chico Creek Nature Center is not a rehabilitation center and we do not accept injured or orphaned animals. If you have found an injured or orphaned animal, contact our local wildlife rehabilitation organization- Bidwell Wildlife Rehabilitation.

Teacher Ellen reading a story to a group of toddlers at Nature ABC's program.

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 | 9:00 - 10:00 AM
Session 2
Ages: 0-5
Fri | 10:30 - 11:30 AM

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! Ages: 3-5 M/W or T/Th | Sep-May | 9:00 AM-1:00 PM

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