Big Chico Creek Loop

Whether you call it Big Chico Creek Loop, T‑Ford Loop, or Yahi/​Annie Bid­well Loop, the expe­ri­ence is the same: a high-qual­i­ty trek in Upper Bid­well Park loop­ing around Big Chico Creek. A com­bi­na­tion of Yahi Trail and Annie Bid­well Trail, the best time for hik­ing this loop is fall through spring; if you do it in the sum­mer, tack­le it in the morn­ing or plan on dips in the creek along the way. Be pre­pared to be wowed by the vari­ety of micro-envi­ron­ments, shady sycamores, and Love­joy basalt along. You’ll have to ford Big Chico Creek to go from the Yahi Trail to the Annie Bid­well side, but that’s def­i­nite­ly part of the fun! Just be cau­tious and use your best judg­ment when doing so — it can be dan­ger­ous after it rains, when it’s flow­ing faster, and in the win­ter and spring, when the water is cold­er; from Decem­ber through March, it is like­ly impassible.

Mod­i­fi­ca­tion: If you’re still build­ing up your mileage or aren’t quite ready to ford the creek, have fun return­ing to the Yahi Trail and Annie Bid­well Trails individually.