Bidwell Park North Rim

Bidwell Park North Rim sits above Chico, California, and is a hike-up ridge site opened to paragliders under strict community management. The 261 m launch works on southeast through south flow, with the main lift band producing thermic afternoons in summer. This is a newly-opened site under scrutiny — every pilot who flies here carries the responsibility to preserve access. Two rules are non-negotiable before your first flight: an official site intro from one of the site administrators, and a permit-plus-sticker from the Chico City and Parks Department obtained during regular business hours. The site is thermic and cross-country capable, but Class D airspace sits just west of launch — cross-country flights must stay east. Power lines to Horseshoe Lake are hazardous to cross and not encouraged. Summer bring water for the walk-up and know how to treat rattlesnake bites.

Launch & conditions

Monkey Launch works best in 130°–170° at around 10 mph and no gusts; more than 15 mph flattens the lift band, less than 12 mph makes reaching the primary LZ difficult. Julian's Launch is a cliff launch about 300 feet lower with a house thermal but needs benching-up to gain height. The site will occasionally work with 180°–190° but ridge turbulence in those directions is considered dangerous. Give any horses on the ground wide berth — no kiting or landing near them.

Getting there & local rules

Park at the Bear Hole LZ. The lower launch (Monkey's) is about 0.67 miles and 800 vertical feet from the LZ on a switchback trail with a steep final section. This is a walk-up site — bring good shoes and expect a sweat in summer. Contact site administrator Jon Stallman ahead of time to arrange the required site intro. Chico Municipal Airport's automated weather service (530.879.3850) is the standard pre-flight check. Carry a first-aid kit.

Local rules & hazards

Power lines roughly mark Class D airspace, so stay east of them when going cross-country. Ideal wind is from the south-east around 10mph; more southerly directions bring dangerous ridge turbulence, and wind too far off the east sets up strong rotor. Summers are very hot, so carry water and watch for rattlesnakes.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Bidwell Park North Rim, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Bidwell Park North Rim with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.