See also: Little Chico Creek.
| Chico Creek[1] | |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | California |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Butte County, Tehama County |
| Subdivision Type5: | Cities |
| Subdivision Name5: | Chico |
| Source1 Location: | Near Colby Mountain, in Lassen National Park |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 40.1236°N -121.5089°W |
| Mouth Location: | Confluence with Sacramento River, in the Sacramento Valley |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 39.6966°N -121.9414°W |
| Length: | 46miles |
| Source1 Elevation: | 5000feet |
| Mouth Elevation: | 120feet |
| River System: | Sacramento River Basin |
| Tributaries Left: | Little Chico Creek |
Big Chico Creek is a creek in northeastern California that originates near Colby Mountain in Lassen National Park. It flows [2] to its confluence with the Sacramento River in Butte County. The creek's elevation declines from above sea level at its head to where it joins the Sacramento River, as shown on the Ord Ferry USGS quadrangle. Big Chico Creek forms part of the demarcation between the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Range.[3]
A portion of Big Chico Creek flows through the city of Chico's Bidwell Park and California State University, Chico.
There are numerous plant and animal species in the riparian zone and entire watershed of Big Chico Creek. A threatened species of Chinook Salmon make annual spawning runs up Big Chico Creek to the area of Higgin's Hole. Among the wildflowers documented in the watershed is the yellow mariposa lily, Calochortus luteus.[4]