#29 Fishing or Bird Watching

Oroville State Wildlife Area
Headquarters
945 Oro Dam Blvd. W.

Entrances off of Oro Dam Blvd. W.
Hwy 70, Pacific Heights Rd.
Larkin Rd., Vance Ave. & Palm Ave.

Maps available at Entry Points
530-538-2236

Just outside the Oroville city limits are 11,000 acres of preserved natural beauty with ample opportunities for fishing enthusiasts and birdwatchers. Egrets, beaver and river otters are among the many animals found here.

Administered by the California Department of Fish and Game, the area is divided into two units: the 4,300-acre Thermalito Afterbay with its 26 miles of shoreline and the 5,700-acre Borrow Area Preserve.

Bass, catfish, and crappie are found in both the ponds and the afterbay area, and salmon, steelhead, and shad can be caught in the river, twelve miles of which wanders through the Borrow Area section. Canoes or car-top boats can be launched in several spots along the river. Some fishing restrictions are mentioned on maps available at the entry points. There are campsites (no fees) in the southern half of Borrow Area. The area is also popular with birdwatchers since it provides a year-round or seasonal home to 171 species of birds.