Welcome to Oroville!
Oroville, California, is located on Highway 70, 65 miles north of Sacramento, at the base of the Sierra Foothills and is home to the Ridge community. Oroville began its history along the wild Feather River with the Gold Rush of 1848. Findings at Bidwell Bar, one of the first gold mining sites in California, started a wave of Gold Fever that brought thousands of prospectors to the Oroville area seeking their fortune. Now under the enormous Lake Oroville, Bidwell Bar is memorialized by the Bidwell Bar Suspension Bridge, an original remnant from the area and the first suspension bridge in California.
A thriving community, Oroville still abounds with Gold...in the form of affordable housing, recreation, wildlife, colorful history, small town values and just as an all around great place to live.
Known for its abundance of recreational opportunities, Oroville is home to the Oroville Dam, the tallest earthen dam in the nation. Lake Oroville, the second-largest reservoir in California flourishes with opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast. With 167 miles of shoreline, hundreds of campsites, world-class fishing, and California's only Floating Campsites, Lake Oroville is a premier recreation destination in Northern California. The Feather River, Oroville's founding body of water, winds its course through the Feather River Canyon, Historic Downtown Oroville, and out to the Oroville State Wildlife Area, an 11,400-acre wildlife area for camping, fishing, hunting, horse-back riding and off-road driving.
A mild, four-season climate generally above the valley fog, the weather in the Oroville area is conducive to whatever outdoor recreational activities you plan. It would be very unusual to have even a sprinkling of snow, however, if its snow you want it's only a short drive to the mountains. While close in proximity to all of your preferred California vacation destinations (Reno/Tahoe, the Northern California coast, the Bay Area, Mt. Shasta, Sacramento) with so much to do right here you won't need to travel far to enjoy your favorite activities.
Whatever your desire, Oroville lives up to its name as "The City of Gold"
Area Activities
There are lots of fun activities to be found in the Oroville area, including: hiking, fishing, skiing, swimming, boating, golf, shopping, camping and biking. A relaxing, rural area, Oroville is a great place to live!
Hiking
Nearby Forbestown boasts a 640 foot waterfall, the Feather Falls, which is the 6th highest waterfall in the United States. A good one-day hike, take Olive Highway east to Forbestown Road, then travel north on Lumpkin Road. The seven mile roundtrip hike takes about four hours and is truly worth the trip.
Casinos
Oroville is home to two successful casinos - Feather Falls Casino and Gold Country Casino. Gold Country Casino is only a few miles up the road, so it will be easy to drive over for dinner, drinks or to play your favorite game.
Shopping and Parks
Historic Downtown Oroville is a collection of antique and collectibles shops where visitors can find relics of a time gone by as well as beautiful handmade crafts and foods by local artisans and farmers. There are three maintained community parks in Oroville for your enjoyment and look for parks to be completed right in your own backyard as the Ridge community continues to develop.
Fishing
Fishing is what Lake Oroville is famous for. Known as the best Bass lake in California, Lake Oroville plays host to several bass tournaments throughout the year. But Lake Oroville isn't just for pros. Everyone has a good time fishing here. Marinas on the lake rent all sizes of fishing boats, and Bait & Tackle supplies are available, too. Although it's known as the best bass lake in California, anglers at Lake Oroville love fishing the lake for catfish, coho salmon, sturgeon, crappie, blue gill, mackinaw and, of course, several types of bass, including small and large mouth, spotted, red eye and Florida strain black bass.
Boating
Whether you are interested in speedboating or sailing, Lake Oroville and the North and South Forebays are the best places around for year-round fun. Ranked as the best sailing and windsurfing north of the Bay Area, these waters and winds are delightful.
Walking, Jogging, Biking
If you like to stay fit by walking, jogging or biking, you'll find Oroville to be a terrific place to get out in the fresh air! Look for the natural winding walking trail to be completed soon along the rim of the Ridge community, or enjoy a jog across the dam or the Feather River Parkway, which runs from Bedrock Park to the Lower Thermalito Bridge.
Golf
There are three great golf courses in the Oroville area:
- Table Mountain Golf Course
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2700 Oro Dam Blvd.
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530-533-3922
- Kelly Ridge Golf Course
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5131 Royal Oaks Drive
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530-589-0777
- Dingerville Golf Course
- 5813 Pacific Heights
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530-533-9343
Look for the disc golf course that will soon be a part of the Ridge community. Get ready now to organize a community tournament.
Camping
Camping areas include Loafer Creek, a camping area with 137 sites developed for family camping, Bidwell Camp, with facilities located in Bidwell Canyon, Lime Saddle, which has a boat launch and picnic facilities, and several boat-in camping spots on Lake Oroville.
Links
www.oroville-city.com
www.orovillemr.com
www.cityoforoville.org
www.orovillechamber.net
http://101thingstodo.net
www.ouhsd.org