Butte City Project

By America's State Parks Editorial TeamMay 8, 2026 · Updated October 6, 2026

Butte City Project is a property of California State Parks along the Sacramento River near Butte City. California State Parks lists it as a park property, not as an operating park, and publishes no visitor information for it.

Visitor Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this park open?

Butte City Project is in development. Check with California State Parks for current access status. Facilities may be limited or unavailable.

Why are rice paddies important for birds?

After harvest, flooded rice fields replicate the wetlands that once covered the Central Valley. Over 95% of California’s original wetlands have been drained — rice paddies now provide 60% of the winter food for Pacific Flyway waterfowl. The partnership between rice farmers and conservationists is a major wildlife success story.

Make it a road trip: Pair a visit with Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area (within about an hour’s drive) or Bidwell-Sacramento River State Park (within about an hour’s drive).

About Butte City Project

Butte City Project is a developing state park property along the Sacramento River in Glenn County. The site preserves riparian habitat along one of the most important salmon migration corridors in the Central Valley. The Sacramento River here flows through cottonwood and valley oak woodland — a rare remnant of the vast riparian forests that once lined the river.

Things to Do

River access for fishing (salmon, steelhead, striped bass), birdwatching in the riparian corridor, and nature walks along the Sacramento River.

Getting There

Butte City Project sits along the Sacramento River in Glenn County — California’s rice capital. The Sacramento Valley here is one of the most productive agricultural regions on Earth, producing 95% of California’s rice crop. Glenn County’s flooded rice paddies attract millions of migratory waterfowl each winter, making it one of the Pacific Flyway’s most critical stopovers.

Insider Tips

Sacramento Valley: Butte City Project provides access to the Sacramento River — California’s largest river and the backbone of the Central Valley’s agricultural empire. Pro tip: The Sacramento River supports wild king salmon runs — one of the last major wild salmon populations in California. Rice country: The surrounding Sacramento Valley grows 95% of California’s rice — flooded rice paddies create critical habitat for migrating waterfowl.

Best Time to Visit

Fall: Salmon runs (October-December). Winter: Waterfowl migration — millions of ducks and geese. Spring: Green-up and songbird migration. Summer: Hot — 100°F+ in the valley.

Wildlife & Nature

Butte City Project — along the Sacramento River in Glenn County — provides riverbank access in the northern Central Valley. The Sacramento River — California’s longest (447 miles) — supports Chinook salmon and steelhead trout migration. Bald eagles and osprey fish from riverside perches. Great blue herons wade the shallows. The river corridor is a vital Pacific Flyway stopover.

Nearby Attractions

Sacramento NWR Complex — nearby — has some of the best waterfowl viewing in North America (millions of geese and ducks in winter). Gray Lodge Wildlife Area — 20 miles east — has wetland viewing. Chico — 20 miles east — has Bidwell Park and Bidwell Mansion SHP.

About the Author

America's State Parks Editorial Team

America's State Parks is an independent online guide to state parks and other public lands in the United States. Our editorial team compiles park profiles from official agency and operator sources and other identified references, and follows our published editorial policy and review methodology. Where a profile shows a source-check date, that date applies to the detail it names. We correct errors when we find them or when readers report them.

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