Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This temple's fascinating history includes its role as the last stop for touring Cantonese
theater troupes. To lighten the shipload back across the Pacific, they left behind elaborate
sets, costumes and puppets, which are on rotating display.
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
BIRDWATCHING
(
www.fws.gov
;
admission $6; 1hr before sunset-1hr after sunset)
Serious bird-watchers sojourn here in winter, when millions of migratory waterfowl make
a spectacular sight. The
visitor center
( 530-934-2801; 752 County Rd, Willows; 9am-4pm,
closed Mon Nov-Feb, closed Sat & Sun Mar-Oct)
is off I-5 near Willows; a splendid 6-mile driv-
ing trail and walking trails are open daily. The peak season to see birds is between October
and late February, with the largest skein of geese arriving in December and January.
Sleeping & Eating
Oroville is a launch pad for outdoorsy trips and there's plenty of camping in the area,
which you can arrange through the Chamber of Commerce, the
USFS office
, or the Lake
Oroville
visitor center.
A strip of decent budget motels - mostly chains and some humble
mid-century cheapies - are clustered on Feather River Blvd, between Hwy 162 to the
south and Montgomery St to the north.
In terms of dining options, there's not much chance you'll be thrilled, but aside from the
fast-food chains, there is decent pub grub and Vietnamese in the small downtown.
Lake Oroville State Recreation Area
CAMPING
800-444-7275, 530-538-2219;
www.parks.ca.gov
; 917 Kelly Ridge Rd; tent/RV
sites $25/45; )
The wi-fi might be the first clue that this isn't the most rustic choice, but there are good
primitive sites if you're willing to hike, and - perhaps the coolest feature of the park -
boat. There's a cove of floating platform campsites ($175 per night).
Information
The office of the
Feather River Ranger District
(US Forest Service Office;
530-534-6500;
875 Mitchell Ave;
8am-4:30pm Mon-Fri)
has maps and brochures. For road conditions, phone
800-427-7623.
