Hidden In The Northern Sierra Nevada Foothills Is A Beautiful Recovering Town With Art And Outdoor Fun

The community of Paradise, California, is tucked into a visually exquisite portion of the Golden State laden with lakes and forests, river-carved canyons, and lofty buttes. However, in 2018, this small community in Northern California's Butte County was devastated by the most destructive California wildfire on record and one of the country's deadliest ever. The Camp Fire displaced approximately 26,000 residents, claimed 85 lives, and ravaged 95% of the town. Today, Paradise is recovering from the tragedy and turning into the ultimate come-back story. 

Since the fire, residents have returned to the town full of resilience and strength. It took hundreds of millions of dollars to get the community back on solid footing as nearly everything from homes and businesses to infrastructure had to be rebuilt. However, in the reconstruction of Paradise, a flourishing arts scene has been created and is helping to rejuvenate the town and its morale. 

Visiting picturesque Paradise can help its restoration and recovery, and is also a great experience for travelers who love the outdoors and art. At the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California's Gold Country, there's much to do in Paradise's stunning natural surroundings as well as in this town experiencing a renaissance of grand proportions. Also, despite its remote location, getting to Paradise is relatively easy. Sacramento International Airport is a 90-mile drive from the town.

One of the most spectacular places to take in Paradise's topography is Bille Park, where benches offer a perfect perch overlooking the breathtaking Butte Creek Canyon below. A sports field, playground, and picnic areas with grills make this an easy in-town escape for families. Surrounded by California's renowned Redwood trees, walking trails guide you through the park with gazebos offering shade along the way. 

Alongside Paradise, the West Fork of the Feather River glides by town on its way to meet the Sacramento River. To take in the picturesque river and canyon views, drive along the State Highway 70 canyon route as it weaves between wildflower meadows, crashing waterfalls, and scenic valleys for about 78 miles from Oroville to Quincy. For excellent scenery with a shorter drive, head to the Butte Creek Watershed Lookout in Paradise. This scenic spot provides views of what one Google reviewer dubbed the "Little Grand Canyon of the Sierra Nevada." Previous visitors suggest going at sunset for magical, glowing vistas. Autumn is especially picturesque when the canyon fills with fall colors as the copious foliage turns crimson, gold, and rust.

Paradise Lake is 10 miles north of town and is a draw for small-boat fishing, paddling, and picnicking. Kayaks, SUP's, or watercraft with electric trolling motors can be launched from two boat ramps. As this lake provides drinking water to nearby communities, swimming is not allowed. The lake is closed on Wednesdays. Also close to Paradise is the only destination in California where you can set up camp directly on a gorgeous lake. Lake Oroville, the state's second-largest reservoir with 167 miles of shoreline and fascinating floating campgrounds is only 31 miles away from Paradise. 

Perhaps one of the most illustrative signs of Paradise's thriving spirit is the burgeoning artistic culture. Like nearby Chico, a charming college town with a flourishing downtown art scene, Paradise is becoming a hub for artisans of all mediums. Vibrant colors and sometimes somber, poignant reminders of what was lost to destruction are peppered through the town in artistic form. 

Driving around Paradise, large-scale public art murals can be seen on the exterior of many buildings along the Skyway, a main road running through the area. Also on the Skyway, Nic's restaurant features rotating art exhibits on its walls. Visitors should also head to the Butte Resiliency Center where artist Jess Mercer crafted the Ridge Key Phoenix sculpture from more than 18,000 keys that once opened businesses, homes, cars, and more that were lost in the Camp Fire. 

At the Paradise Art Center, art classes, workshops, exhibitions, and auctions take place year-round. Performing arts in the form of concerts, theater, and dance are popular in town as well. Theatre on the Ridge is one of Northern California's longest-standing nonprofit community theater groups, with seven productions annually in their quaint, 101-person local venue. Paradise also boasts a Performing Arts Center, symphony orchestra, community chorus, and the Northern California Ballet. Quite an impressive artistic array for a recovering town of about 10,000 residents.