Backroads Culture

Backroads Culture Our team of filmmakers, editors and producers take pride Exploring America’s small towns—their history, hidden gems, unique shops, and natural wonders.

Enjoy the journey off the beaten path!

09/04/2026

Something special is happening in Oroville, California.

Businesses are moving here because they see the potential. New residents are bringing fresh energy, entrepreneurs are investing in the community, and longtime locals are helping shape what comes next. Together, they are creating real momentum in this Northern California town.

Growth in Oroville is not only about opening businesses or developing property. It is about people investing their time, money, creativity, and care in a place they believe in. It is about becoming part of the community, supporting one another, and recognizing the possibilities already here.

Oroville does not need to become somewhere else. The people who know this town understand what makes it special, and they are willing to put in the work to help it reach its potential.

This is Oroville, in Explore Butte County. Its next chapter is not something people are waiting for. They are already making it happen.

What do you think Oroville’s next chapter should look like?

09/01/2026

You’ve never heard of this place… but it holds one of the wildest chapters of California Gold Rush history.

Weaverville sits deep in Trinity County in Northern California, where gold was discovered along the Trinity River in 1848. Trinity County was established before California even became a state, and during the Gold Rush, this remote corner of California became one of the major mining regions of the Klamath Mountains.

The history underneath Weaverville is almost hard to believe. Miners built the town, then realized there was still gold beneath it, digging tunnels underneath buildings and even across streets in search of it.

Just outside town sits the historic La Grange Mine. At its peak, La Grange became the largest hydraulic mine in California and was described as one of the largest hydraulic mining operations in the world. More than 100 million cubic yards of earth and gravel were moved in the pursuit of gold.

And in Weaverville, you can still see a working historic stamp mill, the kind of machinery once used to crush gold-bearing rock, with generations of local history tied directly to it.

That’s what makes Trinity County different. This isn’t just a place where California history happened. In a lot of ways, you can still see, hear, and experience that history here.

If you’re exploring Northern California, driving Highway 299, or looking for California Gold Rush towns that still feel connected to their past, put Weaverville and Trinity County on your list.

Would you visit?

08/27/2026

Chico is a city easily explored on two wheels.
With miles of bike paths and trails connecting neighborhoods to Downtown Chico, Lower Bidwell Park, and all the way into the rugged canyons of Upper Bidwell Park, biking isn't just a way to get around here-it's part of Chico's culture.
You can start your morning sipping coffee and shopping downtown, hop on your bike, cruise beneath the trees of Lower Bidwell Park, and before long find yourself climbing into the rocky foothills and wild landscapes of Upper Park.
Few cities make it so easy to go from downtown streets to mountain trails without ever leaving your bike.
Chico's long-standing reputation as a Bike Friendly Community comes alive in its bike lanes, paths, trails, local cycling community, and traditions like the Wildflower Century, which brings riders together to experience some of the most beautiful roads and scenery surrounding Chico.
From neighborhood rides and downtown coffee runs to miles in Bidwell Park and big days in the foothills, Chico is built for life on two wheels. d
Downtown to dirt trails. Coffee shops to canyons. That's biking in Chico.

08/24/2026

🎶 Redding Roots Revival is back! 🌲✨

Two days of live music, community, and good times take over Downtown Redding September 11–12, 2026. This year’s lineup features The Mother Hips, Jackie Greene, Jelly Bread, Amelia Day, Sway Wild, Chad Bushnell, Ashleigh Flynn Band and many more. (Redding Roots Revival)

Come celebrate the music, culture, and community that make the North State special. Grab your crew, get your tickets, and we’ll see you downtown! 🎸☀️

🎟️ Tickets on sale now: ReddingRootsRevival.org

📍 Downtown Redding, CA
📅 September 11 & 12, 2026

08/18/2026

Grass Valley and Nevada City were built on gold, and the story is still sitting in the hills. Empire Mine became the richest gold mine in the United States, producing millions of ounces that helped shape the West and put these towns on the map.
Today the mine is closed, most of the remaining gold still lies underground, and in 2024 Nevada County I voted not to reopen it, preserving the landscape that started it all.
Spend a day walking the streets and you’ll still feel that history, from the Holbrooke Hotel in Grass Valley to the National Hotel in Nevada City, where miners, travelers, and entrepreneurs once gathered while fortunes were being made just miles away.

Some places don’t just tell history — they still live in it.

08/17/2026

History made in Redding! 🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️☀️

Redding proudly hosted its inaugural 70.3, welcoming more than 1,700 athletes from across the globe to experience our incredible community, and some picture-perfect summer weather!

An event of this magnitude takes an entire community. A huge THANK YOU to the countless volunteers who gave their time and energy, the sponsors who helped make it possible, and all of the local organizations and partners who work tirelessly to bring events and tourism to the Redding region.

Seeing athletes, families, and visitors from around the world experience Redding was something special. This was more than a race, it was an opportunity to showcase our community, our hospitality, and everything our beautiful region has to offer.

Congratulations, Redding, we made history! ❤️

🌲 10 Reasons Northern California Belongs on Your Bucket List 🌲🌉 Sundial Bridge & Redding — An iconic glass-deck bridge, ...
08/16/2026

🌲 10 Reasons Northern California Belongs on Your Bucket List 🌲

🌉 Sundial Bridge & Redding — An iconic glass-deck bridge, beautiful riverfront trails, and the perfect gateway to Northern California adventure.

💦 Shasta Lake — Miles of sparkling water surrounded by mountains, perfect for boating, swimming, fishing, and unforgettable summer days.

🌋 Lassen Volcanic National Park — Steaming geothermal features, alpine lakes, volcanic peaks, and some of the most unique landscapes in California.

🏞️ Sacramento River — One of the region’s greatest natural treasures, offering fishing, kayaking, wildlife, and miles of beautiful scenery.

💧 Burney Falls — A spectacular 129-foot waterfall fed by underground springs that looks incredible in every season.

🥾 Thousands of Miles of Trails — From peaceful river walks to rugged mountain adventures, there’s seemingly always another trail waiting to be explored.

🛣️ National Scenic Highways — Sometimes the drive is the destination, with winding roads through mountains, forests, volcano country, and wide-open landscapes.

🚣 Whiskeytown National Recreation Area — Crystal-clear water, waterfalls, beaches, paddling, hiking, and mountain scenery just minutes from Redding.

🐻 Wildlife Watching — Keep your eyes open for black bears, bobcats, bald eagles, deer, foxes, and countless other wild neighbors.

🌳 Redwood National & State Parks — Walk beneath some of the tallest trees on Earth and experience a landscape that makes you realize just how wild Northern California still is.

From waterfalls and volcanoes to giant redwoods, wildlife, lakes, rivers, trails, and scenic highways, Northern California isn’t just somewhere you visit—it’s somewhere you explore. 🌲🏔️✨

08/04/2026

What if the best small city in Northern California has been hiding in plain sight?

There are places you visit… and there are places that make you want to stay a little longer. Chico is one of those places.

Spend a Saturday morning wandering the farmers market with a coffee in hand. Explore one of the largest municipal parks in the country, then grab lunch from a locally owned restaurant before strolling through downtown’s boutiques, bookstores, and cafés.

Come back on a Thursday evening and you’ll find downtown transformed with the Thursday Night Market—live music, local vendors, great food, and a community that genuinely enjoys being together.

What makes Chico special isn’t just Bidwell Park, the trails, the food, or the events. It’s the people. It’s the way neighbors support local businesses, families fill the parks, and community still feels like community.

Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway or your next favorite place to spend an afternoon, Chico is a city that’s easy to fall in love with.

Follow Future of Chico as we celebrate the people, businesses, events, and stories shaping what might just be Northern California’s best small city.

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