Border Field State Park

Phone (619) 575-3613
Fax (619) 575-6913

Border Field Vehicle Entrance Gate Status =
REOPENING on Saturday, June 20, 2009 ($5 entrance fee)

ATTENTION EQUESTRIANS, HIKERS AND BIKERS!
Certain Trail Sections Will Be Temporarily Closed, for details click here

Monument Mesa with Playas de Tijuana Bull Ring and Lighthouse in Background

Border Field State Park is on the very southwestern corner of the United States and 15 miles south of San Diego. Border Field is located within the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, an important wildlife habitat. The sand dunes and salt marshes give refuge to critically threatened and endangered birds such as the Western Snowy Plover, the California Least Tern, and the Light-footed Clapper Rail.

The park provides restrooms, picnic areas, barbecues, horse corrals, and interpretive displays. Visitors enjoy surf fishing, beach combing, hiking, horseback riding, and bird watching. The Park does not recommend swimming or wading, due to hazardous conditions, such as inshore holes, rip currents, and the lack of lifeguard service within the Park.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was concluded on February 2, 1848, officially ending the U.S./Mexico War. In 1850, delegations from both countries began surveying the boundary at this location and the border monument, number 258, can be viewed on top of Monument Mesa.

ENTRANCE FEE: $5.00 per vehicle
Please watch this website for any changes in the status of vehicular access.

PARK HOURS OF OPERATION
please also see details below
Day After Labor Day - October 30th
9:30a.m. to 6:00p.m.
November 1st - March 14th
9:30a.m. to 5:00p.m.
March 15th - Day before Memorial Day Weekend
9:30a.m. to 6:00p.m.
Memorial Day Weekend - Labor Day
9:30a.m. to 7:00p.m.

WHY IS THE ENTRANCE GATE CLOSED? The entrance gate to Border Field is closed Monday - Friday. There is no vehicle access on those days; however the park remains accessible to pedestrians and equestrians. The entrance gate is open and accessible to vehicles on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays. Vehicles can park at the Monument Mesa parking lots (at the end of the paved road). It is the weekend and the gate is still closed... This means that most likely it has rained within the last 3 weeks. Public vehicle access to Border Field and Monument Mesa may be intermittently closed due to flooding and sedimentation following rainstorms or from runoff from the City of Tijuana. During the rainy season, you should visit this website for the current status before visiting the park or call 619-575-3613 between 10a.m. and 5p.m. for the latest update. We are currently seeking funds for a permanent solution to this flooding problem.

Flooded Road at Border Field State Park

Pedestrians
When the entrance gate is closed, the best way to reach Monument Mesa is to park at the entrance gate lot, walk on the road and when the road turns, continue straight on the dirt path to the beach. When you reach the beach, head south until you reach the border and Monument Mesa. It is advised to stay out of any puddles.

Equestrians
When the gate is open, equestrians may use the staging area below Monument Mesa. When the gate is closed, please stage at the parking area at the entrance gate to the park.

RULES AND REGULATIONS
The following rules and regulations are for your own safety and to protect the plants and animals that live in this Reserve. For additional information, please check out this brochure.

Dogs Dogs (only on leash) are allowed only atop the Monument Mesa picnic area. Therefore, only on Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays, when the road is accessible to public vehicles (when the road is not flooded). No harassing or disturbing wild animals. This is prohibited by state and federal laws.

Endangered California Least Tern

No collecting.
Shells, rocks, wood, plants or animals. As a State Park, all features are protected. Please don’t dig, collect, break or in anyway disturb the natural and historic features found in Border Field State Park. Help us save them for future generations to enjoy. And, anyhow, its against the law.

BORDER FENCE CONSTRUCTION & PARK ACCESS

Access to Border Field State Park will be limited now through at least May 2009, due to construction of the Triple Border Fence and the Tijuana Estuary Sediment Study. Road, trail, and park usage conditions could change daily. We will try to keep you informed as information becomes available to us. Please send any questions regarding access to the park to BorderFieldAccess@parks.ca.gov

5/09: There are currently no restroom facilities available at Monument Mesa as construction has shut off water. Chemical toilets are located at the "elbow" where Monument Road curves South and meets the beach trail.

12/23/08 update: Construction atop Monument Mesa near the historic boundary monument (Friendship Park) is expected to occur during late December 08 or early January 09. Once begun, this construction will temporarily prevent public access to the monument and primary boundary fence, until further notice.

For questions about the Triple Border Fence Construction Project, please contact the
Border Patrol Public Information Office: 619-216-4182

ATTENTION EQUESTRIANS, HIKERS AND BIKERS!
Certain Trail Sections Will Be Temporarily Closed

From October 15, 2008 through February 15, 2009 we will have contractors at Border Field State Park transporting sediment from the sediment basins in Goat Canyon to the beach immediately north of the “horse trail” (aka “Beach Trail”). This work is the implementation phase of the Tijuana Estuary Sediment Study that is described in further detail in the Mitigated Negative Declaration on this website.

The route from the entrance gate directly west to the beach, including the “horse trail” is subject to closure. During transport periods, park users will be encouraged to use alternate (and possibly less-desirable) routes to the beach. Signage will help redirect people along a detour route and flagmen will prevent conflicts between park users and trucks at those points where alternate routes cross truck routes.

The Contractor’s work will be accomplished in 3 separate time periods and must be done to coincide with low tides. There will be a one week transport period in November (likely 3rd through 9th), one week in December and about 3 weeks in January/February. Since access may be effected by inclement weather, it is not possible to specify specific dates of trail closure at this time.

Please watch for signage and use extreme caution around heavy equipment.

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