The Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center (part of the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve) is located at 3rd Street and Caspian Way in Imperial Beach, the most southwestern city in the United States. The Tijuana Estuary is one of the few salt marshes remaining in Southern California. The site is an essential breeding, feeding and nesting ground and key stopover point on the Pacific Flyway for over 370 species of migratory and native birds, including six endangered species.
In an effort to protect public health and the safety of our visitors, volunteers, and staff as the state responds to the continued threat of COVID-19, California State Parks temporarily closed the Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center but the trails are open. Please remember to Stay Safer at 6 Feet and Stay Covered (wear a mask).
The Reserve offers four miles of walking trails, taking visitors into prime bird watching areas and down to the river mouth where the Tijuana River meets the Pacific Ocean. Visitors may explore the park on their own or join one of the free guided nature and bird walks on weekends.
Border Field State Park is located in the southwestern corner of the Reserve, on a bluff overlooking the ocean, the estuary, and the bullring that lies just south of the U.S./Mexico border. A marker on the bluff, first placed there in 1851 just after the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, delineates the western beginning of the International Border.
The Tijuana Estuary was designated as "A Wetland of International Importance" by the International Ramsar Convention in 2005.
301 Caspian Way
Imperial Beach, CA 91932
(619) 575-3613
annemarie.tipton@parks.ca.gov
Visitor Center Hours
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Closed Monday & Tuesday
Trail Hours
Daily from Dawn to Dusk
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