Border Field State Park

Border Field State Park is a state park of California, United States, containing beach and coastal habitat on the Mexico–United States border. The park is within the city limits of Imperial Beach in San Diego County, next to the suburb of Playas de Tijuana in Mexico. It contains the southernmost point in the state of California.^[2] The refuge forms the southern part of Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Border Field State Park
Border Field State Park sign
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Location	San Diego County, California, United States
Nearest city	Imperial Beach, California
Coordinates	32°32′36″N 117°6′23″W
Area	1,316 acres (5.33 km2)
Established	1972
Visitors	62,000[1] (in FY 2014/2015)
Governing body	California Department of Parks and Recreation
Website	http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=664

Border Field State Park contains Friendship Park, which is just inland from the place where the border meets the ocean. Immediately adjacent is the Initial Point of Boundary Between U.S. and Mexico.

History

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was concluded on February 2, 1848, officially ending the war between the United States and Mexico. It provided that the new international border between the two countries be established by a joint United States and Mexican Boundary Survey. The commission began its survey at Border Field. During World War II it was base for Border Naval Outlying Landing Field^[2][3][4][5]

The park was closed to the public in 2020 during the COVID-19 outbreak. After the COVID-19 threat passed, the park remained closed, ostensibly due to flooding and sewage issues. In 2024 the park remained closed, purportedly due to construction on new border fence. The park remains closed as of January 2025.^[6]

• Escalating militarization of the U.S.’s border barrier at Border Field State Park
• 
  1974 border
• 
  2008 border. (Border Patrol vehicles present in image)
• 
  2014 border

Habitat

The Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve contains much of Border Field State Park and is an important wildlife habitat. The salt and freshwater marshes give refuge to migrating waterfowl and resident wading birds, such as black-necked stilt, American avocet, green-winged teal, American wigeon and pelicans. The park offers hiking, horse trails, surf fishing and birding.^[2]

Visitors

For fiscal year 2014–2015 61,799 people visited the Border Field State Park,^[1] up from 45,633 in FY 2011–2012.^[7]

To the East: San Ysidro	California State Beaches	To the South Tijuana

See also

• Initial Point of Boundary Between U.S. and Mexico
• Friendship Park
• Imperial Beach
• List of beaches in San Diego County
• List of California state parks
• Mexico–United States international park
• Playas de Tijuana
• Tijuana River (Río Tijuana)
• Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
• Tortilla Wall