Border Field State Park
{{Short description|State park in San Diego, California}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Border Field State Park
| iucn_category =
| photo = Border Field State Park (16034475811).jpg
| photo_caption = Border Field State Park sign
| map = USA California#USA
| relief = 1
| location = San Diego County, California, United States
| nearest_city = Imperial Beach, California
| coordinates = {{coord|32|32|36|N|117|6|23|W|region:US-CA|display=inline, title}}
| area_acre = 1316
| established = 1972
| visitation_year = FY 2014/2015
| governing_body = California Department of Parks and Recreation
| website = http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=664
}}
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.{{cite web | title = Border Field SP | url = http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=664 | publisher = California State Parks | access-date = 2011-10-02}} The refuge forms the southern part of Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.
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[https://members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/CA/Airfields_CA_SanDiego_S.htm#border Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: California - Southern San Diego area][http://sunnycv.com/history/exhibits/military.html sunnycv.com Military Bases in the South Bay]Van Wormer, Stephen R. "A Land Use History of the Tia Juana River Valley," California State Parks, Southern Service Center, June 2005.
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."Concerns grow that Border Patrol will never reopen Friendship Park" Salvador Rivera Jul 9, 2024 Fox News
https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/concerns-grow-that-border-patrol-will-never-reopen-friendship-park/
File:Monument marking the Initial Point of Boundary Between U.S. and Mexico (1974 photo).jpg|1974 border
File:Frontera San Diego Tijuana.jpg|2008 border. (Border Patrol vehicles present in image)
File:United States - Mexico Ocean Border Fence (15838118610).jpg|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.
Visitors
For fiscal year 2014–2015 61,799 people visited the Border Field State Park,{{cite web|title=California State Park System Statistical Report 2014/15 Fiscal Year|publisher=Statewide Planning Unit Planning Division California State Parks|url=http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/795/files/14-15%20statistical%20report%20-%20internet.pdf|format=PDF|pages=32–33|access-date=June 6, 2016}} up from 45,633 in FY 2011–2012.{{cite web |title=California State Park System Statistical Report 2011/12 Fiscal Year |publisher=Statewide Planning Unit Planning Division California State Parks |url=http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/795/files/11-12%20statistical%20report%20internet.pdf |format=PDF |pages=28–29 |access-date=June 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701160742/http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/795/files/11-12%20Statistical%20Report%20INTERNET.pdf |archive-date=July 1, 2014 |url-status=dead }}
| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0.5em auto; clear: both; font-size:95%;" |
| style="text-align: center;" |
| style="text-align: center;"
| width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"|To the East: {{S-ttl|rows=1|title=California State Beaches|years=}} | width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"|To the South |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Border Field State Park}}
- [http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=664 Border Field State Park]
- [http://trnerr.org/plan_a_visit/borderfield/ Border Field State Park (Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve)]
- {{cite web |url=https://www.airfieldsfreeman.com/CA/Airfields_CA_SanDiego_S.htm#border |title=Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: California - Southern San Diego area |author=Paul Freeman |date=8 September 2012 |publisher=California Pilot Associated }}
{{Protected areas of California|SP}}
{{San Diego–Tijuana Border |state=expanded}}
{{Tijuana River Watershed}}
{{authority control}}
Category:State parks of California
Category:Parks in San Diego County, California
Category:Beaches of San Diego County, California
Category:Imperial Beach, California
Category:South Bay (San Diego County)
Category:Mexico–United States border
Category:Protected areas established in 1972