Hiking Border Field State Park Video
This unique and quirky California State Park is located at the southern coastal edge of San Diego, where the beach meets the border fence with Mexico. In this video, I hike from the entry gate at Monument Road, to the beach, and then along the beach to the border fence and border monument.
The Border Field State Park is a part of San Diego that very people see. It’s a most bizarre area that is characterized by farms, horse ranches, and the border patrol. On the United States side of the border, there’s really not much. However, Mexico is built right up to the border fence. The beach on the United States side is empty, and there are often signs that warn of contaminated water. On the Mexico side, the beach is always filled with people, having fun, laughing, swimming, etc. In addition to hiking to the monument, this park is also popular with bird watchers and horse riders because it is a part of the Tijuana River Estuarine Research Reserve.
Visiting the park can be a somewhat unwelcoming, but rewarding experience. Don’t let the lack of a grand entry/welcome deter you. I think most people get to the locked entry gate and just turn away. Armed with the information here, and in this video you’ll be able to make it to the monument and see a side of San Diego that most people never get to see.
The entry gate is located at the end of Monument Rd. In theory, the gate is supposed to be open from 9am-6pm on weekends. However, the road in the park is often flooded, and the gate is rarely open. While the state is seeking $4 million to fix the road, access is only via foot, bike, or horseback. You’ll end up parking at the entrance gate, next to the one sign that says “Border Field State Park.” When you arrive at the locked gate at the end of the road, you’ll be tempted to go on a path to the left, because it looks like a hiking path, and has a little wooden sign box that most hiking trails begin with. Resist your urge to go on that path on the left, because that’s actual a border patrol trail. Instead, continue on foot on the road you were driving on before hitting the locked gate. Continue on foot down the road for about 1/2 mile. You’ll be heading west towards the ocean, and will reach a point where the paved road makes a 90 degree turn to the south. Instead of following the road, continue west on the dirt path for another 3/4 of mile until you reach the beach. From the beach, look to your left, and you’ll see the border fence about 1 mile down.
Once you reach the border fence, head on up to the hill side on your left. There is *ALWAYS* a Border Patrol truck stationed on this hill for obvious reasons. This hill is known as Monument Mesa, because it’s where the 258th border monument is located. People used to be able to walk up directly to the monument, which straddles the border. Unfortunately a few years ago, the border patrol erected another fence about 20 feet back from the original border fence. Access to the monument itself is now only between the hours of 10am and 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. Bummer. To find the monument, Look for the gate, and sign that says “Maximum Occupancy 25.” The monument will be directly behind that gate.
Getting to Border Field State Park:
The easiest way to get there from Interstate-5 is to Exit Dairy Mart Road (exit #2)
Head Southwest on Dairy Mart Road. Dairy Mart Road will curve right onto Monument Road. Turn right (West) on Monument Road until you reach the park entrance.
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