Parks and Rec

Public Invited to Trail Opening in Tijuana River Valley

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Birdwatchers, nature lovers and South County residents: Do you want to be among the first to explore a new boardwalk trail and observation deck in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park?

Then mark off some time Friday morning to join Supervisor Greg Cox and the County Department of Parks and Recreation at 10 a.m. for a short ribbon-cutting ceremony and opening of the one-mile Dairy Mart Loop Trail.

You can park at the International Boundary and Water Commission, 2225 Dairy Mart Road in San Diego. The trailhead and ceremony are across the street.

People on foot, bicycle or horseback are invited to explore the Dairy Mart Loop, which meanders to a new observation area overlooking Diary Mart Pond. It’s a great spot for watching birds, and it features a “bird-blind,” a—a screen with cutouts so people can view birds without scaring them away.

More than 340 bird species have been spotted in the Tijuana River Valley, including the endangered light-footed clapper rail and Bell’s vireo.

The new trail is within walking distance of the Otay Mesa-Nestor and San Ysidro communities, and the County hopes the trail will appeal equally to neighborhood kids and families and birdwatchers from all over the region.   

The Tijuana River Valley is an important watershed and the largest intact coastal wetland remaining in San Diego County. It supports a variety of threatened and endangered plants and animals with habitats ranging from dense riparian forest to coastal maritime sage scrub.

For more information on the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, click here.