State Grant to Fund Link to 22-Mile Tijuana River Trail Network

The state Coastal Conservancy Thursday unanimously awarded a $450,000 grant to fund an almost one-mile-long trail in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park.

The trail will provide a link to the proposed 22-mile trail system that will connect to Border Fields State Park, the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, the California Coastal Trail and the Bayshore Bikeway, San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox said.

"This is great news for nature lovers, hikers, equestrians and everyone who enjoys the outdoors," Cox said in a written statement. "With this grant, we will be able to improve the trails system in the regional park and give people greater access to wildlife habitats and scenic, peaceful preserves."

The 1,800-acre regional park is located south of Imperial Beach and just north of the international border.

A  opened in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park in March.

According to a project summary from the conservancy, the new cash will go toward fixing up an existing trail that will "provide a link between the recently completed Dairy Mart Ponds Loop trail and the Baseball Interpretive Loop trail" which allows access to the greater trail network.

The local community and visitors can travel the trails on foot and in some areas with bikes or horses.

The conservancy is a state agency that purchases, protects, restores, and enhances coastal resources, and provides access to the shore by working with local governments, other public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private landowners.

City News Service contributed to this report.