San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge

About San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge

San Diego Bay National Wildlife RefugeThe San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge protects a rich diversity of endangered, threatened, migratory, and native species and their habitats within a highly urbanized coastal environment. The refuge is located at the south end of San Diego Bay and is surrounded by the cities of National City, Chula Vista, San Diego, Imperial Beach, and Coronado. Established to protect endangered and threatened species, the refuge encompasses approximately 2,620 acres of land and water in and around San Diego Bay.Nesting, foraging, and resting sites are managed to support a wide variety of bird species. Waterfowl and shorebirds overwinter or stop here to feed and rest as they migrate along the Pacific Flyway. Undisturbed expanses of cordgrass-dominated salt marsh provide sustainable habitat for the light-footed Ridgway's rail.Enhanced and restored wetlands offer high-quality habitat for fish, birds, and coastal salt marsh plants, including the endangered salt marsh bird’s beak. Quiet nesting areas, buffered from surrounding urban development, help ensure the reproductive success of the threatened western snowy plover, endangered California least tern, and other ground-nesting seabirds and shorebirds.The refuge also offers the public opportunities to observe birds and wildlife in their native habitats and to connect with the natural environment. Environmental education and interpretive programs help expand public awareness of the refuge’s rich wildlife resources. The San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a haven for both wildlife and people, to be valued and protected for generations to come.The refuge consists of two units: the Sweetwater Marsh Unit and the South San Diego Bay Unit. These areas preserve most of what remains of San Diego Bay’s historic coastal salt marsh and intertidal mudflat habitat.Sweetwater Marsh UnitSweetwater Marsh covers 316 acres and was established in 1988 on the east side of San Diego Bay. This area has a rich c

How to Get There

Plug into your GPS: 1080 Gunpowder Point Dr. Chula Vista, CA 91910. To get here from I-5 freeway, exit E street exit and turn west into the entrance of the free parking lot and shuttle stop, where E street intersects Bay Boulevard. Open from 10am - 5pm, Wednesday to Sunday, a shuttle bus run by the Living Coast Discovery Center will bring your inside the refuge gates about every 15 minutes. Check the Living Coast Discovery Center website for most up-to-date information. There is no fee to walk the 1.5 miles of trails, however there is a fee to explore the Living Coast Discovery Center. Both the Discovery Center and our administrative headquarters are located next to each other.

Plan Your Visit to San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Heading to San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)