Tijuana River Reserve, California

Cultural History

The lower Tijuana River Valley has a limited number of historical and archaeological sites. Based on local records, there are about 16 documented archeological sites located in the nearby area and along the coastal shore. An additional 10 prehistoric sites have also been reported in a reconnaissance survey of the Spooners Mesa. Surveys have revealed three archaeological sites within the reserve.

An early Spanish explorer observed a native village located in the valley in 1769 but the exact location of the village was not recorded. Smuggler's Gulch is believed to be the site of a camp made by Father Junipero Serra in the 1700s. There are a number of recorded paleontological localities in the reserve associated with two fossil-containing formations -- the San Diego Formation and unnamed Pleistocene terrace deposits. The sites are of special significance due to their superb preservation.