The San Diego National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1996 and stretches from Jamul to communities in Spring Valley and eastern Chula Vista. At over 11,152 acres, the refuge is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s contribution to the Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP), a landscape-wide habitat conservation plan to preserve habitat and species while allowing appropriate development. In spring, wildflowers bloom amidst the sage and chamise covered slopes and canyons of San Miguel and McGinty Mountains. The refuge supports open grasslands and cool river corridors. Towering oak woodlands, a habitat type being restored on the refuge, offer shade for visitors walking the trails. The refuge actively restores habitats degraded by prior agricultural uses and wildfire; restoration strategies are guided by ongoing biological surveys and species monitoring programs.

There is no visitor center contact station. The administrative office for the refuge is located at: 14715 Highway 94/PO Box 746 Jamul, CA 91935