Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve Reviews

A wild armadillo smelled my sandal today...we were on a long walk (at least 2.5 miles on winding rough trails through The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve in Vilano Beach) I spotted the armadillo rooting in the leaf duff and slowly went closer. He actually come to me and smelled my sandal... then put his nose in the air and walked back to his job finding food.

What a wonderful place!

It has an okay education center but it looked like a dozen other centers. The best thing was the telescope set up to watch the Bald eagle's nest. I had hoped for a walking path for my mom (whose in her 80s), but if there was one, we didnt find it.

I've been here a few times now, but only to use the beaches on the ocean side! Parking is 3 dollars and there is plenty of it across a number of lots.

The beaches are clean and untouched. The dunes are marked off in order to preserve them properly. We will continue to return!

Recently explored the visitor center and some of the area this reserve offers. The employee at the registration desk (where parking is paid) was extremely helpful and provided much information about the reserve. The visitor center has a plethora of information with various overlay maps. There is a reptile exhibit with snakes, a barking tree frog and several small gators. There is also a tank of terrapin turtles. There is a diorama of the wildlife found in the area. A telescope is available to view the rookery across the water (with documentation of bald eagle sightings).
A short walk on a paved path to the dam to see what is being caught by individuals fishing.
A nominal parking fee of $3.00 plus tax (no cash accepted) is charged. This parking fee allows parking at other areas of this vast reserve.
A few miles up the road, at another parking lot we took the walkover (over the dune) to view the beach.
An extremely vast area. Can't wait to return to explore more of this pristine area.

Gorgeous uncrowded beaches with 3 access points.$3 to park. Portable toilet. Dogs allowed on leash. Unfortunately several people think this does not apply to them. Dogs running down beach without owners paying attention and too far away to have voice command of their dogs.

I love to spend a day here. Fishing, or across at the beach access. The nature is breath taking. The real Florida - dunes, tides, crabs, birds, lizards, and of course the insects too! I've seen plenty of kayakers - I just haven't given that a try yet. They have nice facilities, so don't let that stop you from stopping by.

We went to the nature center which had some interesting local information about the area. It was a $2.00 admission that was reasonable. There are clean bathrooms here and an area where you can walk out and see several different types of birds. They have a telescope set up to watch an eagles nest and another one outside for viewing other wildlife up close. I thought the short film was informative. Weather was not conducive to hiking, but we did stop at the north access beach and took the short walk to the beach. We enjoyed learning about the local history of the area and Florida's efforts to keep this area untouched. Would like to return to hike some of the other trails.

I liked going on the dock and looking through binoculars. Also, when we went inside, we got to hold sea urchins which was awesome.

Our friend, a local resident, took us here; we'd never have known about it otherwise. For a mere $3 per vehicle, you can enjoy a peaceful woodsy stroll. There were several paths to choose from depending on how long you wanted to hike. They seemed clearly marked, and there were maps at a few points along the trail. We opted for the purple one and saw lizards aplenty, a tortoise, and even a shy armadillo. Bring bug spray and be vigilant about ticks. Restrooms and picnic tables were located by the parking lot.

Beautiful walking trails among the "untouched" beauty of northeast Florida's historical marshlands; some in open lands, others among the thick beauty of oaks and cypress trees.The downside is simply that some of the trials are restricted with rain and are unnavigable afterward.

Weather you enjoy fishing, hiking or wildlife watching, this is a good place to it all. Not far over the bridge from St Augustine and five min from Ponte Vedra, this reserve and Wildlife Mgt Area affords you great hiking trails, fishing (pole or cast netting) in the marsh or kayaking the estuary. You can rent kayaks on site just after entering through the main gate.

We have kayaked all up and down the first coast, so I have to open with that remark. Guana T is not one of my favs. There are osprey, blue heron, and various other birds to see, however, I enjoy many of the other state parks far more. For starters, Guana is a fresh to brackish lake with no water outlet if the damn is closed, so you won’t see any dolphins or manatees. There also isn’t a lot of shade cover, so be sure to bring your suntan lotion.

Admittedly we didn't spend much time here, but we were glad to see the good work they are doing to preserve and interpret the fragile ecosystem threatened by all the over building.
The highlight of the displays were the huge whales, manatees, manta ray and other sea creatures hanging overhead. A great rainy day activity for the whole family!
We got the biggest kick out of all the different shore birds out on the dock behind it. There was a lot of jumping on top of each other and complaining and jockeying for position.

The Guana if for hikers, bikers and wildlifers. It is filled with trails and wildlife, . Bring a compass and good hiking shoes. It is a great place for bicycles for a family ride. If you are a photographer a 70/200mm fast lens is the right one to carry. At the start of the trails you will enjoy a great exhibition of what grows and lives in the Guana. There is a parking fee of $3.00 and it is worth the time to see the exhibits even if you are not a hiker. It is a wonderful place for those who bike. YES, it is worth the time.

I was looking for a place to run other than the beach or busy A1A. This is a natural habitat with well marked trails and plenty of options. Take your time, walk the dog or go for a run. Most trails have a natural canopy and are hard packed sand or pine needles. Easy to navigate. There is a $3 per car admission but when I arrived there was no attendant.

We live in the area and come here as often as possible. Lots of wildlife. I recommend this for everyone both near and far

This is one of the best places in the area to hike, fish and kayak. A must if you love the outdoors. Great birding as well. Bring a camera and binoculars.

Guana is beautiful and a great place to kayak and view wildlife. As with so many places in Florida, the natural areas should be preserved and protected. Unfortunately, as I write this, developers are seeking to take away 100 acres of Guana known as the "Outpost" and Gate Petroleum, parent company to the Ponte Vedra Corporation claims its conservation designation is "erroneous". I am a Florida native and descendent of pioneers who settled here as early as 1750. I have seen the continual destruction of forests and wetlands to make way for poorly planned and unnecessary communities pushed forward by developers and officials who care little about the future impact on the human, wildlife or plant population. Pure greed destroyed my hometown, not far north of Guana, situated along the St. John's River and turned that quaint, beautiful river town into an ugly, hot mess of urban sprawl, even condemning the massive and ancient oak trees that lined many of the town's streets and Highway 17. Please support these few remaining vestiges of Old Florida and when you visit, reflect on
and enjoy the natural beauty of the place and please leave no trace! Thank you.

I like to hike in the woods, my wife likes the beach, so this location worked out very well. There is a parking lot just south of the entrance to the park next to a store. I went to the beach (across the road) for a short time, left my wife there and walked the path to the Guana River Road, Environmental Center and Reserve...a 3 minute walk.

I started off at the Guana River Environmental Center which has a very nice display with detailed explanations of the floral & fauna of the area. The inexpensive admission prices is well worth it.

I then left and walked the path to the parking lot and dam; watched a few fisherman and eventually the paths and boardwalks through the woods to the beaches.

I saw several armadillos and lots of birds throughout the trails, in the woods and marshes & swamps. The trails are well marked.

This was during the week so the area was not crowded at all with only a few hikers, several fishermen and a couple bikers.

It would be a great place to do lots of miles of hiking and biking if you wanted to spend the day, but I only spent a couple hours here. Just be sure to check for ticks as I had one on me.

I'll be back to spend more time next time I visit the area!

We visited Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve in early February. First time there. $3 admission for the car - self pay in an envelope in a slotted box. We hiked the yellow trail - easy to follow and offered some great shade. Saw armadillo, wood stork, snowy egret. Carried in our picnic lunch and sat at the picnic tables at the half way point along the Guana River. Lovely! There are bathrooms and a water pump at the trailhead. Great way to spend a few hours.

You can go from the woods to the beach in a matter of steps. The staff is passionate about their work and very accomodating.
Wide variety of hikes which are not strenuous although some are longer in duration. This is definitely worth the stop.

We went for a long walk in the reserve for exercise. The scenery is beautiful and the many miles of trails are well maintained. We wish we had more time to explore further and intend to do so the next time we are in the area.

The area is a protected reserve . This is old Florida and delightful to visit . Parking is limited and located throughout the park . The views are spectacular . This is a great afternoon for water activities , fishing and relaxing .

Drove down from Ponte Vedra. Beautiful, wide sandy beaches. The only downside was the daily parking fee. Our schedule only allowed us to spend an hour or two each day, but having to pay each day added up, so we only went once in 4 days. It would have been nice to have a multi-day option.

We visited the museum, which had a video program teaching about estuaries. It must have been effective, because we still talk about them! There are hiking trails, if weather is decent. Take sunscreen and insect repellent. A small beach is across A1A.

The perfect place to visit if you want to get away from the local tourist traps located in the beach section of the first coast. All nature, with abundant trails, beautiful scenery. This is the real Florida.

the museum/aquarium is a great place...located on the river, it offers spectacular views of the water and wildlife......well done!!

We have been coming to this beach for the past ten years now and always enjoy the solitude, the diversity of the wildlife, this wonderful beach is the highlight of our stay in the area - and It is great to have the statue of Juan Ponce de Leon erected at the North Beach site - very thoughtful and it looks brilliant, reminding everybody of the historical value of this particular site! And another great pastime is looking for fossilized sharks teeth, which seem to be quite plentiful in this area!

This expansive area along A1A bordering the Atlantic Ocean between St. Augustine and Pointe Verde, Florida can bring you back to the day when Ponce de Leon first saw this land in 1513. It is a beautiful drive along this coastal highway. Limited paid parking is located at 3 locations along this drive and you walk across the highway to access boardwalks which lead to the beaches of the reserve. Beautiful pristine sand and a beautiful sunset! Enjoy the peace and tranquility of a non-commercial and uncluttered time.....

I've lived in Florida 34 years and learned some things I didn't know about estuarine environments. The views are amazing. Education center is handicapped accessible, as are some walkways. Would love to have been able to participate in a guided exploration. Those take place infrequently, so check before you go and plan accordingly. Also, when I called, we were warned that 75 students would be there 2 days that week, so we chose a different day. If you like to fish, there's easy access from shore.

My wife and I hike the Guana/Talomato on a regular basis during the cooler months. There are too many mosquitoes and other creatures during the Summer months. Still some really good fishing in the river though.

Love having such pristine places to hike and enjoy the wildlife close by.

There are two parts: the Nature Learning Center and the Reserve itself. The reserve offers several hiking trails ($3 entrance fee) but be sure to take insect repellent as you are going into a "wild" area. The person at the Nature Learning Center said there was lots of wildlife but we saw only one turtle. Probably since there were quite a few people on the trail we were on. The Learning Center asks for a $2 per person donation. It's not really worth it but it's for a good cause. Biking, fishing and even kayaking are offered. It's a great opportunity to get out into nature in an urban surrounding.

Beautiful beach. The learning center is very informative and my kids loved it. Lots of shells and shark teeth on the beach. Had a lovely visit.

This is my favorite beach ever! It is almost untouched. The dunes are still there because it's protected, and they're beautiful. The beach is covered in shells, and you can find some beautiful whole shells for your collection. You can even find sharks teeth, which is so fun! It's like finding little treasures! I once bumped into a couple who had a whole bottle full! Sometimes the tides go out and leave little pools that my kids love playing in. You have to pay $3 to park and use the beach, but it's totally worth it because it's almost empty most times of the year. Even at it's busiest in the summer, there's till plenty of parking and spaces. I have the most beautiful pictures from this beach. When I step onto this beach I instantly relax, and just soak up the serene beauty, I always hate to leave!

A brief 20 minute ride north of St. Augustine on A1A takes you to a nature treasure. The GTM Reserve offers opportunities for fishing, surfing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, canoeing, bird watching and a fabulous education center. The education center ($2 charge) should be your first stop. If you're lucky you'll be just in time to see the once-a-week feeding of the Horse Conch (Florida's state shell) who is given a meal of a smaller conch (see photo). There are many more excellent exhibits, a telescope focused on eagle's nest, an outdoor pier where many sea birds congregate and a nice little film about the national estuarine research program. The staff is very helpful and gave us trail maps and other brochures. To get to the trailhead parking you must drive over the Guana River dam ($3). From there 10 miles of trails run the length of the peninsula with many interpretive kiosks along the way. We walked through hammocks, scrub and flatwoods and encountered an armadillo and a possum. This is a great place to get away from the commercial attractions and spend some quiet time with nature.

If you want to see and learn about the animals, birds and wildlife of this area this is the place to go. There is plenty to see including manatees and sometime alligators and lots of birds. Numerous hiking trails and an educational center open to the public with interesting exhibits

Extremely well maintained and with multiple trails leading to the river, you'll never get bored of hiking this place. Ample parking and picnic tables make for a very relaxing trip. Keep in mind there are other entrances and this review is just for the main location off A1A in Ponte Vedra.

My husband and I stopped here spur of the moment for a hike. We did not grab a paper map and ended up getting lost...in an active hunting area! Unfortunately, the signs and the maps located within the reserve do not match up. Luckily, we found a worker there who told us to head back past the "cow gate" (which was open) and take the next turn.

Great afternoon outing! Trails range from 1/4 mile paved to close to 6 miles on wide, well marked and maintained trails. Coastal forest and marsh and beach along the river. Nature all around. Saw a beautiful owl on our hike.

Wonderful spot for a hike or just a walk. Well marked trails are easy to navigate. I like to take binoculars to look for wildlife and birds in this lovely, natural setting. Always enjoy a visit to the Education Center

It is a nice outing in the woods and marsh; with all of the good and all of the not so good. If you are not an outdoorsy type, go somewhere else. Plenty to see and you feel like you are removed from civilization for a while.

A beautiful place for birding, walking on the trails or just learning more about nature. Great place for children - especially the nature center.

Guana River State Park is now part of the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve. The research reserve is on A1A, between St. Augustine and Jacksonville . It's over 60,000 acres are beaches, sand dunes, salt marshes, mangroves, tidal wetlands, tidal creeks, oyster beds, estuarine lagoons, maritime hardwood hammock, freshwater depression marshes, pond pine and shell mound forests. There are lots of trails to explore, a boat launch and some very historic shell mounds. There is lots of signage explaining the history of the area.

Unbelievable stretch of beach without hotels, homes, etc. Incredible shelling experience. Just park in of the lots for $3 and cross over the highway onto a boardwalk that leads to the pristine beach. The day I was there we saw only a few people (maybe 5) between South Beach and Middle Beach. It was a peaceful walk that was only interrupted by amazing shell finds. Note: there is a portable toilet in the South Beach parking lot (I would assume the others have them too) but nothing on the beach itself.

Four ladies walked the park on the yellow trail for 2.2 miles. There are 6 trails with up to 5.8 mile walks. We saw a lot of bird watchers but very few hikers. Yellow trail ends at St Johns river with awesome views. Nature at its finest and a very easy walk. We had a blast! Very well maintained and ample parking.

We've been to GTM-NERR twice now, and both times found it well worth the visit. Admission is cheap, the displays are wonderfully clear and informative (and sometimes humorous--the migration patterns maps include "human" and everyone comes to Florida),

I was a little disappointed this time to find the place understaffed/underfunded perhaps a bit. The gift shop was closed, and one of the displays wasn't working. The local fauna compensated; there was a gopher tortoise grazing next to the parking lot, and a number of shore birds were roosting on their deck, nicely sorted into groups by species.

It will take a typical visitor one to two hours to fully enjoy the museum. If you want to use their docks and hiking trails or take on one of their special programs, the pleasure could be extended to all day or longer.

This place is a treasure for those who enjoy learning about nature, and I plan to hunt down other NOAA esturary centers to find out if they have similar facilities for future trip planning.

I visited a portion, but did not find the wooden path. No matter, it is great just looking at it from the boat ramp. We didn't see anyone to ask. It would be great to go on a boat.

There are three parking lots with walk over A1A. Parking is very difficult so get there early or ride your bike down on the sand at low tide!

Very educational outing for anyone. Highly recommend to visit if you are traveling down A1A in Ponte Verdra.

From the Trailhead Pavilion we took the purple trail to the red trail for a loop to the south end of the island. Then we took a short walk up the yellow trail. Beautiful sights and sounds. We would like to have had time to hike and bird watch on some of the trails heading north from the Trailhead.

Unspoiled Natural spot to walk and think. Florida at its natural best . Wild life abounds and it is very educational for everyone even the kids

This Center is very active in research about Estuarine fauna, flora, climate change, etc...
There is a small museum, good for kids, with some interactive activities. Small nominal fee, I don't remember exactly but it may be $2 pp. Count 45' for a visit.
Beyond the museum is the huge reserve on the Intracoastal waterway. To access the parking lot, you'll have to pay a fee ( around $3 for a car).
The most common trails are Southbound, one side in the hammock, the other on the river. For an experienced hiker, it takes about 2 hrs for a roundtrip to/from the South point.
Sometimes, some wilderness can be seen. Beware,rattle Snakes are common on the trail, specially in fall season. They won't bother you unless you walk on them or corner them. Just look where you walk and you are fine, and be careful with kids who tend to roam around.
Otherwise, I saw wild boars, deer, birds...
During summer time, don't forget your Deet spray. Millions of horse flies and mosquitos are around!

Excellent education center and hiking trails. Great place to volunteer while enjoying Florida nature.

We so enjoyed the tour by Bill and Doug. The two hours they spent with us sharing the history of the area, rice plantations where the Guana Lake sits, biological/nature findings we really well worth it.

This park system provides many well maintained parking areas with facilities and ready access across the highway to a long stretch of some of the most beautiful untouched beach you will ever see on the Atlantic side in FL. Well worth the drive from Daytona Beach via Highway 1A. Many birds to see and nicely designed walkways and outlooks next to the beach. A $3 fee is charged on the honor system and area is patrolled regularly by the FL Fish and Wildlife rangers.

Living right near this place for the last 4 years and never visited this place. Stopped by Saturday with my wife and did a small hike of about 1 mile each way. The scenery is amazing! This is what Florida looked like 200 years ago. They have several hikes of varying lengths; places to fish; benches to just sit and enjoy the views. Several small parking lots that probably fill up on busy days. On the way out we spotted an Eagle maybe 50 yards from us in a tree.

This place is beautiful and well worth the three dollar entry every time! Trails are super well maintained and well marked. Didn’t see many wildlife this visit except for a digging armadillo. Many different trails of varying lengths and easy to combine to make longer or shorter. Only issue is the bugs. I always be sure to wear bug spray even if it’s not that hot. Don’t recommend in the summer, worst time of the year to visit when it’s hot + humid all the bugs are out. Otherwise highly recommend checking out this place. Excited to visit again!

This park provided a lovely day to my husband who likes to fish and me, a walker, bird watcher and history buff. Lovely trails that are very well marked and easy to traverse have large stops along the way with detailed history boards of the area. Occasional benches allow one to take a break. A boardwalk on the side of a marsh serves as a bird and wildlife viewing area. The beach on the river side nice to sit and watch boats coming and going and my husband reeled in a river trout there. The damn area is another good viewing site and we watched others catch drum, red and blue fish there.

I really like this place, especially on weekdays when it's almost empty. Always so many things to see... wildlife, flowers, birds, places...

Beautiful views of atlantic ocean .. Good for beach evening walks. Got lucky and saw a baby turtle joining his family .. Checkout the video :-
http://youtu.be/Uqp9-fLM-Ms

A great stop we came upon while out driving! It was $3.00 to get in and park. There were several trails to choose from. We sent on the 1 mile (yellow trail), which took us through the habitat on a very nice, wide trail, down to the river. Plenty of room for both walkers, joggers and bikers! It was a nice walk with beautiful scenery.

On a trip here in April, we visited the park for some place to hike and really get into the Florida nature. With the water, woods, sand, and dirt, it was worth the hike. There are plenty of places to fish, plenty of spots to see wildlife, and it is a very well-kept area. I would love to come back and bike the trail - it is not technical at all, and would make for a relaxing ride.

I would love to go back. Did a 3.2 mile hike and hung around there for a bit. Also checked out the educational building, very cool inside with a few aquariums. It costs a small separate fee to get in there though.

Really nice place to visit. Great beaches to go to off of A1A. Park for a small fee and cross over to walk fish or swim the seashore. Great fishing at the dam at Guana or rent a kayak to explore the reserve. Boat launch there so you can take your own watercraft. Plenty of self guided walking trails there for you to explore also.

This is a true gem located between Jacksonville and St. Augustine. Pick up a map and learn about the local plant and animal life at the science center before heading up to the trails or fishing area. The exhibit is very well done, the staff is informative, and the bathrooms are spotless.

On the way to the trails you will pass an area where fishing is the primary activity. Fisherman can be seen on shore and wading in an area know to be visited by the local alligator. Wade at your own risk.

Once you get to the trail head you will have several routes to choose from. Generally, the staff will post a sign if portions of some of the trails are impassable due to flooding. I have made the mistake of not taking these signs seriously and found myself wading through knee deep water to progress through one of the trails. You will have the opportunity to see all sorts of wildlife including alligators, turtles, rodents, armadillos and foxes. While not mentioned on the information board at the trail head, on several occasions I have notice deer tracks along the trails as well as what appears to be feral hog tracks. If I'm incorrect about the hogs I'm sure I'll be corrected. I also saw a rather large paw print that I'm guessing was either a Bobcat or Coyote.

The following are a few items that I highly recommend bringing for a trip to the park.

For Hikers and Cyclists: WATER, INSECT REPELLANT, hand towels, hat, sunglasses, camera, a change of clothes (including shoes), snacks and a plastic bag for your trash.

Have fun!

Our family loves the beach here. There are 3 main parking areas along AIA where you can park for $3 and walk across the street to an almost secluded beach. You may see a few families/dogs/fishermen there, but much quieter than the public beaches. I believe the 3rd parking lot has wheelchair access. Note that there are no facilities/water at the first or second lot (haven't been to the 3rd).
The Outdoor Education Center which is a couple miles further South was well worth a visit for kids or adults!
We also took a kayak tour through Ripple Effect Ecotours in the estuary and although blazing hot, was very informative!

We came across this park when we drove from Jax to St Augustine (via A1A). Only a few dollars for entrance. They have a nice little center where you can read some information about the park or look for some birds. You can park your car near the entrance of the walking area.
Different paths to take. Unfortunately some part of the paths were flooded so we only could see a little loop. All the paths are connected, so you can walk a small loop or make it bigger as you go. It is worth a visit. The landscape differs every so many meters. Lots of birds. Just great! And when you are lucky you can even spot some whales!

The GTM National Estuarine Reserve is one of twenty some estuarine reserves around the U.S.A. It's a national treasure, and a fantastic place to enjoy nature and learn about how important biodiversity is to our ecosystem. The GTM is a serene nature preserve just north of St. Augustine with 80,000 acres of protected wetlands and coastal hammock. There are many species of birds, plants, trees, mammals and reptiles to observe in their natural habitat.

Visit the education center, where scientists and educators are working on an array of research projects. I had the opportunity to participate in a two year community project to rebuild an oyster reef along the bordering intracoastal waterway, and to conduct a survey of native bees.

Be sure to visit the education center and watch the beautiful video describing the estuary. There are plenty of activities for children.

While driving from Jacksonville to St. Augustine on our vacation, we saw the sign for this. Both of us love the outdoors and nature, so we decided to stop and see what was there. The nature center and entire place was outstanding (and I have been to countless nature centers). Exhibits were well presented and explained. It gave us a sense of the natural Florida. The staff was friendly too. My wife is a biology teacher and saw a stack of a poster she could used in her class. She asked if they were available for purchase, and the staffer gave her one for free. When we are back in the area, we will plan to spend more time here next time.

We stopped at the visitor center and were immediately greeted by two lovely people that showed us around and were quite informative. The beach was nice, but make sure to Check our the visitor center!!

Maybe 10 miles from the heart of St. Augustine, GTMNERR gives walkers, hikers, bikers, fisherman, crabbers, kayakers, beach walkers, boaters, and other nature lovers an opportunity to do just that. A dog friendly park but dogs need to be leashed - for their protection on the trails. Some trails lead to the Tolomato River, part of which helps form the intracoastal waterway. Views are impressive. Admittance is $3 per carload. Perhaps the best entertainment deal in the area. There are several entrances on A1A and all offering different paths. GTMNERR also has a nice educational center at one of the entrances. Good for kids and adults.

We were on a mission to have a beach day when we stopped here, so we didn't do any of the hikes. The beach was beautiful, quieter than many others. It was clean and there were lots of small shells to go scouting for. Parking is across the road and a dune, not at all visible from the beach. Even though we saw several officers keeping an eye on the general area, we weren’t very comfortable with everything so far out of view. When your vehicle screams “tourist” and all your stuff is in there, it’s not worth the risk, so we didn’t stay long and moved on to more populated areas. Any other time, this would have been an ideal beach for us. On another trip, (with our stuff at a hotel) we'd spend and entire day exploring the area. Parking lots are $3 on the honor system.

We took the bikes out to the trails and had a wonderful day exploring. We had one mountain bike and one beach cruiser, both with tag-alongs on the back for our younger children. While I was able to ride the trails with the beach cruiser, it would have been easier with a mountain bike (tree roots, mud, etc). We took the yellow, blue and orange trails and saw some beautiful scenery. The three trails combined was the perfect distance for us. It probably took us an hour to an hour in half. The yellow trail takes you to the intracoastal where my daughter loved playing with hermit crabs and watching the fiddler crabs. We then went to the nature center and my kids LOVED it. The volunteer gave them a scavenger hunt list and the kids (ages 4 and 6) were so into it. At the end they turned it in for a surprise (rainbow loom bracelet). We will be back.

Rented a kayak and had the most peaceful day. Great place to crab or fish also...bike and hiking trails also...beautiful, quintessential Florida scenery

Mostly we come to Ponte Vedra to the beach and for great restaurants. This reserve with miles of trails, beaches, birds a river, and lots more is a great place to get out into the nature. Costs $3 to park. Museum is free. Well worth a detour if you have the time.

Great place for gorgeous sunset. You’ll feel like you’re in a far off land with spectacular savanna scenery. Highly recommend

Nice well marked trails in a semi wilderness area. There are a variety of trail lengths to choose from. Take you four legged best friend too. We were convinced the that the one mile orange trail was more than a mile but it is easy walking. We were there on a cool day and didn't see much wildlife.

The visitor center staff were great greeting us and providing information about the preserve and surrounding area. There were all kinds of displays. Interactive ones regarding the wildlife and their migration pattens. Displays with live animals: snakes, turtles, fish and more. A long range monocular focused on the bald eagles nest on the grounds and so much more. At the time of our visit only $3 for a carload of people to enter the preserve. Several hiking trails of different lengths visiting various areas of the preserve. Be certain to check the “current conditions” board as you approach the trails to see if any areas are closed. The parking fee can be used to visit three other parking areas that have beautiful views and beaches. We stopped at the North End and took some additiona photos there.

This research recreational reserve os 8 miles from St Augustine on the A1A in South Point Vedra Beach which is a really. Ice drive and there are plenty of spaces to pull off and see the different vistas. There are ten miles of walking, hiking, cycling trails you can take and they are all clearly signposted with the distance so you can find the walk that suits you. There is a charge of $3 for vehicle parking. We chose the yellow walk, which ended at Shell Bluff overlooking the Tolomato River. There are plenty of i formation boards explaining the history and work of the Reserve as well as pointing out what wildlife to watch out for! There is also a very good information centre and scavenger hunts are available from here, good for children.

I love going to the beach here! There are hardly any people, and it is always amazing. Parking is totally reasonable only $3. There are nice stairways to get to the beach! love love love coming here! :)

There are 3 main areas to visit: forest, beach and museum.
Flat, easy trails of different lengths provide great views of wildlife. Walk to the river, or around a pond. To enter, you pay (usually you need singles to put in the machine, $3) and cross the dam and park. You can fish on either side of the dam. There are restrooms at the trail head. Take plenty of water.
The beaches are beautiful but amenities are minimal. You pay to park, no attendants at any of the 3 lots, and cross the street to the beach. Also, there are many car break-ins at the beach parking lots (the reason for a 4 star review).
The meuseum provides excellent information on the estuary and the flora and fauna of the surrounding area. Separate admission is required. I think it is $2 per adult, well worth the expense.
GTM also offers guided hikes, seining in the lake, and beach activities. I've never used it, but there is a boat launch. The GTM is spread out along several miles of highway, the hiking and the museum are located in the same area, but require separate admission fees. Call or check the web site for activities.

What a great place to get the feel of what Florida's coast used to be. When you walk any of the trails through the forest, you are totally transformed from today to many yesterdays ago. The forest side of the Reserve is quiet and cool. Birds sing, snakes will slither and other creatures will abound if you are quiet enough. A transforming day. If you fish, there's plenty of company for you and if you still love the beach best, cross over A1A and enjoy a wild beachfront - no homes, no concessions, no clubs, just the sea and the sand and other visitors.

The park is a great little get away for a 2-6 mile walk around the reserve. We have seen diamondback rattlesnake and wild pigs.

If you enjoy the outdoors and being close with nature please visit Guana. There are many birds to see, many trails to venture and wild life at your fingertips. I fish the Dam and Guana all the time and land hundreds of fish per year. The crowds get crazy and packed so be prepared for shoulder to shoulder action if they are running. Highly recommended for experienced anglers but not for small children and rookies.

If you're looking for a place in Florida to hike, backpack and see some great wildlife then look no further than the Guana River State Park and Reserve. This place has trails for days and an immense and diverse ecosystem to enjoy. Right across the street from this gem is the Atlantic Ocean so if you hike in the early morning and get some miles in, you can go right across the street and rest on the beach with the ocean waves lulling you to sleep. When we went, we saw a bear, lots of armadillos, flamingos, a vast array of birds, raccoons and even some baby wild pigs. The morning sun illuminates through the trees and brings a spiritual vibe to the place making your experience in the woods that much more celestial. There are many different trails so you can pick your level of difficulty or ease. It's mainly flat because hey, it's Florida, but it is one of the best hiking places I've been in the state.

We love to walk on the beach and so when they temporarily closed Mickler's Landing for beach renourishment we ventured south (about 3 miles) to this natural preserve. Beach is very wide and long and great to walk on as there were very few people when we were there during the week. Parking is across A!A and costs $3 unless you have an annual beach pass ($30). Despite damage to the dunes from our last hurricane, the dunes are very large and covered with vegetation. This is a great way to spend a very peaceful relaxing day.

The GTM Nerr is the US's 25th reserve that offers over 73,000 acres of tidal wetlands, lagoons, uplands and coastal ocean. This is a place of conservation, recreation, education and research. One can spend a day at the research center viewing exhibits, hiking the many trails, wildlife viewing, bicycling, fishing, birding and even volunteering for special projects like butterfly monitoring.

While in the reserve one will be able to enjoy resident and migratory wildlife while learning about the culture and history of the area. You will see different habitats side to side like a freshwater marsh, salwater marsh, dunes, forest and ponds. It is hard to count the variety of trees, wildflowers and grasses. Bring a camera, walking stick and binoculars.

This place is amazing because you can walk or bike through the forest, near the river and the trails that cross the beach. I saw aligators, turtles and fish.

A great place to experience the real Florida. Lots of nature, woods, river, ocean. There are hiking /bike trails, fishing, wildlife viewing, and of course the beach. A great place to visit if you want to get out and enjoy mother nature.

After seeing the history and science exhibits at the GTM education center. We went over to the Outpost to rent Kayaks, but there was one of their eco tour guides there and we decided to go with him. So glad. They had so many great stories. We learned about geology, history, ecology, botany, and marine biology. So interesting. It's free to get into the education center. The tour was over 2 hours and a great value. We were staying in St Augustine. It is north of Villano beach. We were on our way to Ponte Vedra and stumbled upon this gem.

We needed a break from the mobs in St. Augustine and we found it at GTMNERR! Amazing crabs, birds, and butterflies! From estuary to freshwater marsh you will see incredible animals but few humans. Bring water with you.

Inspired: amazing biodiversity

Pro: Education Center, few people, amazing beaches, parking at $3 per car, amazing value - worth ten times the price

Con: zip - it was the highlight of our trip to northern Florida

Return: yes for sure!

Found: Via you on Tripadvisor - thanks!

Every time we are in this area we visit the beautiful beaches of the GMT Reserve - the highlight of our vacation! It is so peaceful, absolutely wonderful and just so good to spend time on this almost original beach!! During the week all you find are just a few fishermen, weekends people from the surrounding neighbourhood are also enjoying the beach - absolutely great and to be recommended'!!

The Guana reserves is a natural wildlife reserve and it has an education center, as well as a fishing area. The reserve also has a large portion of Ponte Vedra beach with dedicated parking, and it's a lot less crowded there. The last time we went there were turtle nests! If you live in the area it's definitely worth getting the year pass, and if you're just visiting it's an inexpensive way to get more out of your beach trip and still stay along the highway.

Catch trout, red drum, flounder and crabs. Or walk along the trails or even ride around. Bring a canoe and paddle to your heart's content. Great family activity.

Set right by Ponte Vedra Beach, this river estuary is an interesting place to canoe or kayak, as the saltish water marsh is home to many birds and other fauna.

Wow! What a wonderful place. We did a short about an hour walk and it was stunning. We went through marshes and ended up on a beach on the Tolomato river. Along the way we saw three armadillos!

Beautiful beach side, trails for hiking and biking on marsh side. Bring bug spray! Lots of people out fishing. Classes about birds, photography etc. check website for more info.

my family went to state park as a daytime outing and boy was it. we were fascinated as we drove up and saw people standing in the water fly fishing. and they were pulling fish out of the damn area as fast as they cast out. I walked on the sandy area looking for shells and then we went on a nature walk looking for the different species of plant and animals. it was nice and soothing to walk and talk and look for things. beautiful forestry and wildlife. we then ate our lunch we packed there during a rainstorm which we were able to watch actually come in and past us it was great to see people still fishing and the birds catching fish also and there were flying fish also across the lot. we had a wonderful day at the reserve and it only cost $3.00 to park (exact change) no attendant.

We love this beach! No houses, condos, hotels around at all. Just beach, ocean, and sand dunes for miles. A great place when you want quiet solitude.

Guana is a must for those who like to explore. The hiking trails are well maintained and it is not unusual to see wild boar, deer or turkeys at some point. I hike every day in the fall/winter months with my dogs and they cannot wait to jump out of the car. You can also bike the trails and there are many who fish from the dam. Guana is a great representation of a natural environment.

This estuarine preserve offers a small museum, tiny gift shop, frequent lectures, nature films, and guided hikes and canoe trips. Located in wildlife preserve across the street from pristine, almost deserted beach in north Florida halfway between St. Augustine (oldest city) and Ponte Vedra (resort community). Went kayaking at 6 mile landing at sunrise with friends - birds were calling so loudly that we could not hear each other, a red fish "tailed" around bow of my yak, and a bald eagle flew so closely overhead we could feel the air rush beneath its wings...a once in a lifetime experience. Only share this adventure spot with your closest friends.

Unfortunately the visitor center was closed, but there are several trails to take in the back island areas to walk through the forest and swamp area. The trails are well-maintained and include boardwalk areas across the swampy areas. Be on the lookout for birds.

This is a beautiful natural spot where you can kayak, hike, bike the trails, view the wildlife of the area (birdwatching) and be sure to visit the small indoor exhibit hall where you can learn about the biodiversity of the area.
If you want to get out on the water or the trails, plan on a full morning or afternoon. If you just stop by to see the little museum ($2 entry fee, children free) you won't need more than an hour, probably less depending on whether there is a movie or special event going on.

Nature's beauty abounds! We did the family seining event. You have to preregister, and summer months fill up quickly. The volunteers gave a quick overview of the GTM NERR and importance of estuaries. Then we went next to the dam and there's a great area where it's shallow for a long ways out. Kids can use small nets and help adults pull the big seine net through the water. Then the net is pulled on shore and crabs, shrimp, fish,etc are put in buckets for observation and released at end. They provide waders and water shoes if you need them.
The educational center is really cool, I think it's a few dollars for adults, kids free. They gave my kids a scavenger hunt to complete- for my kindergartener it's checking off some of the animals as you see them, for my 2nd grader it was questions he had to find the answers to from the displays. The volunteer in here was great with my kids, they loved it and learned a lot.

ive spent many days hiking out there and its soooo beautiful...watch out for some big gators though on the north side, but def worth seeing..

We held my daughter's wedding and reception at the Education Center, and every part of the event was perfect from initial contact through the end of the party. The venue is rented through "Friends of GTM," and allows food and beverage to be catered by an offsite company. We rented the whole facility and had help from Sun & Sea Beach Weddings(excellent company) for set up and organization, and Mojo's BBQ for catering. The day began with a one mile fun run over the dam and back early in the morning. The wedding was held at 5:00 pm on the Turtle Pad behind the center, followed by the reception inside the conference room. We could not have asked for better timing with the sunset behind the river at the ceremony followed by a lovely evening of food, laughter, dancing, and fun. Thank you so much GTM for a memorable evening.

Great hiking trails, all well maintained. They provide maps at the trail head. All trails easily marked. All flat, some shade some sun. May need bug spray.
Beautiful place.

I have gone to this beach many times over the past 25 years. It is a rare example of what the coastal beaches, dunes and wetlands must have been like before developers got their hands on Florida. I have seen sea turtles hatch and leaving their nest for the sea, dolpins at play as well as swimming sharks here

It was hot out, so we didn't really explore the trails. We stopped at the nature center which has nice exhibits of the wildlife. Staff was very friendly.

We love to go to this area for shelling and just enough the sounds of the ocean away from crowds regardless of season.

What a great place to see wildlife. I watched so many birds and an osprey take a fish . The environmental center is awesome competed with many interactive displays. There are tons of trails and even a business in the park that rents kayaks . I’m definitely coming back !

For those of us who need easy trails (level trails that are not dark and full of tree roots) this is a lovely area for hiking. Trails are open and generally follow old logging roads. Located in Ponte Vedra Beach halfway between Jacksonville and St. Augustine. Fishing allowed in the bay (I assume with appropriate license). Parking available but probably full on nice weekends . Small friendly museum as well. We rent an oceanfront home in Ponte Vedra Beach and love this place and the great restaurants nearby.

Going there it is easy to imagine what the coast must have looked like a 100 years ago.

We were cruising up A1A and came to this beautiful preserve. We didn't spend a lot of time here, but we did a little hiking and went across the street to the beautiful, pristine beach. This is definitely worth the ride on a nice day so check it out.

Excellent choice for a beach day! Going to any of the Ponte Vedra Beaches - North, Middle or South - along the GTM National Estuarine Reserve, is like visiting your own, personal beach. It is in the middle of a most beautiful stretch of unspoiled, unpopulated land with no telephone wires, no businesses, no homes, nothing. We have been there on days when, counting our group, there was 5 people on the beach - total - as far as you can see in every direction! Where else can you see that? (Don't get any ideas - stay away, we don't want too many visitors now... LOL.)

The view is unspoiled, it's just beach North and beach South as far as you can see. There is even an observation tower, where you can go and get an even better view.

The water is great, waves are great and the sand is great, even though it does tend to have a much higher percentage of shells. But within those shells you can search for sharks teeth - and find one every now and then. There are many many reported sea turtle nests along this beach - though I have never actually seen one. If you love the beach and want a natural setting, this beach cannot be beat!

Tired of the tourist attractions? Want to see Florida without the Mackey Mouse, Ripley, and pirates? Spend some time in this beautiful natural setting. There are 2 parts to this preserve? The educational center and the park. The center has some exhibits and a documentary. The cost is $2. The documentary gives you good overview, and there are some nice travel pamphlets. The park costs $3. (Bring exact change.) There are several hiking trails to choose from. Easy, peaceful and scenic strolls. Bring some water and bug spray. The bugs weren't bad, but when I went, I would have wanted to have had bug spray just in case. There were also plenty of restrooms available le.

Yes, it's a biological/habitat reserve. The dunes are natural-looking, the beach is not crowded, the trails are appealing. But everyone keeps missing a great part of the Reserve. There is a very informative Visitor's Center! Here you can see a right whale replica suspended from the ceiling, a telescope trained on an active bald eagle's nest, a couple of (sad) sculptures made out of trash picked up at the beach, a number of interactive exhibits, lots of sea birds perched nearby, really great docents and lots more. This is one of 27 or so national estuarine research reserves in the US. And since it's also a research facility, there are also many research posters to read and learn about.

Relaxing fun place to hang at the beach. Not overcrowded. Easy access with free parking. You do have walk over the A1A but safe walkway.

This is somewhat like a national park with a research and education focus. The education center is really well done. On the ceiling are life size replicas of Right whales, turtles and more. The exhibits are really well done. The beach across the street is a shallow slope and quiet. Good place forthe family.

So enjoyed our afternoon at this beach- natural, beautiful and uncrowded. Shells galore and nice waves. Some interesting history and views. All this for $3 parking.

This is a great treasure of the Jacksonville area. Bring family for a walk, for looking for seashells and to see a natural beach. However, note that in mid day its VERY hot, bring bug spray for evenings and early mornings, and be very careful swimming -- the surf is much stronger and more unpredictable than in other beaches in the area.

I was passing by and stopped at this beach on an impulse; I was very pleasantly surprised. The boardwalk leading to the beach takes you past some beautiful photographic terrain and the birds overhead where interesting to watch with their huge wing spans. The beach wasn't very crowded either.

My only real "con" is the fact that the parking is located across the street from the beach and visitors have to cross (at their own risk) a well traveled main street on which traffic moves at speeds of 50 mph or greater.

Be advised that there is a nominal fee for parking BUT there is not a charge to go onto the beach.

We had a lovely bike ride in the reserve, the tracks were good for both cycling and walking. The views of the estuary were beautiful!! Cheap entry to the park, just $3 per car.

Our favorite beach in the Jacksonville area. This is a natural beach with no homes. It is dog friendly. There are lots of shells and you can hunt for shark teeth too.

Only a short distance from Vilano Beach you can find a quiet place to take a walk, do some fishing, visit the beach and take in a Environmental Education Center all for a small fee of $3. The staff is very friendly and informative. The area is pet friendly as long as they are leashed. My wife and I walked the trails one hot day and enjoyed the opportunity, finishing with a visit to the Education Center. A don't miss opportunity.

I used to live a few miles from the GTM as the locals call it and it was the best part about living in Ponte Vedra Beach. I loved walking on the various trails, learning about the faunas and the ecology of this very special place. I hope it will always stay protected as it is a true natural gem.

If you're looking for a quiet, secluded beach, this is your place.

I stumbled upon this gem a few months after we moved to Jacksonville. What a great place and I'm so happy that I found it. I was always very homesick while in Jax, so I'd get in my car and come to Guana Tolomato Matanzas.

Parking is on the opposite side of the beach. As mentioned in other reviews, parking is $3 but it is well worth it. Crossing A1A can be a little tricky. Wait until you're absolutely sure you can cross the road - folks fly up and down the road so it's better to be safe than sorry.

You'll cross over the natural dunes by a boardwalk and enter paradise. Miles and miles of untouched, natural shoreline. If you're looking for shells and sharks teeth, this is a fantastic place. Don't be shocked if you stumble upon turtle egg nests in season, see folks shore fishing (yes, they will catch sharks).

There are no lifeguards, no bathrooms, no trashcans at the beach. Please, leave no trace. :)

The park is actually much larger and diverse than most people imagine. There is a great secluded beach section with 3 separate parking areas, an information center, and trails through the park to Guana Lake and the Intracoastal Waterway. Wonderful bike trails, good fishing, small boat launches at Six Mile Landing and at the Dam provide much to do. It is a place where you make your own experience, however, since it is a nature preserve and with the exception of the information center near the dam [which is really great for kids] there isn't much organized activity.
Hint - Because of the secluded nature of the beach parking areas, there is sometimes a break-in problem with cars. Don't leave cars unlocked and don't leave valuables showing. Because the dune is about 30 feet high, you will not be able to see your car from the beach.

We were down in Jacksonville for Memorial Weekend for a wedding and the 3 day weekend gave us an extra day to sight see. We had wanted to go over and see the beaches for a little while, enjoy the watching the waves and experience the sights, feel and smells of the shore, not sunning or swimming. We arrived just a day before Tropical Storm Beryl arrived and in the rush to try to get out and enjoy the day before the rain and dangerous wind came ashore we weren't able to research all the beach areas to find which best fit our desires or what costs if any there would be to park or get there. Also because the storm was expected to unleash on land by the evening hours and the water currents were already getting unsafe the mayor had closed the Jacksonville Beaches - not sure if that meant you could look but not go in and some of them required bridges to cross that might close too we made the quick decision to just get to Highway A1A from Jacksonville at Butler Blvd and head south. To begin with we were discouraged that much of that area was highly developed and you were not near the shore but did enjoy seeing the large and landscaped homes and neighborhoods along the path - about to give up on seeing any open beaches we came upon the Guana Tolomato Mantanzas parking area - there is an honor system fee to pay and this was nice because not knowing if we could even get over to see the beach we decided to wait to pay, if we had to pay first to get in we might not have stopped because in this situation we might have had to pay just to drive in and out. There was a nice wooden boardwalk from the parking lot to the A1A, another one going up the sand dune on the beach side - with the parking lot on the other side of the road from the beach it allowed the beach to remain natural. The area around the parking area was just as beautiful, with the natural growth of grass, trees, and other natural foliage, as any park I've seen. We took the steps over to the beach and not only enjoyed the view of the surrounding area but happy to see an observation deck up above the beach. By this time the winds had reached strong gusts and you could definitely feel the effects of the oncoming storm but we loved it. I have always wanted to see the beach during a strong storm (at a safe location or distance of course) and seeing the tide pushing in many more waves and feeling the wind was safe and enjoyable. There were a few people walking around or taking pictures and gathering shells but no one was in the water. The boardwalk led down to the shoreline too which would be nice on a regular beach visit. After we took lots of pictures and videos we walked back to our car stopping to snap some pictures of some of the flowers and interesting formations of trees and growth. I went straight to the pay box and put in $4 instead of $3 because we were so pleased. As I was driving out I noticed the sign listed two more such areas farther down the road and we were going that way anyway, so we decided to visit each one and see the views from each. Each parking lot was like a little concrete space in an oasis of natural surroundings, one had a oyster shell recycling pile and in the most southern one we even noticed a port-a-potty and there was an older couple with chairs and ice chest sitting underneath some overhanging trees, they were facing back across the parking lot and I figure they were maybe watching the wildlife. One of the lots and I think it was the most northern one - you could see some wetlands from the boardwalks beyond the parking lots. Each stop was just as beautiful and the road crossings were always safe, not much traffic but a long straight a-way so you can see anything oncoming. There was an area you could stand and watch the beach and also walk down safely and without struggling in hot or shifting sand, or fear picking up in sticky burrs I remember from other beach trips. All the land around has been undisturbed besides the walkways and a couple informational signs. There are no covered areas so sunscreen is a must if you are going to be out there for very long. The southern most stop had ramps for wheelchairs or those who can't take steps. the ramps might be a little steep but nothing too hard if someone was pushing, might take a bit more effort than available for someone pushing themselves. There was possibly trails and more things to observe besides the beach from these lots but we were in a race to see some sites and get back to our room before the weather turned nasty. Now each section had a different shape and style of beach, there wasn't much towel space on some but this might be different at a different tide time and if a major, near hurricane level tropical storm coming in before night fall. If we are ever back in the Jacksonville area, and we might be, I will plan to come back and visit this wonderful area. It is also worth the drive from as far south as St. Augustine, which we went to visit when we left here. The road was nice, never dealt with traffic and only encountered a few cars slowing and turning and a few more in more of a hurry than we were passing us but it is mostly a straight flat path. None of the sections we visited were very crowded - this could be because of the storm or folks gathering at other places for grilling or events during the holiday weekend. There was plenty of parking spaces if there was a crowd and long stretches of beach to enjoy with ample space. If you want to enjoy the beach without over looking condos, or homes and businesses, and see what the Florida coast looked like without a snack shack, or lots of other actions going on - this is the place for you to check out - the fees are worth it - I think there was also some areas near the parking lot to have a picnic if you wished - you might want to do a little more research on their pages or listings to find the one best for you. It was good to discover what might have been undiscovered because no big splashy intruding signs informing you they are there, it is also very undeveloped and natural. It would be a perfect places for families, couples, young and old and even those with limited ability to walk or in need of a wheelchair - it is a bit of a walk but the rail is always there to prop on if you need to rest. So glad we decided to just drive and see what we could find along the way.

We were in the area for a wedding and had a few hours to kill before the festivities. We had already spent a day on the beach and wanted to do something different. This was the perfect way to spend our time and learn a little in the process.

The Education Center was so much better than what I had expected. There were some impressive exhibits, and a well done introductory video (Note: take the 20 minutes to watch the video, it is worth it!) The staff were friendly and helpful.

The trails were OK, but it was exceptionally hot so we took the shortest one. Bring bug spray!

Great nature trails, fun interactive building for kids and parents alike. Need bug spray and sun screen in the summer! Kids get to do scavenger hunt to find all the different animals. Great break if you need time off from the beach

Peaceful serene location to view water birds. I saw an Eaglesnest which was a real treat. Would recommend for families couples solo. Beautiful at sunset.

My wife and I stayed in Ponte Vedra and, except for enjoying dining and golfing experiences, had some trouble finding what else to do (we had explored St. Augustine last year). Hiking on the trails of this reserve was a great find. There must be at least 10 miles of trails that you can walk or cycle. The vegetation is lush and diverse. The only wildlife we saw were birds. The temp in the '70's was ideal -- not sure that this would be so enjoyable in the middle of the summer. Upon entering, signs encourage spraying for ticks and biting insects, so you may want to bring your bug spray although we had no problems with such critters. Fishing and kayaking or canoeing are other activities that can be enjoyed at the reserve.

A beautiful drive down A1A from Jacksonville led to this peaceful oasis just north of St. Augustine. Miles of well-marked trails take you past interesting flora and fauna, with lovely river views along the way. The reserve is well-maintained, and mostly naturalistic, and it’s refreshing to see so much open space in what would otherwise be another Florida real estate boondoggle!
There is a pay-and-display lot, so bring cash for parking. It’s also a carry in-carry out facility, so if you’re planning to picnic, bring your own trash bags!

$3 parking fee a bargain. Drive in from A1A, water on both sides, egrets and pelicans flying around, people fishing. Drive on, park at the foot of the preserve, put on bug spray, and walk a mile to the Tolomato River. When Laura and I were there a year ago we saw an armadillo; not this time. Lots of birds. A pleasant, peaceful walk. Nature lover's delight. Highly recommended.

Just recently found GTM. I love the variety and number of trail options. Some trails are more shaded by big oaks, others walk amongst low palms. It is incredibly peaceful. We didn’t see too much wildlife, but it has been pretty unseasonably cool each time we’ve been there. I like the orange trail for flora and the trail along the intracoastal for a energy.

The Real Florida ! A magnificent natural reserve,right off of A1A,as you head south towards St. Augustine, or north towards Jacksonville Beaches . The info center is full of a lot of history & info about this area. The Atlantic Ocean is across the street from the Reserve. You can take a guided tour, or do it yourself.You will lean so much about the Florida Watershed, sea turtles, birds, and whales ! Yes, whales ! You may even get to see where a bald eagle has her nest ! Their are movies and many presentations in the main hall. Bring your own lunch & plenty of water to drink. Bring your hat if you tour the grounds,the reserve is natures gift to all. Parking is plentiful. Enjoy !

The GTM reserve has an alternative office south on the A1A in Marineland. From there they have several free walking tours of the beaches, hammocks, flora and fauna nearby. We took two of the hikes and enjoyed both. We learned about the sand, jellyfish that had washed ashore that morning, whelks, bi-valves, birds, coquina, and so much more. The tours are given by volunteers that are very knowledgeable. Check their site and take a walk, you won't regret it! FYI - I'm from the DC area and have been on many, many walks both free and paid and I've never seen the large attendance that these walks have.

For nature enthusiasts, this was an amazing place. A small, but very nice interpretive center, beautiful marsh views, great trails and a wonderful beach. Don't miss it.

We have hiked and biked these trails and love it. When we hiked, we took our dogs. They loved it ! But I have to say we came home and the dogs had tons of ticks :(

We had a great time biking the yellow-to purple to red trail. (Estimated 10miles ) It was a little bumpy due to the tree roots. You really have to watch where you are going but it was worth it! We live here in St. Aug and we will definitely go back! :)

Too short a visit this time but will definitely go back. I would recommend stopping by the visitor center and viewing the video before venturing out to explore. Lots of diversity from the beach to river estuaries. Beautiful place.

Natural beauty. Deer, egrets, blue herons, good fishing. Access to remote areas of Ponte Vedra beaches. Must see.

This is a wonderful place to spend the day. The visitors center is small but has great information. The walks are easy and there are a number to choose from with varying length.

We took a walk through the reserve on a cold Sunday. It was beautiful. We saw quite a few birds-belted kingfishers, a bald eagle, egrets and herons, pelicans. It was very windy in the uncovered areas but sheltered in the wooded areas. Nice facilities, ample parking. Small fee to enter.

We took the orange path. Beautiful walk through plenty of nature. The whole park is very clean a well kept. So glad we found this place.

This is a very nice park with 9 miles of trails to hike or off-road bike. Some parts are sandy and rocky, so a road bike won't work on the trail. There are benches and picnic tables, so take a snack and enjoy nature!

The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Park is a beautiful place to take a hike either alone, with a friend, or with family. The paths are generally peaceful and lightly traveled, but watch out for the occasional trek biker coming through, as bikes are allowed on the trails. Choose from a number of different length paths and enjoy some time in nature. Leashes dogs allowed.

Exploring the Ponte Vedra Beach area this is definitely a place to spend an afternoon. Signage says 5000 years ago this area was inhabited Now well marked trails at varying lengths depending on your timeline allow you immerse yourself in what Florida looked like before development! We even saw a good sized turtle in the parking lot. And bring your fishing poles too. Looked like lots of locals were enjoying fishing too.

This GTM Reserve experience was mixed for me. I think that it was somewhat interesting but mainly, it was not the most fun experience. I think that places like the St. Augustine Eco-Tour is a much better experience than doing this. However, these people do try to help the environment which is always good.

We owe it to ourselves to reconnect with nature and embrace the earth. The reserve was quite and peaceful. It was a welcome departure from loud city noise.

This is one of the best activities a family should do together. The environment is so refreshing and allows nature to exist.
I left with a great appreciation for what has been given to us.

We didn't know what to expect but decided to take our 6 1/2 year old son to the educational center at Guana. He loved it and so did we! Everything was labeled well and there was a wonderful display outlining the ecological environment of the Pone Vedra area. Outside, you could easily walk over to view the estuary and there were opportunities to see various crabs and even manatees. Not expensive and a great way to spend part of the afternoon.

Guana is a great place to visit. The hiking is scenic from the visitors station, but if you really want to see a lot and get further into the wetlands,best to bring a trail or mountain bike due to distance.

Favorite access place is a hidden parking lot and trailhead at the end of a deadend road right next to the Palm Valley Intracoastal bridge. Mostly gravel, easy pedaling. Saw wild boar, turtles, alligators, snakes, armadillos, and eagles. Enjoy!

With four energetic youngsters who will go in four different directions, my wife and I decided that the public beaches near Jacksonville Beach were too crowded to keep track of them safely. We headed down A1A aiming for the third parking spot with beach access that are part of the Reserve. Unfortunately, that one was closed for the day, so we back tracked to the middle parking area. For a $3 parking fee and a brief hike across the highway and up and over the dunes, we had a beach all to ourselves for the morning. We were able to set up our umbrella, spread out the towels and no one was around to notice.. An unexpected bonus was the absence of the many gulls which populate the beaches closer to Jacksonville. Minimal facilities in the parking area but the calm of the beach for grandma and grandpa made up for a lot of shortcomings. We did not attempt to see the Center or visit the rest of the reserve as our goal was a quiet time with the kids at the ocean, which we achieved!

Great place to go hiking! The terrain is flat, but shaded, the trails are well marked, the hiking is not difficult and the views are peaceful. When you exit A1A at the Visitor Center, keep driving straight, pay your $3 at the self-pay station, drive across the causeway to a small parking lot. Trail maps and signs are next to the water/bathrooms. After you get tired of hiking, you can tour the Visitor Center, which has some interesting exhibits.

The area is very pretty and worth the trip just for that. The beaches along the area are not crowded and we found a great deal of sea shells. While others found a shark tooth, we never did.

Beautiful place!!! nice wide and well-kept hiking trails (all flat), under a canopy of diverse flora. Lots of local wildlife....tortoises, turkey vultures, colorful banana spiders all made the hike exciting

You see a few kinds of wildlife each time (armadillos, tortoises, deer, cranes, birds, alligators if you're lucky). Bikes are great for non-sandy trails. Bring plenty of water, a hat and a picnic to make a day of it!

I love Guana! My husband actually proposed to me here. It's peaceful & has the best shells/sand dollars. Definitely the least crowded beach around👍

The nature center has age appropriate scavenger hunts for children. Be sure and look through the telescope at the bald eagle nest. You may see babies. The center is a great way to pass a rainy afternoon. Of course there is a lot to see outside as well. Right whales winter in the ocean there.

This nature reserve is about 5-6 miles north of St A on A1A Hwy. Admission is $3. Good parking. Fishing good. About 4 one to two mile loops of nature walks with the central yellow path taking you to the inner waterway. Good interpretive stops along the way. Bring tick repellent if you stray off the main path!

Please continue to support this precious estuary! The Visitor Center and surrouding marshes are true gems!

If you are seeking to get away from the Spring Break crowd and see a beach in its natural state-this is the beach to see. There is a $3 parking fee which is worth every cent.
If we entertain visitors, this is the first beach we bring them to. We have seen fish, sea turtles, dolphins, birds of all sizes, and had great weather. The beach is left in its natural state so there are seashells everywhere. There are no real facilities except a porta potty in the parking lot and a lookout point. You will never have to find a place to get away from the crowd because there is hardly any. This beach also has the best parking facilities of all the beaches

This is the best beach in Jax and Ponte Vedra Beach. If you go please clean up your trash and respect others.

Gorgeous scenery through the reserve! The trails give a glimpse into history as well since there are Timucuan burial mounds in the area. A beautiful place to enjoy nature!

We visited this facility last weekend. There is a very interesting center with a short video explaining the Estuary. Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine reserve is really old Florida - untouched by development. It was very interesting to see how the estuary operates.

It's our first time to this area. We typically love hiking, nature centered activities so this seemed like the place for us. There are several trails for walking or biking, fishing, opportunities for kayaking or other boating, and a wonderful education center. This was a great activity for a rainy overcast afternoon.
The trails are flat, from .5 - 3 miles long. Even in November you need plenty of bug spray! PLENTY!

A great place to hike with several trails running through the Reserve. Several different environments to enjoy-watch out for the animals there!

This was the site of Governor Grant's plantation during the British period in the 1700's.

My companion (who is from Ohio) and I rode our bicycles in "the Guana," as it is known to locals, and into the adjacent Wildlife Management Area the day after Christmas. We happened upon a viewing tower, walked up three flights of steps to the top and had wonderful views of this unspoiled preserve.

If you follow E-Bird you will see that this is a birding hot spot for sighting migratory birds such as American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, etc

"Guana", how we always refer to it, is a wonderful treasure between St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra. The lake above the dam is popular with fishermen and crabbers, and south of the dam is another boat launch for access to the Intracoastal. There are also trails for hiking or biking. We like to put our kayaks in below the dam and wend our way to a quiet beach along the ICW before paddling back. You have to pay attention to the tides to make your paddle easier and oyster free.

hike fish boat hunt during season walk dogs ride horses always check for ticks after bathroom at parking no food beach on other side of street plenary of room

Several trails through a variety of ecological systems are available, and some historical artifacts along the way. Strolling, hiking, running, biking all good. Parking $3 unless annual pass.

My girlfriend and I went here for a couple hours and just walked the trails. It's a $3 entry fee. At the start of the trails they have a nice little map you can carry that tells you the distances and where benches are located. If you're into Eco preservation they have an interesting project going on in which they are building a new reef with clam shells. If you go in the summer just make sure to bring the bug spray.

The $3 fee it takes to park is well worth it. This is one of my favorite places in the world. It has both the beach and the river with so much more in between. It's a nice break of quiet, old Florida in between Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine. It always amazes me to think that the landscape that you see there now is exactly what the Spanish saw when they sailed to the New World.

There are many maintained trails among the forest and estuaries in the GTM Research Reserve portion of this extensive estuarine system. We chose a short "Sensory Trial" of 0.3 miles to give us a feel. A ranger at the start of the trail gave us good information about where we'd likely find birds and other wildlife. Along A1A are a couple of places to park on the left (going north) and where you can cross the road and a boardwalk over the dunes to access seemingly endless and lovely beaches.

Beautiful beach that runs for miles, a protected Reserve from ocean to river on the lower end of Padre Island.....a rare treat indeed......a learning center, located a the southern end of the Reserve is filled with exhibits and educational material, as well as a small but wonderfully curated aquarium.....don't forget to look for the Bald Eagles

I have been writing about this area for quite some time now - we always return and admire - the nature - the shells - the fossilised shark's teeth you find - the Statue of Ponce de Leon, which greets you and reminds you of the first Europeans setting foot on this beautiful continent - always a moist beautiful and enjoyable experience! If you are in the area - do not forget to visit this amazing site!

We think this the best beach round Jacksonville
You can literally walk for miles and not see any one
Worth the extra drive and then stop at Zoe kitchen for lunch

At the suggestion of our hotel staff, we visited the beaches on the reserve. The sand was pristine and dotted with shells. The waves were picturesque and the dunes were classically beautiful. Here is where the Europeans first sighted the mainland of the Americas. One can understand their consternation and enthusiasm. The beach was almost deserted and it was spring break week, luckily the college kids prefer crowds. You can walk for miles on this shoreline alone. Nearby there are bike trails. After a morning stroll, we stopped again at the reserve to view the dramatic sunset.

Terrific place to get out of the sun and walk for a couple of hours to various waterfront beautiful views. Bring a fishing pole if you like. The paths are color coded and fairly easy to follow but if a little lost, just ask someone. There is always someone there to help. Nice place for a visit.

This truly is a hidden treasure. There are miles and miles of trails (including the Wildlife Management Area) with beautiful scenery and an abundance of wildlife including alligators, wild boar, whitetail deer, turkeys, owls and a wide variety of birds. Everytime we go we see something new and unexpected. A great place if you like the woods and wildlife.

This area is so beautiful and still feels and looks like the real Florida.There is so much life in the Guana and the marshes and swamps. The beaches to the east are uncorwded and wild like it was years ago. If you love real places , wild places be sure to stop here for a day

Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (or Guana Park as the locals call it) is a beautiful wetlands preserve along the Atlantic coast north of St. Augustine. There are 15 miles of marked trails through the preserve and hiking and trail biking are popular. For the aquatic minded, there is a good launch point for canoes or kayaks.

There are incomparable views of wetlands, mature hardwoods, pine scrub and the intracoastal waterway. You will undoubtedly encounter deer, racoons and a variety of other wildlife along the trails. I'd recommend packing a lunch and hiking or biking to a secluded beach area along the waterway. I enjoy mountain biking along the trails. It is great exercise, usually not crowded at all and very scenic. Entry is $3 per vehicle or annual passes are about $50.

This is a very nice walk and a chance to see what Florida was like before development. Wonderful that this area has been preserved.

This is located just north of Vilano or is considered South Ponte Vedra. I am a local and never knew this was here. I had family in town so I took my 13 yo nephew and sister in law. This was a wonderful educational facility! So much to look at and i thought very cheap ($2 for an adult). They featured a turtle the day we were there. I enjoyed this myself.

GTM Reserve parking along A1A to access the beach is a gift. To be able to enjoy a long section of the beach with nothing but healthy dune opposite the ocean is rare and beautiful.

I allotted a short amount of time here but should have planned a lot more- something to keep in mind next time in the area (although it was a cold, rainy day, and I didn't bother to load up on insect repellent before walking one of the many trails). The visitors' center is not to be missed- the educational displays are impressive and comprehensive.

Admission is based on the honor system- there seems to be no Venmo/PayPal/Cash App options, so bring a few dollar bills.

3 separate beaches north , middle, and south. We went to the north and middle. The beach is all shells, which makes it pretty near. On the north beach we found quite a few shark teeth. The middle beach we found some really nice larger shells, including a conch. We have not been to the south yet, but plan to check it out. Take $3 to park and help support the park. It was not busy at all and you could walk quite a ways if you wanted. If it is high tide, plan to get your feet wet :)

Parked here to go to the beach. Great place to find sharks teeth at low tide. More crowded on the weekend. Great place to walk on the beach and pet friendly.