We wanted to walk on a quiet beach along the drive from St Augustine back up to Jacksonville. We stopped at the North Beach of the Guana River Preserve. There is a parking lot on the west side of the road (the fee is $3.00, and there is a crosswalk over to the beach on the east side). This is the location where Ponce de Leon supposedly first identified Florida as a land mass and not just an island. There were a few people out on the beach, walking or looking for shells. It was a sunny day in January, with temps in the high 50's. I loved that it was not crowded or commercial. There are no services other than a parking lot and two (well-maintained porta potties). It was exactly what I wanted. read more

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Small state park. $3.65 for all day parking access. Trails are available as well as fishing and some water sports. You can rent paddle boards and the water was super calm for trying your hand at it. Wildlife on trails. Saw an armadillo a few times, lots of lizards, birds, and lots of bugs. Great for bike riding too. read more

It was a peaceful place with lots of nature. And a boat ramp area plus picnic tables and restrooms. read more

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Best trails in St Augustine! The yellow trail walks you all the way to the river with picnic tables, and an amazing place to spend in the afternoon. My favorite go to place for meditation!!! read more

What a beautiful beach! One crosses the dunes on the boardwalk surrounded by native dune vegetation including Sea Oats, Dune Panic Grass, Sea Rocket, and Dune Croton (to name a few). At the top of the boardwalk one can climb a few extra steps to an observation deck. It's a great place to view the beautiful blue water. The beach is a mixture of sand and shells. Who doesn't enjoy scavenging for sea shells? ... and I'm told one can find shark teeth here too! I found a few shells that I found interesting, but no shark teeth. Two things noteworthy about this beach: The first is its Historical location. It's at 31 degrees and 8 minutes north latitude. As recorded by Spanish historians, this is the offshore location where Juan Ponce de Leon calculated his position at noon on April 2, 1513 when he first sighted Florida. The second is it's a migratory route for Right Whales. It's been reported there are only between 300-350 North Atlantic Right Whales left in existence. There's a chance one might spot some of these rare mammals between December and March as they migrate between their feeding grounds in the N.E to their calving grounds in the S.E. Several families were here with their children this particular day, but there were also a few lone individuals just soaking up the sun. It appeared to me that everyone was enjoying themselves. I know I thoroughly enjoyed my time here. Although I wasn't here very long, this became my favorite Jacksonville Area Beach (although technically in Ponte Vedra). If you're in the area looking for a relaxing beach, with a beautiful view and a chance to score on some interesting shells, sharks teeth, or sighting of an endangered species, I highly recommend you check this place out. Great beach! read more

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MY FAVORITE BEACH!! Absolutely peaceful and amazing wonderful place and love it so much and come and enjoy the sunshine and ocean and have fun and relax and always get here before the crowds and and bring everyone and my happy place and so wonderful and stunning and sunny and just be cautious and leave nature alone and make sure you always watch the color flags for different purposes and keep eye on ur kids and and I been coming here for 4 years lots of fun and peaceful and beautiful and fun and be safe and careful and if you need to go bathroom you need walk down the stairs to the porta potty and plus look out any sea creature in the deep waves and like dolphins and in the fall whales and be safe and it is best place ever and in the world and perfect way to destress and forget about life and it is wonderful and gorgeous sites and views and everything you can ask for. Thank you so much Lauren read more

I hadn't been to Guana since I was a kid so I checked it out when I was in town recently and it's as good as ever. The admission fee is only $3 and it's well worth the cost. There are areas for fishing and lots of fishermen taking full advantage. I also saw a few folks launching kayaks off the boat ramps. There are several hiking trails and varying difficulty/scenery (they're all pretty flat since hey we're in Florida) but be sure and check the board for conditions since some might be flooded depending on recent weather. Guana has tons to offer for outdoor activities and I'll be back again for sure. read more

It was Mother's Day and this mama wanted to go to the beach. Why? It's my happy place. I love the water, the smell of the salt air, and looking for shells. My husband packed up the car, we picked up my mom, brought the kiddo and we headed to the beach. This is one of my favorite beaches because there are three different parking options (miles from each other), so typically there's ample parking. We headed to our favorite parking lot, grabbed a blue envelope, put our $3 in the envelope, dropped it in the mailbox, unloaded the car, and we were on our way walking across the street to the beach. It was VERY crowded today. The first two parking lots were totally full. We found a spot at the beach and truth be told, mostly everyone at the beach was abiding by social distancing measures. No one was on top of each other, which was nice. We got expansive beach views, beautiful stretches of walkable beaches, and a gentle surf. It was really nice and also a great way for me to spend Mother's Day. Pros: -Beautiful stretches of beaches -Lots of room to spread out -Tons of shells -Ample parking Cons: -I wanted the beach to myself LOL Tips: If you have sensitive feet, be sure to wear water shoes. There are no lifeguards at this beach, so swim at your own risk. read more

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Beautiful day to unwind and start the weekend. This area is part of the GTM Reserve park system and offers trails ranging from 0.25 miles to almost 6 miles long! Took the Yellow, Blue, and Orange trails which together was about ~ 6 miles in length. Got to see a variety of interconnected habitats from oceans, to marshes, and even forests all in one place! I had a bit of difficulty finding the parking initially 'cause I thought that I could access them from the North or Middle Beaches, but you actually have to drive a couple of miles south past the GTM South Beach signage to get to the trail parking lot. Other that that, the trails were somewhat easy to navigate with signs every now and then telling you where you currently are within the park. I write "somewhat" because I often found myself taking second glances at the maps and comparing them to the colored triangles on the wooden posts that differentiate the trails--yellow and orange tend to look similar under the sweltering sun! read more

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I love this park- great hiking trails and lots of nature to soak up. Hike over to the inter-coastal side and enjoy the bird watching, butterflies, bugs- you may not enjoy so much (spray down before hiking). Be warned- the dirt along the inter-coastal may not be as firm as it looks..... nearly lost a shoe falling knee deep in muck, my girlfriend was in hysterics laughing at me! It's a good look- hiking with one leg covered in mud. I am starting a trend. However, it did deter bugs! But it also smelled awful! lol. Oh well- I can't wait to go hike it again! Standard hiking common sense applies- bug spray, water bottle, good shoes but you may also want to grab the camera or binoculars! I could wander the woods for hours. read more

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Our "plan" was to start on the beach side, hunt for some sharks teeth, have a picnic lunch then cross over to the park to hike on the trails. Let's just say that we didn't quite make it over to the trails this time. The beach just drew us in and then, of course, it rained so our afternoon was cut short. I assumed that since Guana Park is just south of Mickler's, that there had to be lots of sharks teeth at this beach too. There's something about sorting through endless mounds of broken shells to find sharks teeth that's so relaxing. Hours just pass on by. I found over a dozen sharks teeth in one afternoon. The beach was lined with so many fishing poles, and if needed, there's also a gas station nearby that sells bait. Looking forward to hiking the trails next time. We did, however, come across a turtle poking out of a hole. The drive down A1A can seem endless but relax you'll get there soon enough. Just keep an eye out for the bicyclists that travel along this 2 lane road. read more

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I love this place! It's near me and I visit frequently. You can fish, kayak, walk, etc. It's definitely a place to visit when in the area. The trailheads are well kept and maintained, there is plenty to do here! There are multiple, and it's a great experience. Depending on the time of year, you can see a variety of flowers and plants, as well a many wild birds. If you like nature, this place is for you! During this past weekend I observed different mushrooms blooming. Super cool, if you ask me! read more

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Absolutely love this place. Dog and bike friendly. Miles of trails through well maintained trails. Incredible views. There are a lot of fishing spots as well. Some right when you come in, others you can walk/bike to. Lots of benches along the trails along with some shaded spots. There is also some public restrooms right at the trail head. Entrance fee is only $3.00 Parking can be limited on crowded days. Tip: there is a conscience store / gas station right next to the entrance with some pretty food sandwiches and hydration options. Highly recommend. read more

Guana River State Park - Dog friendly and the trail to the water is only about 1.2 miles one way. - Parks Near Me - Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

During this pandemic, we must have some fun and Guana River State Park in Ponte Vedra-St. Augustine area is the perfect place. It was a beautiful and hot day and everyone was following the social distancing protocol. We took a picnic lunch and spent the day enjoying the ocean. There are also walking trails and other places to explore in the park but we never left the beach. Definitely worth the trip. read more

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Nice escape for a hike. Trails are well marked and maintained. Probably should have come out early in the morning as we didn't see much wildlife, but we did see a little armadillo and a snake. I'll definitely come back when it's not quite so hot. read more

Guana River State Park - Hey! It's a tiny armadillo! - Parks Near Me - Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Guana River State Park, located on Florida's First Coast was turned over to the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve in 2004. The research reserve is located along State Highway A1A, between St. Augustineand Jacksonville and developed in a partnership between federal/state agencies with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection designatd as the state administrator and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on the federal side. Within its 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 flatwoods and shell mound forests. There are lots of trails to explore, a boat launch and some very historic shell mounds along with some lots of signage explaining the history of the area. The entrance is set up using the honor system to collect the modest $3 dollar fee this is also known as the "Iron Ranger" so grab a envelope insert your money (exact change required) tear off the tab and place it on your rear view mirror and enjoy, there are public restrooms and the parking area is frequently patrolled by the park service looking for those that test the honor system and skip paying the admission fee. Failure to pay Penalties - $10,000 or 10 years in prison (I'm joking I don't have a clue it's only 3 bucks why would you cheat). read more

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Guana River State Park and beaches is a wonderful and beautiful place. It's one of my favorite beaches in the Jacksonville / St. Augustine area because of it's natural beauty, and because it's not too crowded; it use to be less crowded. My favorite time to visit is during the fall and winter after any crowds are gone; and I can have the because to myself. It's a great place to have a cup of coffee and watch the sun rise. read more

Beautiful park! Big parking lot. There are several trails here for everyone. The trails are all marked and there is also a trail map located at the entrance for the trails. The markers are very easy to read and follow. The paths are cleared and usually dry. It's a great place for a tropical hike. The spots along the trail especially close to the water are beautiful. The beaches are so pretty. We saw a few people fishing at the beaches and also around the parking lot area. There are warning signs for alligators but we didn't see any. There are also signs for manatees with lots of info. But again we didn't spot any. There are also restrooms near the parking lot. There is a education center that is great to go check out in walking distance. Kids would love it. read more

Great day hikes for anyone. Even younger kids. Several trails with different lengths. Nice water view on one trail. Can get buggy. But then it's Florida. Super 3mile to a viewing tower. It's a must see. Quick access to the Wild Life Management. Great bike trail about 26 miles round trip read more

This is a very nice park. Great fishing and very quiet. It's a good spot to bring the family to fish. But don't let your children swim in the water there are lots of gators. I have fished here multiple times and I always catch something. I also enjoy the nature trails here. Lots of birds and wildlife to see. It's mostly shaded so it makes for a nice hike. read more

Guana River State Park - Parks Near Me - Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

If you like to fish, take photo's, nature walk or kayak this place is perfect. There is a tiny beach to set up a couple of rods. (If you do not like fishing next to another person this is not the place for you to drop a line on the weekend as it can get pretty crowded). My family has brought home some good sized Red Fish and trout from the dam-side of Guana. No playground for the kids, but very quiet, peaceful location. Lot's of wildlife (alligator's, manatee, birds, turtles) to watch or photo. On the other side of the Guana dam is a boat launch that is a great launching spot for boats and kayaks. Additionally, the nature trail is a great place to get in a good walk! Great place to experience a zen day! read more

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Beautiful outdoor haven . Came here today by chance . Parking is a $3 dollar fee and it is self serve . I went to the beach access area with my dog Cleo . This beach does not have bathrooms located on it or baggies for the dogs so make sure to come prepared . Overall it is breathtaking . Spacious clean beach that is perfect for long walks or setting up a towel and laying in the sun . Let's continue to keep this beautiful national park just as gorgeous ! read more

Guana River State Park - Beautiful beach - Parks Near Me - Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

We spent a beautiful Sun afternoon here. Park is located off A1A in Ponte Vedra. Parking fee is $3/vehicle. Hubby wanted to take the girls fishing since we haven't had any luck in Jax. I read that this lake is a premier fishing spot. There were plenty of people fishing but it wasn't super crowded. I don't know too much about fishing, but there is a large sign that shows the type of fishes available and what bait to use. In addition to fishing, you can catch shrimps and blue crabs. There were a couple people kayaking and boating as well. Motors up to 10 hp are allowed. We checked out out the hiking / bicycling trails briefly but were scared off by the sign of the different types of snakes we may encounter and the warning signs to watch out for ticks so we decided to stick with fishing. I saw pelicans and lots of birds that were having better luck than we were having. Hubby almost caught a crab but it fell off his line halfway from pulling it up and caught 1 fish but it was too small to keep. My youngest had fun playing with hermit crabs. Overall it's a relaxing place to spend the afternoon with the fam. read more

Guana River State Park - Fishing info - Parks Near Me - Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Wanted to do a walk on the beach yesterday at Mickler's but it's closed due to Hurricane issues. So I drove down to the first pull out for Guana Park. After paying my $3 and walking over, only to discovered it was windy as SHEET can be and it was high tide. Meaning, there was little beach to attempt to walk on. The Hurricanes really have done some damage to our beautiful area in Northern Florida. read more

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The trails are well marked for hiking or mountain biking. My family really enjoys walking under the tree canopy to the beaches on the ICW.

Nice big park 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. read more

We were staying on Vilano beach and decided to visit the park for some hiking. Fee is $2.00/ vehicle. Park is beautiful and peaceful, perfect for some exercise and relaxation. read more

Guana River State Park - Parks Near Me - Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

I've only been to this park three times. Fishing, then Kayaking, and finally just to take photos. Here are just two that I took, one being one of my all time favorite photos! They run on the trust system, or at least they did at the time of my visit, so you put a certain amount of money in an envelope, slip it in the box and the gate raises! There's a lot more that I haven't explored yet, but can't saying anything negative yet. read more

Guana River State Park - Parks Near Me - Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

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Relaxing little getaway from home. If your looking for a beautiful view and calming place this is it. I enjoy coming here to fish and catch some crabs. read more

Nice trails to walk. Some pretty water views of the intercostal. Nice little visitor center. I liked it.

What an incredible area! Makes living at the beach and near the river/inter coastal all the more special with this state park nearby. Love the birds and the wildlife!!! read more

Beautiful park. Lots of trails. Avoid in the summer. Too hot. Great for cycling (wide tires) on soft sand. Mostly packed trails and a few roots. Good for hiking. Maps aren't great though. The sign posts can be confusing. Best to bring a well charged phone for mapping your way. Limited bugs except near the intercoastal on the other side. read more

I've walked the trails and kayaked here, and it was pretty cool. There are lots of options for varying length walks, walks through the brush or near the water, and I've seen deer, sting rays (!), gators, and all sorts of birds while walking/kayaking the area. Recently I walked here after one of their controlled burns, and it was really neat to see the charred palmettos with new, bright green growth already sprouting. Bugs weren't too much of a problem here; usually we walked around mid-morning so it wasn't too hot, but there's a lot of shade as well. When kayaking, if it's a sunny day there aren't many places to find shade on the water, and if you haven't been in awhile, it's a pretty good idea to maybe not try to go all the way to Aunt Kate's in one afternoon, although the subsequent beer there was a godsend. Check the tides if you go kayaking and bring singles for parking! read more

Huge place to to hiking and explore. I've only been here once, hiking around the trails on the far south side, but I plan on making many more trips here. read more

Came here for a geology project. Pretty views and plenty of things for me to write about now! read more

Guana River State Park - Beach entrance - Parks Near Me - Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

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Water and beach access was great. Trails where uneventful. Not much to see but still a great hike. 3 dollars to get in read more

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I had no idea that these hiking trails existed here!! We were here the day after some heavy rain and a lot of the trails were washed out so we didn't get to see as much of it as we had hoped. Next time, I want to hike the full length of the trails but from what we did see this is a great spot. They also offer places to fish and launch your boat. read more

The trails are pretty easy on my mountain bike and the views are nice also. Seen some owls, amardillos and hermit crabs. Overall it was an enjoyable time. read more

This is a great place to take a hike with over 8 miles of trails. Bring water as it can get very hot during the warmer months. Consider a picnic on one of the picnic tables near the Intracoastal Waterway. You can also bring your off-road bike or bike with WIDE tires. Do not consider a regular street bike as there are many roots and sugar sand that is difficult to negotiate. Also have inspect repellant on hand and DO stay on the trails. Walking through the woods will probably make you familiar with ticks certain times of the year. Enjoy! Things to consider/bring: 1) insect repellant, 2) Water 3) Binoculars 4) Camera 5) Off-road bike 3)Snacks read more

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. read more