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It was a peaceful place with lots of nature. And a boat ramp area plus picnic tables and restrooms.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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!
1 month ago
This will always be my go-to beach! The amount of shells and shark teeth you can find here is honestly overwhelming so bring a bucket! Definitely be prepared to walk! There are also stairs that will make you think twice about bringing a heavy load, so I definitely recommend packing light. But it's absolutely worth it! I believe they accept credit/debit now, but I'd still recommend bringing at least $5 just in case the machine is down. Also, make sure you take a picture of your tag number before heading to the ticket machine, it'll make things a lot easier! I also see plenty of people bring their dogs to the beach, just make sure they're leashed. read more
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
7 months ago
1 year ago
It was a peaceful place with lots of nature. And a boat ramp area plus picnic tables and restrooms. read more
1 year ago
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
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
6 years ago
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
8 years ago
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
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
8 years ago
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
6 years ago
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
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
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, 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
6 years ago
4 years ago
9 years ago
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
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
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
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
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
10 years ago
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
6 years ago
9 years ago
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
7 years ago
4 years ago
8 years ago
5 years ago
8 years ago
11 years ago
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
8 years ago
Came here for a geology project. Pretty views and plenty of things for me to write about now! read more
13 years ago
10 years ago
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