Guana-Tolomato-Mantansas National Estuarine Research Reserve

Guana-Tolomato-Mantansas National Estuarine Research Reserve Reviews

Reviews 124
4.8
Contact us
Reviews 124 Page 1 of 2
Filters:
Rating
Language
Sort:
Most recent

Amazing park. Bring a boat, some running/walking s...

Amazing park. Bring a boat, some running/walking shoes, or a fishing pole. If you go to the trails come with time to spare for a leisurely walk, and if you want the scenic trail use the red trail.

Great place to take my dog.

Great place to take my dog.
Hiking the trails to the river and back
is a good work out for me and Rusty

Downfall is crossing the busy road from the parkin...

Downfall is crossing the busy road from the parking area, but other than that, it's a nice beach if you're looking for less of a crowd. It also has a lookout point on the wooden bridge that you take down to the beach itself. Not as many shark teeth as years past though due to some erosion.

Easy to follow map and trail signs . Lots of scene...

Easy to follow map and trail signs . Lots of scenery and wildlife . We didn't fish but the area looks really nice . Saw two wild pigs . They ran from us .
Take plenty of water , more then you normaly take . Loved it !

One of Ponte Vedra/Jacksonvlle's best kept secrets...

One of Ponte Vedra/Jacksonvlle's best kept secrets. If you're willing to drive a little further and pay the couple dollars to park you get a beach almost completely to yourself even in the summertime! The sand is a bit different here and has something like a South Florida feel. There's also a nice lookout and a nearby boat ramp for fishing

I attended the annual Florida Bird Festival here a...

I attended the annual Florida Bird Festival here and just loved it. Excellent photography classes, and the grounds and buildings are beautiful. Enjoyed hiking some of their wonderful trails.

This is a wonderful place to go for a hike and exp...

This is a wonderful place to go for a hike and experience nature. The paths are very easy and give you various perspectives on the nature that is around. There are opportunities to see all sorts of wildlife, from butterflies, hermit crabs, armadillos to alligators.
If you are even mildly into photography, this is a great place to go and capture nature .
Bring a lunch and you can picnic in one of the pavilions or near the river. Bring your fishing pole and you can fish riverside or lake side.
Overall, it is well worth the $3 a car and is a good family outing if you want an easy hike or just a day out and about in nature

This is one of the areas best kept secrets. Locate...

This is one of the areas best kept secrets. Located on A1A between Ponte Vedra and St Augustine, the research and education center is hidden just off the highway so that it is easily (and often) missed. This is well worth the stop,... especially if you have kids. The life-sized Humpback and Right Whales were awesome! Check out my pics

Quiet

My wife caught a flesh eating Bacteria here. "Vibr...

My wife caught a flesh eating Bacteria here. "Vibrio Vulnificus" she spent 4 months in the hospital. Be careful. The water is NOT dirty it is a natural bacteria that lives in salt and brackish water and becomes active when the water is warm. don't go in the water if you have any cuts.

This is the most beautiful place to mountain bike ...

This is the most beautiful place to mountain bike in the area! Many distinct and divers micro-environments due to the coastal location and immediate proximity to the intercoastal waterway. Lots wildlife and the occasional alligator can be seen and enjoyed. Lots of yellow flies and ticks in warmer months.

Plenty of trails to hike, which is what we did. We...

Plenty of trails to hike, which is what we did. Well marked and none are very challenging. Be sure to bring lots of water and bug spray. It is Florida....
The one thing that kept the 5th star out was the wild pigs. We saw one on the east side or the loop and a pack of 7 on the other side. All piglets and my wife thought they were the cutest. Ferrell pigs are invasive and can be quite aggressive. So just be aware. .

My wife and I love hiking the trails here! There'...

My wife and I love hiking the trails here! There's plenty of biodiversity here to keep you interested, no matter which trail you take.

There's a variety of trails that give you plenty of options for how long you want to hike. If you want to put several miles of hiking into your day, you'll get what you're looking for here. If you want just a short walk through the woods, you can get that here too. You'll walk through woods, around/through marshes, along rivers, and more. Plenty of opportunities for pictures to preserve the memories you make!

And they allow animals to come along for the adventure!

WELL

We absolutely LOVE this strip of beaches! Large en...

We absolutely LOVE this strip of beaches! Large enough that you can find your "own" spot of beach. Good shells and you can even find shark's teeth! Sand is not white and is coarse. Cost is $3 per vehicle (cash only) to park.

This is a wonderful slice of unspoiled Florida. I'...

This is a wonderful slice of unspoiled Florida. I'm a birder and this is a fantastic place for birding, both along the intracoastal and along the beach. The environmental center is small but packs in a lot of information. My grandkids enjoy visiting it. If I lived closer I'd probably be there every day, or at least once a week, but since it's a 100-mile round trip from my house I don't get there nearly as often as I would like.

Complete natural experience.

Complete natural experience.
Education, exercise, trails, fishing, and serious research.
Ocean to estuary.
A local gem!

Great place to fish parking very close to water no...

Great place to fish parking very close to water no long walks carrying your stuff when fishing is good it is GOOD shrimp also. Kid friendly also and restrooms available gas station right at gate also and it sell basic tackle and frozen bait.

Great place! Ran here today, on the trails, and t...

Great place! Ran here today, on the trails, and they were very nice. They are pretty well marked and kept, and there are many options to choose from. Other than the paved sensory loop, the other trails are dirt or gravel, including a boardwalk. Would definitely recommend to any runners looking for some soft surface running, also great for walking and biking!

This National Estuary is a great place to visit. ...

This National Estuary is a great place to visit. The Education Center is open to the public and is a great insight into the ecosystems in the area.

The water quality in the preserve is something to be proud of and work to keep.

While the nature is beautiful and it's peaceful, ...

While the nature is beautiful and it's peaceful, trail markings are very poor. I lost a track and ended up walking two hours trying to get out. No cellphone signal and GPS doesn't work either. Very scary and unpleasant, and no people around.

Great for training on CX or MTB. Long fire road tr...

Great for training on CX or MTB. Long fire road trail....really long. Bring hydratation backpak. No thorns so is ok to go on tubes. Wildlife: turtles, Coyotes(if your are lucky) Deers, pigs, Racoons, Possums, snakes, and birds. Start from More

Guana-Tolomato-Mantansas National Estuarine Research Reserve

Guana-Tolomato-Mantansas National Estuarine Research Reserve

4.8