This October, the Guana River Wildlife Management Area's upland interior is open to the general public on just one weekend: Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4. From Oct. 9 to the end of the month, every Saturday and most Sundays fall inside a quota hunt. On those days the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission limits access to the upland portion to quota permit holders, their hunting guests and exempt hunters.
This comes up in October because the month brings the reserve's best conditions and its busiest program calendar. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's visitor page lists the trails as open "365 days a year." That page doesn't mention the hunt-date rule. It sits in FWC's own brochure for the WMA.
Why October Is the Month for Guana's Trails
FWC's planning page for Guana River says temperatures are likely to be cooler and bugs fewer from fall through spring. It also says that in April and October, especially with a west wind or after a cold front, Guana is the best place in Northeast Florida to see peregrine falcons. For comparison, DEP's page says ticks and biting insects are common all year and especially heavy from late April through early September. That means October starts the reserve's more comfortable season.
The trails start at the west end of the Guana River Dam. DEP describes about 10 miles of nature trails and old service roads through the hammock, scrub and flatwoods of the reserve's interior. FWC's trail map for the area labels the "GTMNERR Trails" inside the WMA boundary. The hunt calendar applies to that same interior.
What the 2026 Hunt Calendar Does to the Interior
FWC's 2026–27 calendar for Guana River lists two October hunt blocks. Archery runs Oct. 9–11 and Oct. 16–18. Muzzleloading runs Oct. 24–26 and Oct. 30–Nov. 1. General gun follows Nov. 20–22 and Nov. 27–29. Small game runs Dec. 4–6 and Dec. 11–13, then continues into January.
There are three levels of access, depending on the day:
- Quota hunt dates. Upland access is limited to quota permit holders, hunting guests and exempt hunters, and they may enter only from the Guana Dam entrance.
- Scouting and small-game dates. The upland stays open to the public, but only through the Guana Dam entrance.
- Non-hunting dates. Non-motorized access is allowed from both the Guana Dam and the Roscoe Boulevard Extension entrances.
Scouting is allowed one day before each hunt, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. In October that means Oct. 8, 15, 23 and 29. FWC says the free Roscoe Boulevard Extension entrance at the north end is closed during scouting, archery, muzzleloading, general gun, small game and spring turkey seasons. On other days it is open sunrise to sunset only.
Here is how that works out by weekend. Oct. 1, 2026, is a Thursday.
October weekend | FWC status | Upland access for the general public |
|---|---|---|
Sat. Oct. 3 – Sun. Oct. 4 | No hunt scheduled | Open from Guana Dam and Roscoe Boulevard Extension |
Fri. Oct. 9 – Sun. Oct. 11 | Archery | Limited to permit holders, guests and exempt hunters |
Fri. Oct. 16 – Sun. Oct. 18 | Archery | Limited to permit holders, guests and exempt hunters |
Sat. Oct. 24 – Mon. Oct. 26 | Muzzleloading | Limited to permit holders, guests and exempt hunters |
Fri. Oct. 30 – Sun. Nov. 1 | Muzzleloading | Limited to permit holders, guests and exempt hunters |
FWC doesn't post a separate notice closing the named GTM trails on these dates. It applies the restriction to the whole upland portion. FWC also notes that its season dates may change and points visitors to its regulations brochure. On any scheduled hunt day, FWC encourages everyone in the WMA to wear a daylight fluorescent orange shirt, vest, jacket or hat.
What Stays Open on Hunt Dates
The hunt rules cover the upland interior. Other parts of the reserve keep their usual hours and fees:
- The three beach lots on A1A. The reserve has North, Middle and South beach access lots, open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. You park, then walk across A1A to the dune walkovers and a coquina sand beach. There are no lifeguards, and the south lot is wheelchair accessible.
- The Guana River Dam use area. It is open daily from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. for fishing. One of its two small boat ramps reaches Guana Lake, also called Lake Ponte Vedra, which has a 10-horsepower engine limit. The other reaches the Guana River, which may not be navigable at low tide because of mudflats.
- Guana Outpost South. The kayak, paddleboard and bike rental concession at the dam is run with the Friends of GTM Research Reserve by North Guana Outpost, a locally owned outfitter founded in Ponte Vedra Beach in spring 2014. It's open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except major holidays and extreme weather. Reservations are recommended, and calling ahead is suggested.
- The Visitor Center at 505 Guana River Road. It's open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed Sunday, Monday and state holidays. The two official sources disagree on admission. DEP lists it as free for all ages, while the Friends of GTM visitor page lists $3 per group of up to five for ages 12 and up, with children under 12 free. The Visitor Center can confirm at (904) 380-8600.
Parking at the trails, beach lots and dam is $3 per vehicle for up to eight people, plus tax. You can pay by scanning the QR code or by texting the lot number to 504504. A $50-plus-tax annual pass covers the Visitor Center, the dam and fishing area, the trails and all three beach lots, and it's good for a year from purchase. Veterans get 10% off the pass with ID or a DD214. Veterans with a service-related injury and medical documentation get the pass free.
October on the Reserve's Program Calendar
Most of GTM's October programs meet at the dam, the Visitor Center or the beach lots, the same places that keep their hours on hunt days. Here is how each week lines up with the hunt calendar.
Oct. 1 to Oct. 7: The Open Weekend and a County Meeting
Nature Journaling with instructor Elaine Bergstrom meets at the Visitor Center on Thursday, Oct. 1, from 9:50 a.m. to noon. On Saturday, Oct. 3, GTM's guided exploration hike follows the Yellow Trail for under 2.2 miles round trip from 9 to 11 a.m., and advance registration is required. It's the only guided interior hike on the October calendar, and it lands on the month's only weekend with no hunt scheduled.
On Wednesday, Oct. 7, St. Johns County will hold a community meeting at the reserve from 4 to 7 p.m. on a preliminary beach trolley concept for South Ponte Vedra Beach and Vilano Beach. The same presentation runs at 4, 5 and 6 p.m., each followed by breakout stations for questions. The county is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a long-term beach restoration partnership for South Ponte Vedra Beach. One factor the Corps uses to set the local cost share is how much public beach access the project area has, and a trolley stopping at existing county-owned properties is one of several options the county is evaluating. No decisions have been made about stop locations or whether the county will pursue the idea at all. If you can't attend, a recording and Q&A transcript will be posted at sjcfl.us/CoastalProjects. You can send questions ahead of time to St. Johns County Coastal Management at 904-209-0260 or [email protected].
Oct. 8 to Oct. 18: Archery Weekends, Programs at the Water
Family Seining on Saturday, Oct. 10, runs from 9 to 11 a.m. at Guana Dam, where families pull a seine net through Guana Lake to collect fish and crabs. That Saturday is an archery hunt day, so the general public can't continue from the dam into the upland trails afterward. The watercolor Introduction to Nature Journaling meets Thursday, Oct. 15, from 9:50 a.m. to noon, which is a scouting day. On Saturday, Oct. 17, docents lead a beach walk from the Visitor Center, 9 to 11 a.m. GTM calls it a "Beaches 101" experience about seashells and the animals that live on the beach.
Oct. 23 to Oct. 31: Muzzleloading and the Haunted Trail
The monthly beach cleanup is Saturday, Oct. 24, from 9 to 11 a.m., and no signup is required. The month ends with the ESTUSCARY Haunted Trail on Oct. 29, 30 and 31, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the South Beach Access Parking Lot, 2200 S. Ponte Vedra Blvd. It's recommended for ages 10 and up, costumes are encouraged and closed-toe shoes are recommended. Tickets are $20 online through the ESTUSCARY event page and $30 at the trail.
Before You Load the Car
- Check the date against FWC's Guana River regulations brochure before planning a hike on the interior trails.
- Bring something fluorescent orange for any visit to the WMA on a scheduled hunt day.
- At GTM programs, dogs are allowed on trails and beaches on a leash no longer than six feet, and owners must clean up after them. Dogs aren't allowed at Nature Journaling events. FWC requires dogs in the WMA to be under physical restraint at all times.
- For the trails from Guana Dam, the beach lots or a peregrine walk, the reserve's visitor information is on DEP's Visit Us page.
- November has its own hunt dates. Muzzleloading runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, and general gun runs Nov. 20–22 and Nov. 27–29. That leaves the weekends of Nov. 7–8 and Nov. 14–15 with no scheduled hunt.
If you're planning fall weekends around Guana's trails and beach lots, or around the trolley concept the county will present at the reserve on Oct. 7, Bella at The Real Jacksonville is happy to talk through how this corner of Ponte Vedra Beach fits your plans. Schedule a Consultation whenever you're ready.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
