Walking and biking trails in Ponte Vedra Beach: Nocatee Preserve's 5.13-mile trail road and 3.84-mile bike trail, the GTM Reserve's Guana trails, and short loops.

Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Distances come from St. Johns County’s GIS trail maps for Nocatee Preserve and Nease Beachfront Park; hours and parking from the county’s park pages and the GTM Research Reserve. Where a source gives no distance, we give none.

Ponte Vedra Beach’s trails are natural, unpaved paths, not paved greenways: Nocatee Preserve on the estuary south of the Palm Valley Bridge, and the GTM Research Reserve’s Guana trails. Short boardwalks and the beach fill in the rest.

Trails at a glance

Trail Length Surface Hours Parking
Nocatee Preserve Trail Road 5.13 miles Unpaved Dawn to dusk County lot
Nocatee Preserve Mountain Bike Trail 3.84 miles Unpaved Dawn to dusk County lot
GTM Guana trails Not published Unpaved 8 a.m. to sunset $3 a vehicle
Nease Beachfront Park trail 0.13 mile Pedestrian Dawn to dusk County lot
Bird Island Park boardwalk Short loop Boardwalk Dawn to dusk Park lot

Nocatee Preserve

Trailhead: 501 Davis Park Road, south of the Palm Valley Bridge on the estuary, across from the Guana Preserve. Open dawn to dusk, with parking, restrooms and a horse washing station.

The 2,400-acre preserve has more than 3 miles of unpaved trails for walking, jogging, mountain biking, bird watching, photography and horseback riding, the county’s park page says. Its trail map lists two routes:

  • Nocatee Preserve Trail Road: 5.13 miles
  • Nocatee Preserve Mountain Bike Trail: 3.84 miles

The county calls these trails the first phase of the preserve’s plan, which allows for future paved trails, overlooks, boardwalks and canoe and kayak launches.

GTM Research Reserve: the Guana trails

Trailhead: the Guana Trails parking lot; the visitor center is at 505 Guana River Road. The trails and three beach lots (north, middle and south) are open 8 a.m. to sunset every day. Parking is $3 per vehicle for up to eight people, plus tax, or $1 per walker or cyclist; pay by QR code or text, or buy a $50 annual pass, the reserve’s visit page says.

On the first Saturday of each month, 9 to 11 a.m., the reserve holds a Guided Exploration Hike about the peninsula’s 5,000 years of human history and wildlife. Guana Outpost South rents bikes, kayaks and paddleboards at the Guana Dam, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Short walks

  • Nease Beachfront Park, 3171 Coastal Highway: a 0.13-mile pedestrian trail, a boardwalk and overlook into the marsh, and a butterfly garden; the beach is across A1A. Bathrooms and showers (county page).
  • Bird Island Park, 101 Library Blvd.: a boardwalk through dune and wetland plantings with native plants and educational signs, next to the library (county page).
  • The beach: walk the sand from Mickler’s Landing, 1109 Ponte Vedra Blvd., which has an ADA dune walkover and a bike service station (county page).

Paddling routes

The county publishes two paddling maps from the Nocatee Paddle Launch, 9074 Tolomato Road, for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards: to Capo Creek and to the GTM Reserve’s Guana Dam. The launch has a pavilion, restrooms and bike racks and is open dawn to dusk.

Coming: the SUN Trail

St. Johns County is planning nearly 40 miles of the regional SUN Trail, a shared-use path for walking and biking that links to the East Coast Greenway; current design work is on the Pope Road to A1A (Beach Boulevard) segment in St. Augustine Beach, its SUN Trail page says.

What this means for you

  • For the longest walk or a mountain bike ride, go to Nocatee Preserve.
  • Pay for GTM parking by QR code or text, and arrive after 8 a.m.
  • Keep dogs on a leash of 12 feet or less on county land; see dog-friendly.
  • More parks: parks and trails.

Frequently asked questions

What is the longest trail in Ponte Vedra Beach?

The Nocatee Preserve Trail Road, 5.13 miles, at the 2,400-acre Nocatee Preserve, 501 Davis Park Road. The preserve also has a 3.84-mile mountain bike trail, according to the county’s trail map.

Can you mountain bike in Ponte Vedra Beach?

Yes. Nocatee Preserve has a 3.84-mile mountain bike trail, and its unpaved trails are open to walking, jogging, mountain biking and horseback riding, dawn to dusk.

How much does it cost to park at the GTM Research Reserve trails?

$3 per vehicle for up to eight people, plus tax, and $1 per walker or cyclist. The Guana trails and beach lots are open 8 a.m. to sunset every day.

Are dogs allowed on the trails in Ponte Vedra Beach?

On county land, dogs must be on a leash no longer than 12 feet under St. Johns County’s leash ordinance. The GTM Research Reserve does not post a pet policy on its visit page; call 904-380-8600.