Between Jacksonville and St. Augustine, there is an an aquatic reserve with the rather unwieldy name of the Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve. It is called the GTM Reserve for short, and until 2004 is was known as Guana River State Park. The GTM Reserve spans 4.2 mile of the Atlantic coastline where there is no commercial or residential development, and the coastal highway (A1A) runs along the coastline all the way through the reserve. There are limited points of access to this long stretch of undeveloped beach. There are three beach parking lots in the reserve—North Beach Access, Middle Beach Access and South Beach Access. All beachgoers must park in one of these lots and follow a designated dune crossing to the beach. Parking is not allowed along the side of the road, and crossing the dunes is also prohibited except at the designated crossings at the parking lots. (A fourth and final parking lot in the reserve is at public boat launch for Guana Lake, which is the large lagoon on the inland side of A1A, but there is no beach access from that lot since there is not a dune crossing there.)

Most beachgoers at the GTM Reserve cluster around one of the three access points, and thus there are stretches where the beach is sparsely populated or empty. Furthermore, the beach is shielded from view of the coastal highway by especially large dunes (some of the largest in Florida). These elements make parts of the beach ideal for discreet nude bathing. In particular, the stretch of beach between the north access and the middle access is 2.25 miles long, and the area about halfway between those accesses is the most remote part of the beach. (In contrast, it is only 0.8 mile between the middle access and the south access, and nudity is not advisable along that stretch.)

The GTM Reserve does not get enough nude use to be described as a well-established nude beach, and the area about halfway between the north and middle accesses is more aptly described as Jacksonville's gay beach than as a nude beach. However, it is not uncommon for men to doff their bathing suits and enjoy the beach au naturel, with discretion. Florida's anti-nudity law is applicable here, and cops and rangers that occasionally patrol the beach do not turn a blind eye to nudity. Don't be naked within sight of textiles. While it is possible to access the vaguely defined zone of nude use from either the north access or middle access, most nudity seems to occur a bit closer to the middle access. Facing the ocean from the middle access, turn left and walk north about a mile before disrobing.

There are no facilities or services, nor is there a fresh water source, so be sure to bring plenty of water.

GPS: 30.1000, -81.3405

city, county, state, country  Sawgrass, St. Johns, Florida, U.S.A.

classification  4 (potentially risky)

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