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| Activities: - Biking - Camping - Fishing - Golfing - Hiking - Horseback - Kayaking - Sailing - Scuba - Snorkeling |
Hiking |
Virgin Islands National Park Hiking Guide
While hiking, it is important to plan your hike with a map and plan for ample time to compensate for uphill terrain, exploring, swimming, and scenic rests. Always notify friends where you are going and when to expect you back. Loose clothing that includes long pants, shirt and a hat to protect against sunburn, insects and thorny vegetation are recommended. Also recommended to wear are comfortable walking shoes like boots or sneakers. Sandals are not recommended for trail hiking. Extra energy and water are needed on this rugged tropical island hike. There is no safe drinking water available along trails so take along enough water to use about half a gallon per hour on your hike. Last but not least, never hike alone and hike early and return early.
St. John HikingAnnaberg Area: Length is 0.2 miles and time is .5 hours. Area adjoins the paved Leinster Bay road. Mangrove forest and shallow reef flats provide good wildlife viewing of land crabs, wading birds, and marine organisms.
Annaberg School Area: Length is 0.2 miles and time is .25 hours. Ruins of one the Caribbean's oldest public school houses. From here you have views of Mary Point, Leinster Bay and Tortola.
Annaberg Sugar Mill Historical: Length is 0.2 miles and time 1.0 hours. Learn about St. John's sugar plantation era as you walk around these well preserved sugar factory ruins. There is also a fine view of the British Virgin Islands.
Brown Bay: Length is 1.6 miles and time is 2.0 hours. This unmaintained starts from the ridge saddle 0.7 miles out of Johnny Horn trail from Watermelon Bay. Branches east and descends through a dry scrub and open hot valley. For a short distance, trail borders Brown Bay and ascends over ridge overlooking Hurricane Church.
Caneel Hill Spur: Length is 0.8 miles and time is .75 hours. Starts at Lind Point trail, crosses Northshore road at point overlooking Cruz Bay and Caneel Hill trail at 0.4 miles.
Caneel Hill: Length is 2.4 miles and time is 2.0 hours. Joins Cruz Bay village with Northshore road entrance to Caneel Bay. A 0.8 mile climb from Cruz Bay to scenic overlook atop Caneel Hill (elevation 719 feet), continues on to Margaret Hill (848 feet), then descends to Northshore road through a forest environment.
Cinnamon Bay: Length is 1.1 miles and time is 1.0 hours. Beginning 100 yards east of the entrance road into Cinnamon Bay Campground, forested trail follows an old Danish plantation road uphill to its junction with Centerline Road. The Reef Bay trailhead is 0.9 miles east of this junction along Centerline Road.
Francis Bay: Length is 0.5 miles and time is 0.5 hours. Begins at the west end of Mary Creek paved road. Passes through dry scrub forest, historic Francis Bay Estate House and onto the beach. A mangrove forest and brackish pond provide good bird habitat. Swimming and snorkeling allowed, avoid deep-water passages of Mary Point, strong currents and boat traffic.
Johnny Horn: Length is 1.8 miles and time is 2.0 hours. Passing through sunny, upland dry forest and scrub, this historic track begins at Watermelon Bay and crosses the ridges southward to the paved road at Emmaus Moravian Church in Coral Bay.
Leinster Bay: Length is 0.8 miles and time is 0.5 hours. Follow the Old Danish Road eastward along the seashore from the Annaberg picnic site to Watermelon Bay. Good boat anchorage and swimming. Great snorkeling around Watermelon Bay.
Lind Point: Length is 1.1 miles and time is 1.0 hours. Connects the National Park Visitor Center at Cruz Bay with Honeymoon Beach at Caneel Bay. Trail ascends 0.4 miles to scenic Lind Point overlook (elevation 160 feet). At 0.7 miles, a side trail leads to Salomon Beach. Open dry forest with cactus scrub environment.
Peace Hill: Length is 0.1 miles and time is 0.25 hours. Scenic grassy overlook with old sugar mill tower and figure of Christ. 2.8 miles from Cruz Bay just off the Northshore Road.
Turtle Point: Length is 0.6 miles and time is 0.5 hours. Trail begins at north end of Caneel Bay Plantation. Hikers wishing to use this trail should enter property through the main gate and register at the front desk.
Water Catchment: Length is 1.0 miles and time is 0.5 hours. A forest-canopied trail between Centerline Road and the Northshore Road. Trail joins the Caneel Hill trail over a portion of its route.
Bordeaux Mountain: Length is 1.2 miles and time is 1.5 hours. This steep, open to the sun trail connects the shady Bordeaux Mountain Road with Lameshur Bay, 1,000 feet below. Centerline Road is 1.7 miles northwest of the trail junction with the Bordeaux Road.
Drunk Bay: Length is 1.2 miles and time is 1.5 hours. Walk to the south end of Salt Pond Bay Beach and turn east following the Drunk Bay trail along the north side of the salt pond.
Lameshur Bay: Length is 1.5 miles and time is 1.25 hours. Trail connects Lameshur Bay with Reef Bay Trail. Open dry forest hike. 1.2 miles from the Reef Bay junction, a spur trail leads 0.3 mile to a salt pond and coral rubble beach at Europa Bay.
Petroglyph: Length is 0.2 miles and time is 0.25 hours. Trail starts 1.5 miles down the Reef Bay trail. The many rock carvings by the pools are attributed to early Arawak Indians.
Ram Head: Length is 1.0 miles and time is 1.0 hours. Trail starts at the south end of Salt Pond Bay Beach. Rocky, exposed trail leads to a unique blue cobble beach and then switchbacks up the hillside to its crest 200 feet above the Caribbean Sea.
Reef Bay: Length is 2.2 miles and time is 2.0 hours. Trail begins 4.9 miles east of Cruz Bay on the Centerline Road. Descends through a shady, moist forest and a dry forest, both with a wide variety of plant life. Remains of four sugar estates and abandoned farming communities are along the way.
Salt Pond Bay: Length is 0.2 miles and time is 0.25 hours. Trail begins at the parking area 3.9 miles south of Coral Bay. Hike graded trail down to Salt Pond Beach and picnic area through arid cactus scrub land. Good swimming and snorkeling. Area is hot and sunny. Extra drinking water and hat are recommended.
Yawzi Point: Length is 0.3 miles and time is 0.25 hours. Trail leads from Little Lameshur Bay Road through thorny scrub vegetation to isolated coves. Years ago people afflicted with the disease yaws had to live on this narrow peninsula.
St. Thomas HikingMagens Bay Beach Trail: Length is 1.8 miles that descends from the top of Mahogany Run Road. If anyone is looking for a little hiking or trail running on St. Thomas, this is the perfect St. Thomas hiking trail.
St. Croix HikingCane Bay: This is one of the island's top dive sites. From Cane Bay you can hike to the sugar factory that has three extant sugar boiling pots and the remains of cane grinding mills. |
Hiking on St John in the lush virgin islands National Park is a great way to see the Virgin Islands. Pick a hike from the Virgin Islands hiking guide.