Virgin Islands National Park

Written by Julie Greiner

With the advent of air travel, the Virgin Islands have become a mecca for vacationers. The thickly wooded forests on St. John are fantastic for hiking. The trees that were cleared for raising sugarcane are now returning. The Virgin Islands National Park comprises approximately fifty-percent of St. John Island. The land was donated by Laurance Rockefeller and this includes off-shore rights and another 122 acres on Hassel Island which faces St. Thomas.

Cinnamon Bay Trail

This is a self-guided loop trail that takes approximately an hour and provides an introduction to the park's historic landmarks and vegetation which are all labeled. You are exposed to mango, genip and bay-rum. You also view ruins of the original sugar mill. The lush varied foliage is just an introduction.

Francis Bay Trail

The cliffs at Mary Point are nesting sites for the brown pelican, a U.S. U.S. Virgin Islands National Park on St. John Island

endangered species. Brown boobies colonize on the offshore islands and the frigatebirds are seen soar overhead. Francis Bay is also a good place to see and swim with green sea turtles. Annaberg Plantation Trail number 10 leads you to a partially restored ruins of an eighteenth-century estate overlooking the north coast. From Annaberg along the shore you can go to Leinster Bay where the land forms red mangroves into the sea. Waterlemon Cay, an inlet in Leinster Bay has one of the island's best snorkeling reefs. You can also catch a day sailing excursion to the reef from St. Thomas and Cruz Bay. Reef Bay Trail comprises the park's most comprehensive hike. This shady path winds downhill through moist forests to dry forests and the grounds of abandoned sugar plantations. You will Flora Display at U.S. Virgin Islands National Park

Flora Display at U.S. Virgin Islands National Park

pass exotic tropical fruit trees such as mango, soursop, papaya and breadfruit.

Salt Pond Bay, Drunk Bay and Ram Head Trails

These are three interconnecting trails that run from Salt Pond Bay over Ram Hill to Ram Head. The trails cross ground covered with thorny acacia, catch and keep, organ-pipe cactus, orchids and epiphytes. There are wild goats and donkeys roaming this area. The rocks of Ram Head were formed some 100 million years ago are known as the Water Island Formation.

Trunk Bay on the north shore has a Park SErvice snorkeling trail along its reef. This area has seen so much traffic of tourists that the reef is deteriorating. Honeymoon Beach is a sandy cove of Caneel Bay where snorkelers can observe the spotted eagle ray up close. Schools of colorful parrotfishes, snappers, blue tang and surgeonfishes are plentiful. The slim trumpetfish which hangs vertically in the water is also present.

The Visitor Center (809) 776-6201) is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There is literature available tours by park rangers, hikes, wildlife lectures, films and a boating tour around the island. There are two camps and a luxury resort available for lodging.