Hiking on St. John in U.S. Virgin Islands See + Do on Concierge.com

see + do

View As:

List

Detail

Editors' Pick

Save For Later

Hiking on St. John, St. John

St. John
U. S. Virgin Islands
Tel: 340 776 6201

view web site ›

Concierge.com's insider take:

There are more than 20 worthy trails within the Virgin Islands National Park, but no serious eco-adventurer should miss the day trip to Reef Bay, on St. John's southern coast. One of the few trails with ranger-led hikes, this easy three-mile, mostly downhill trek features much more than flora and fauna: You'll hike past plantation ruins and petroglyphs, visit a former sugar factory, and wind up at the beach for a dip. Best of all, a boat zips you back to Cruz Bay so you don't have to haul yourself back up the mountain to the trailhead. The hike begins at 9:30 a.m. at the national park visitor's center. Reservations are essential (contact ext. 238 for schedules; $21, including water shuttle).

For one of the best views in all of St. John, don't miss the cactus-studded hike to Ram Head on the island's southeastern tip. Drive to Salt Pond—nearly four miles south of Coral Bay—and follow the quarter-mile path to Salt Pond Beach. From there you can pick up the 1.2-mile Ram Head Trail, which ends with a sweeping island panorama 200 feet above the Caribbean. Low-impact hikers will appreciate the half-mile loop at Cinnamon Bay. The nature walk begins across the road from Cinnamon Bay Campgrounds and is clearly marked with signs identifying animals and trees you'll spot along the way. Finally, history buffs can check out the Annaberg Historic Trail, an easy half-mile walk that passes through one of the island's best-preserved 18th-century plantations. You'll see a partially restored sugar factory, the remains of an old windmill, and what's left of buildings that once housed island slaves.