Virgin Islands National Park Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands National Park’s hills, valleys and beaches are breath-taking. However, within its 7,000 plus acres on the island of St. John is the complex history of civilizations, both free and enslaved, dating back more than a thousand years, all who utilized the land and the sea for survival.

Virgin Islands National Park, renowned throughout the world for its breathtaking beauty, covers approximately half of St. John, as well as nearly all of Hassel Island in the Charlotte Amalie harbor on St. Thomas. All the visitor facilities are on St. John. There are none on Hassel Island. Within this protected paradise are sub-tropical forests, semi-arid scrublands, and swamps along the coastal areas. Some 800 species of plants inhabit these varied climates, including one native palm tree – the Teyer palm, along with bay rum trees and tropical orchids. More than 50 species of tropical birds breed on St. John, including the Bananaquit and three species of Caribbean hummingbirds. Other migrant species spend the winter in the park’s dense forests.

While Annaberg and Trunk Bay are the most frequently-visited park sites, Virgin Islands National Park’s diverse beaches, coral reefs, historic ruins, and hiking trails provide endless hours of exploration and enjoyment, as well as inspiration and opportunities for solitude and reflection.  Visitors enjoy a variety of activities on the land and in the water, including swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving; sailing, kayaking and windsurfing; and camping, hiking and bird watching.  Visitors can enjoy the crystal blue waters on a charter day-sail or boat snorkeling tour which are offered by private operators and can be booked in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay.  Some visitors explore the park on their own, while others prefer a two-hour safari bus island tour with a private tour guide.

One of the Virgin Islands National Park's most famous attractions is Trunk Bay, which sports a white sand beach and an underwater snorkeling trail, although the trail's chronic overuse has led to extensive coral damage along its path.

The park includes the sugar-plantation-ruins-littered Cinnamon Bay Nature Trail and the Bordeaux Mountain Trail that leads to the highest point on the island at 1,277 feet above sea level, and whose view is best described as "what you must see from heaven". The most popular hike, however, is the Reef Bay Trail. This route paves the way to witnessing the beauty of the surrounding forestlands, remnants of sugar mills, historical Taíno petroglyph rock carvings, a spring-fed waterfall and reflection pool, and a chance for rest and relaxation or snorkeling excitement at Genti Bay.

Visitors can stay on Saint John nearby, on off-park land, or they may elect to stay in one of the park's two campgrounds, Maho Bay and Cinnamon Bay, which offer varying levels of comfort. The park is free of hotels and resorts, with a notable exception, the Caneel Bay resort on the north shore, which lies on Rockefeller’s former personal estate.

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.

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