Photo:
Joe Lin from New York, NY, USA / CC BY 2.0
Virgin Islands National Park cloaks roughly two-thirds of the island of St. John in the Caribbean, a tropical paradise of powder-white beaches, turquoise bays, coral reefs and forested hills. Protecting both a stunning marine world and the historic landscape of sugar plantations and ancient petroglyphs, it offers world-class snorkeling and hiking in one of the most beautiful corners of the United States.
St. John rises steep and green from the Caribbean, its hills of dry tropical forest dropping to a coast of white-sand beaches and coral-fringed bays. The park protects this land-and-sea mosaic, reefs, seagrass meadows and mangroves alive with fish and sea turtles, forested ridges laced with trails, and the stone ruins of the island’s colonial sugar era amid the trees.
The dry season, roughly December through April, brings the most reliable sunshine and calmest seas, the peak time to visit. Summer and fall are hotter and wetter, and the Atlantic hurricane season runs June through November, so watch tropical forecasts. The water stays warm and inviting year-round.
St. John has no airport, so visitors fly into St. Thomas and take a short ferry across. The park covers much of the island, reached by the island roads, a rental vehicle or taxis help, and many of the best beaches and trailheads are along the North Shore Road. Boats and kayaks open up the quieter bays.
Snorkel the reefs, the underwater trail at Trunk Bay is a classic, and relax on beaches like Cinnamon and Maho bays. Hike the Reef Bay Trail past sugar-mill ruins and petroglyphs, sea kayak or sail to hidden coves, and explore the island’s history and tropical forest between swims.
Ocean currents and surf can be strong at some beaches, so heed conditions and snorkel within your ability. Tropical sun and heat are intense, use reef-safe sunscreen, shade and plenty of water, and watch for sea urchins and other marine hazards. During hurricane season, follow tropical forecasts closely.
There is no general entrance fee, but Trunk Bay and some moorings charge fees, check current requirements, and carry water and reef-safe sunscreen. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report; always confirm current conditions, fees and closures with the National Park Service before your trip.
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
