About Us Sources
Trunk Bay, St. John, Virgin Islands National Park Photo: Navin75 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
All Parks
US Virgin Islands · Est. 1956
Park Map PDF

Virgin Islands

Roughly 60% of St. John island — turquoise Caribbean bays, coral reefs, and the ruins of 18th-century sugar plantations woven through tropical forest.

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Summary
💵
$0
Entrance fee
🏖️
$5
Trunk Bay amenity fee
$26/night
Boat mooring fee
Historic Crowd Data
Avg. monthly visitors, 2015–2024 · National Park Service
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Light Moderate Busy Very Busy
Peak season is January–April, when around 43% of annual visitors arrive. For lighter crowds, aim for September–October.
Plan Your Visit
⚠️Reef & Ocean SafetyFlag system
🌊 Sea urchin spines are brittle and puncture skin easily, breaking off inside; corals, sponges, and sea stars can cut or sting on contact — stand only on sand while snorkeling, never on reef. Stinging jellyfish are more common in summer. Beaches post a flag system: green means minimal hazard, yellow moderate, and red signals dangerous waves and strong rip currents — check before swimming. Use reef-safe sunscreen only. Hurricane season runs June–November; conditions and closures can shift quickly during storms. NPS safety info ↗
🎫Park Entry & FeesFree entry
Fees
EntranceFree
Trunk Bay (16+)$5/day
Boat mooring$26/night
Senior/Access pass: 50% off Trunk Bay & mooring fees
Overnight moorings are capped at 7 nights per bay and 30 nights per year. NPS fees info ↗
🏕CampingCinnamon Bay
Cinnamon Bay Beach & CampgroundReservation
LocationNorth shore beach, concessioner-run
OptionsTent sites, eco-tents, and bare sites
Full camping details on NPS.gov ↗
🥾Things to Do5 categories
Hiking Trails4 trails
Reef Bay TrailStrenuous
Descends past Taino petroglyphs to the ruins of the Reef Bay Sugar Mill, the last sugar mill to operate on St. John (until 1908)
~3 mi one-way (6 mi RT)
Ram Head TrailModerate–Strenuous
Rocky, largely shadeless coastal walk from Salt Pond Bay out to the sea cliffs at Ram Head
~2.5 mi RT
Cinnamon Bay TrailStrenuous
Climbs through shaded forest to Centerline Road, with a spur to the America Hill great house ruins
1 mi (+0.38 mi spur)
Cinnamon Bay Nature LoopEasy
Wheelchair- and stroller-accessible boardwalk winding through 18th-century plantation ruins
0.5 mi
Snorkeling & Beaches5 spots
Trunk Bay Underwater Trail$5 day-use fee
Self-guided 225-yard snorkel trail with underwater plaques identifying reef life
Hawksnest BeachFree
Three near-shore reef fingers home to protected elkhorn coral
Cinnamon BayFree
The park's longest beach, with an on-site watersports center
Maho BayFree
Shallow seagrass flats where green sea turtles regularly feed
Francis BayFree
Quarter-mile beach with a loop trail around Francis Bay Pond for turtle & bird watching
Historic Sites3 sites
Annaberg PlantationDocent talks Mon–Fri, Nov–Apr
Ruins of St. John's largest sugar estate, which held over 600 enslaved people at peak production; windmill, factory & quarters remain
Reef Bay Sugar MillTrail or boat access
The last operating sugar mill on St. John, with its steam engine largely intact; reached by trail or boat
CatherinebergCenterline Rd
Sugar plantation ruins on Centerline Road overlooking Cinnamon Bay, with a partially standing windmill & boiling house
Ranger-Guided Hikes3 programs
Reef Bay Guided HikeFee · Reservation required
Rangers lead a strenuous ~3-mile descent past petroglyphs and plantation ruins, with a 40-minute boat return to Cruz Bay
Ram Head Guided HikeReservation required
Intermediate ~2.5-mile round trip past Salt Pond & Blue Pebble beaches, covering the 1733 African Revolution
Night Sky in the ParkEvery other Wed · Nov–May
Ranger-led stargazing program at Cinnamon Bay
Bird Watching174+ species
Brown Pelican
Brown Pelican
Dives for fish along Cruz Bay and Trunk Bay
Magnificent Frigatebird
Magnificent Frigatebird
Soars for hours on thermals over the bays
Bananaquit
Bananaquit
Small, sweet-loving songbird found island-wide
Zenaida Dove
Zenaida Dove
Ground-feeding dove common on forest trails
Red-billed Tropicbird
Red-billed Tropicbird
Elegant white seabird with long tail streamers
📞 Phone: (340) 776-6201  ·  Mailing Address: 1300 Cruz Bay Creek, St. John, VI 00830  ·  Official NPS contact page ↗
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