Looking for the best hiking trails in US Virgin Islands National Park? From quick walks through historic ruins to longer, gorgeous hikes to snorkel trails, check out the best hikes in the Virgin Islands National Park.

why this blog? Hi there! I’m Maddy, and I’m an outdoor guide and writer and have been working in the field since 2018! My favorite thing in the world is to guide, and take people to new places outdoors. Even when I can’t do it in person, I’m happy to show people around online as well!

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Best Hiking Trails in Virgin Islands National Park:

From snorkel trails and adventures to the best hiking trails in the Virgin Islands, here are some of the best routes to tackle in this remote National Park:

The Virgin Islands National Park is on the traditional homelands of the Tiano Indigenous Nation. Please remember to recreate with care, including choosing to stay on trail, pack out all trash including toilet paper, orange peels, and items typically regarded as “biodegradable”, and take nothing with you. In addition, remember that wildlife should not be approached, and coral should not be touched including with flippers while snorkeling. Standing on coral damages the coral; for this reason only confident swimmers should snorkel here. Additionally, remember to wear a reef-safe sunscreen.

1) Cinnamon Bay Trail, 0.5-1 miles

In addition to a beautiful beach, Cinnamon Bay has a short hiking trail through the forest to explore the various settlements and ruins throughout Cinnamon Bay. The Cinnamon Bay Plantation Ruins are overgrown with moss and ferns, and date back to the plantation era of St. John Island.

Historically, Cinnamon Bay shows archeological evidence of an Indigenous Tiano culture. In the 1700s, the Danish occupied St. John Island and established sugar plantations, using people stolen from their homeland in Africa for forced labor. In the 1733 St. John slave insurrection, in which 150 enslaved people from present-day Ghana (Akwamu Empire), portions of the property burned.

The insurrection was ultimately unsuccessful, defeated by armed troops sent from Martinique, but lasted for several months and is one of the earliest revolts of enslaved peoples in the Americas.

Overall, the hike to the ruins is fairly short, but you can also hop on the old plantation road and hike through the forest up to Centerline Road. Alternately, you can begin at Centerline Road and hike down to the plantation ruins and the beach then back up, which is what I would recommend for the best experience.

2) Ram Head and Salt Pond, ~3 miles

If you’re looking for the single best hike in Virgin Islands National Park, check out the Ram Head Hike (also called the Salt Pond Bay Trail) at the southernmost point on the island. This nearly three mile hike will take you through wind scoured and nearly desert-like terrain with the open ocean on one side, and the protected Salt Pond Bay on the other.

This hike is the best hiking trail for dramatic views in the Virgin Islands, with scenic views of Salt Pond Bay Beach, the rugged coast, and the open Atlantic. This trail experiences some ups and downs and is generally considered moderate in difficulty.

Along the way keep an eye out for cacti, sea turtles and rays as you hike. Keep in mind the parking lot here is small, so you may want to arrive early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the crowds, and come with a backup hike in mind.

This was easily my favorite hike in Virgin Islands National Park, and also my favorite spot to swim and snorkel. Don’t want to snorkel alone? You can book a snorkel tour here.

3) Reef Bay Trail, 6 miles

If you’re looking for a more difficult hike with ancient rock carvings, the Reef Bay Trail is for you. With a terminus at Reef Bay Beach, this out-and-back trail is generally considered the most difficult on the island.

5) Trunk Bay Snorkel Trail

Trunk Bay is one of the most iconic lookouts in Virgin Islands National Park, but did you know that one of the coolest trails in the area is actually under the water? The Trunk Bay Snorkel Trail is a short underwater loop with interpretive signs to help you learn as you snorkel.

Trunk Bay is one of the most popular spots to visit in Virgin Islands National Park, so come prepared to be patient. For something more private, check out a day trip yacht excursion to snorkel and explore more secluded coves.

REMEMBER! Do not touch the wildlife, including sea turtles.

6) Hike and Snorkel Waterlemon Cay, Lenister Bay & Johnny Horn Trail Network, 1-3 miles

If you’re looking for a beautiful hike and snorkel spot in Virgin Islands National Park with less crowds, head over to Waterlemon Cay and Lenister Bay. This is considered one of the best snorkeling spots in the Virgin Islands, but keep in mind that there is a strong tidal current that runs off the end of the Cay. Snorkel with a buddy, and remember it’s always smart to head back early if in doubt.

Beyond snorkeling, the less than one mile Lenister Bay Trail offers some of the best hiking views on St. John island in a relatively easy hike. In order to reach the snorkeling at Waterlemon, you’ll have to hike at least a portion of this trail. While the snorkeling is awesome, the part of this trail I really loved was the Danish Guardhouse Ruins along the Johnny Horn Trail (pictured below).

I thought this spot was just especially pretty, and it has an especially significant history as well. Lenister Bay was the place which ensalved people seeking freedom launched multiple escapes and attempted escapes from this point in effort to reach Tortula, which had abolished slavery sooner. According to Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park, it’s estimated that over 100 people successfully escaped and the spot is now recognized in the National Park Service Network to Freedom Program.

7) America Hill and Maho Bay, ~1 mile

Just across from Maho Bay Beach, another wonderful snorkel spot, you can find the America Hill hiking trail, which is a little over a mile round trip. You can find the trailhead near the Cinnamon Bay Parking lot.

In order to reach America Hill, start hiking on the Cinnamon Bay Trail before taking a spur to the Great House ruins with views of Maho Bay below.

8) Annaberg Sugar Plantation

While not a hike, the Annaberg Sugar Plantation ruins are a really beautiful spot on St. John Island to visit. These ruins are especially scenic and one of the largest ruin complexes in Virgin Islands National Park.

From the Annaberg Plantation ruins, you can easily hop over to the Johnny Horn Trail (above) and Waterlemon Cay for a full day of snorkeling, hiking and adventure in Virgin Islands National Park! If you’re only planning on visiting for the day, you can check out a guided tour of the Annaberg Plantation and Virgin Islands National Park that meets at the ferry dock.

Where to stay near Virgin Islands National Park:

Virgin Islands National Park is located on St. John Island in the US Virgin Islands. To visit the park, you’ll need to fly in to St. Thomas Island, then take a ferry to St. John Island. It’s possible to visit while staying on St. Thomas and tends to be cheaper, but for more time experiencing Virgin Islands National Park I recommend base camping on St. John Island. Here are a few places to stay near Virgin Islands National Park:

• Camping at Cinnamon Bay; glamping, cottages, tent rental, bare tent pads, St. John Island
• Westin Resort Villas, St. John Island
• St. John Inn, St. John Island
• Buoy Haus Beach Resort, St. Thomas
• Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, St. Thomas

Another option is to book a VRBO or Airbnb in the islands.

What to pack for a Virgin Islands National Park hiking trip:

Flying into a tropical vacation where your hoping to adventure it can be tough to know what to pack! Here’s a quick cheat sheet:

• A 40-L water resistant duffle
• Quick-dry shorts (2-3)
• Swimsuits you like!
• A sun hoodie or two
• Quick-dry tank tops
• loose fitting hiking pants
• A collapsable day pack
• hiking sandals
• packable hiking shoes
• binoculars for wildlife sightings
• solid socks
• A thin fleece hoodie for early mornings and late nights
• Reef-safe sunscreen: mineral sunscreens are considered reef safe

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Looking for more hiking vacation ideas? Check out…

• Head out to the desert and explore the best hiking in Moab, Utah
• Plan an epic hiking road trip through Washington State
• Check out the best fall hiking trails in Michigan
• Check out the bucket-list Grand Canyon backpacking trip the Havasu Falls Trail

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