Virgin Islands National Park

Introducing Virgin Islands National Park

In the early 1950s, US millionaire Laurence Rockefeller discovered and fell in love with St John, which was nearly abandoned at the time. He purchased large tracts of the land, built the Caneel Bay resort, and then donated more than 5000 acres to the US government. The land became a national park in 1956, and over the years the government added a couple thousand more acres. Today Virgin Islands National Park covers two-thirds of the island, plus 5650 acres underwater.

It’s a tremendous resource, offering miles of shoreline, pristine reefs and 20 hiking trails. The park visitors center (776-6201; www.nps.gov/viis; 8am-4:30pm) sits on the dock across from the Mongoose Junction shopping arcade in Cruz Bay. It’s an essential first stop to obtain free guides on hiking trails, snorkeling spots, bird-watching lists and daily ranger-led activities.

For the record: more than 30 species of tropical birds nest in the park, including the banana quit, hummingbird and smooth-billed ani. Green iguanas, geckoes, hawksbill turtles, wild donkeys and an assortment of other feral animals roam the land. Largely regenerated after 18th-century logging, the island flora is a mix of introduced species and native plants, with lots of spiny cacti.

A great way to give back to the park is by volunteering for trail or beach clean-ups (8am-1pm Sat, Nov-Apr); meet at the maintenance parking lot (it’s well marked) by the visitors center. Clean-ups also take place at Maho Bay and Cinnamon Bay beaches during the same timeframe on Thursdays.

Last updated: Jul 22, 2009