Photo By: Jacob Lips
The bluest waters, the greenest forests—Virgin Islands National Park is truly a paradise in the United States Virgin Islands. The area is small, just close to 15,000 acres. One-third of it is virginal blue waters, while the rest consists of tropical rainforest and sandy shoreline.
The park used to be visited by over 400,000 visitors but hurricanes Irma and Maria, both category 5, damaged the Virgin Islands on September 2017. It had to be shut down for a few months but reopened in December 2017. By 2018, only about 112,287 people visited the park.
History
Philanthropist Laurance Spelman Rockefeller, through his non-profit conservation group Jackson Hole Preserve, donated a large part of its lands in the Virgin Islands to the National Park Service, in 1956. There was a condition, though, that the lands have to be protected from development. So the Virgin Islands National Park was institutionalized on Aug. 2, 1956.
The park takes on 75% of Saint John of the U.S. Virgin Islands, although this was reduced to just 60% because of other in-holdings in the boundary. In 2001, the protection of the Virgin Islands’ resources was expanded through the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument.
Photo By: Jacob Lips
Things to do
The park is small, especially when compared to all the other national parks in the U.S. However, the treasures buried underneath those crystal blue waters are expansive, and the natural resources seen in the territory are just beautiful. The beaches are gorgeous and there are so many activities one can enjoy in any of them. Here are some of the activities one may indulge in this park.
Swimming
The island is home to several beautiful beaches hence, every visitor should at least enjoy a dip in any of the breathtaking beaches at the park. But one has to remember that one of the most important treasures in the park is the coral reefs. So while swimming, visitors should make sure they use sunscreen that will prevent coral bleaching.
Leinster Bay and Waterlemon Cay are great areas for swimming, where marine structures are visible even without snorkeling gear. Among the gems, one will find in these waters are blue Chromis and gorgonians. But once visitors go deeper into Leinster Bay, snorkeling will give them a better view of the underwater treasures of the Virgin Islands.
Boating
This is the best way to explore the Virgin Islands. Since there are so many places to see, one might as well see them all at once through an island cruise.
Snorkeling & diving
There are two white-sand beaches on the north shore: Salomon Bay and Honeymoon Bay. These are accessible through a short walk from the North Shore Road. These are great areas to snorkel with several species of corals visible: brain corals, elkhorn corals, lettuce leaf corals, mustard hill corals, and pillar corals. The reef is also home to colorful schools of fish and other marine life.
The Trunk Bay also has an Underwater Trail with some lessons about marine life in the region. The trail features plaques that talk about the aquatic resources found in the area. For those who want to spot some invertebrates like lobsters and crabs and others, Cinnamon Bay is the place for snorkeling. But there are also other sea critters found in the area.
The entire Virgin Islands water is a snorkeling and scuba diving haven.
Turtle watching
For those who love the sea turtles, they can watch them at Maho Bay. The turtles are visible either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. But of course, there are other marine inhabitants in the area as well. Some are lucky enough to spot an octopus while snorkeling at Maho Bay. Sea turtles are also visible at Francis Bay, which is also a great place to spot pelicans looking for food. Some sea turtles can also be spotted at Leinster Bay and Waterlemon Cay.
The Virgin Islands houses some endangered turtles: green sea turtles, hawksbill sea turtles, leatherback sea turtles nest at St. John’s.
Photo By: Jacob Lips
Hiking
There are several hiking trails all over the park. They are mostly non-strenuous hikes with beautiful vistas of the beaches. The Virgin Islands is the perfect place to hike, as one can directly cool down on the beach. There are 20 trails, some lead to historic treks while others give way to a serene bird-watching deck.
Kayaking & paddle boarding
The mangrove areas in the park are great for kayaking and paddleboarding, due to the shallow waters. These are also offered in several other locations around the park.
Photo By: Jacob Lips