Virgin Islands National park - wikipedia Virgin Islands National park Virgin Islands National Park IUCN category II ( national park ) Location United States Virgin Islands Nearest city Charlotte Amalie Coordinates 18 ° 20 ′ 0 '' N 64 ° 44 ′ 0 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 18.33333 ° N 64.73333 ° W ﻿ / 18.33333 ; - 64.73333 Coordinates : 18 ° 20 ′ 0 '' N 64 ° 44 ′ 0 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 18.33333 ° N 64.73333 ° W ﻿ / 18.33333 ; - 64.73333 Area 14,737 acres ( 59.64 km ) Established August 2, 1956 Visitors 411,343 ( in 2016 ) Governing body National Park Service Website Virgin Islands National Park Fort Willoughby, Hassel Island The Virgin Islands National Park is a United States National Park, covering approximately 60 % of the island of Saint John in the United States Virgin Islands, over 5,500 acres of adjacent ocean, plus nearly all of Hassel Island, just off the Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas harbor. It became the 29th U.S. national park in 1956. The park is famous for scuba diving and snorkeling and has miles of hiking trails through the tropical rainforest. Cruz Bay is the gateway port to the park. Ferries operate hourly from Red Hook, St. Thomas, thrice daily from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas and West End, Tortola, twice daily from Jost Van Dyke, and twice weekly from Virgin Gorda. The Virgin Islands National Park Visitor Center is located in Cruz Bay. It contains restrooms, maps and information, an outdoor picnic area, a dock, and a gift shop. The park had an average of over 450,000 visitors per year in the period from 2007 to 2016. Contents 1 Park history 2 Attractions 2.1 Beaches 2.1. 1 Trunk Bay 2.1. 2 Cinnamon Bay 2.1. 3 Honeymoon Beach 2.1. 4 Maho Bay 2.1. 5 Salt Pond Bay 2.2 Hiking 2.2. 1 Reef Bay Trail 2.2. 2 Bordeaux Mountain Trail 2.2. 3 Lind Point Trail 2.2. 4 Caneel Hill Trail 2.2. 5 Ram Head Trail 2.2. 6 Cinnamon Bay Nature Trail and Accessible Boardwalk 2.3 Historic Sites 2.3. 1 Annaberg Historic District 2.3. 2 Reef Bay Sugar Factory Historic District 2.3. 3 Petroglyph Site 2.3. 4 Catherineberg Sugar Mill Ruins 3 Geography 3.1 Features 4 Climate 5 Geology 6 References 7 External links Park history This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( October 2017 ) ` In 1956, Laurance Rockefeller 's Jackson Hole Preserve donated its extensive lands on the island to the United States ' National Park Service, under the condition that the lands had to be protected from future development. The remaining portion, the Caneel Bay Resort, operates on a lease arrangement with the NPS, which owns the underlying land. The boundaries of the Virgin Islands National Park include 75 % of the island, but various in - holdings within the park boundary ( e.g., Peter Bay, Maho Bay ) reduce the park lands to 60 % of the island acreage. Much of the island 's waters, coral reefs, and shoreline have been protected by being included in the national park. This protection was expanded in 2001, when the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument was created. Attractions Caneel Bay Beaches, coral reefs, hiking trails, and natural sites are the park 's main attractions. The park is free to enter and the only fee is at Trunk Bay Beach, which charges admission for adults. Overnight and day use mooring balls are available to boaters, for a mooring and anchoring fee. Visitors can stay in numerous resorts, hotels, and vacation villas near the park on St. John. Cinnamon Bay Campground is located inside the park, as is Caneel Bay resort on the north shore which lies on Rockefeller 's former personal estate. Safari taxis are available in Cruz Bay and at the most popular National Park beaches along the north shore. Note that taxi prices are per person in the Virgin Islands. Beaches The beaches of Virgin Islands National Park are regularly named some of the best in the world. The most popular beaches are Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Honeymoon Beach, Hawksnest Bay, Maho Bay, and Salt Pond Bay. Trunk Bay Trunk Bay Trunk Bay is a body of water and a beach on Saint John in the United States Virgin Islands. It has consistently been voted one of the Ten Best Beaches in The World by Condé Nast Traveler magazine and has received similar recognition from other publications. Amenities include a snack bar, showers and restrooms, lifeguards, and an underwater trail for snorkeling its coral reef. The beach area is divided into two halves, the main Trunk Bay beach and swim area and Burgesman Cove which is located on the west end of Trunk Bay near Jumbie Bay. Trunk Bay is the only National Park beach on Saint John which requires a fee to visit. Parking is limited at Trunk Bay, but taxis from Cruz Bay are readily available. Cinnamon Bay Cinnamon Bay beach is a long, wide stretch of sand on the north shore of St. John. The beach is popular for sunbathing, snorkeling, and water sports. The New York Times named Cinnamon Bay one of the `` 6 Caribbean Beaches to See Before You Die. '' The bay is also home to the Cinnamon Bay Campground, a restaurant, sundries shop, and water sports rental. Honeymoon beach Honeymoon Beach Honeymoon Beach is on the north shore of St. John and can be accessed from Cruz Bay by hiking the one mile long Lind Point Trail or from Caneel Bay Resort. Condé Nast Traveler named Honeymoon Beach one of the `` Top 10 Island Beaches for Unplugging. '' The beach features soft white sand under tall palm trees. There are kayak, snorkel equipment, and beach chair rentals available. Maho Bay Maho Bay is known for its soft sand and calm, shallow waters. The sand and seagrass sea floor make it a good place to see sea turtles and stingrays. Harper 's Bazaar named Maho Bay one of the best beaches in the world. Salt Pond Bay Located on St. John 's south shore, Salt Pond Bay is a protected bay and beach. The beach can be reached by hiking a short trail from Route 107, about 4 miles south of Coral Bay. The bay is a popular snorkeling spot and has fringing reefs on both sides of the bay, sea grass in the center, and a deep coral reef far out in the middle of the bay. Overnight and day use mooring balls are available for boaters. From Salt Pond Bay, hikers can access Drunk Bay and Ram Head Trail. USA Today called Salt Pond Bay one of the best in the Virgin Islands. Hiking The park includes the sugar - plantation - ruins - littered Cinnamon Bay Nature Trail and the Bordeaux Mountain Trail that leads to the highest point on the island at 1,277 feet ( 389 m ) above sea level. Reef Bay Trail The most popular hike is the Reef Bay Trail. This route paves the way to witnessing the beauty of the surrounding forestlands, remnants of sugar mills, historical Taíno petroglyph rock carvings, a spring - fed waterfall and reflection pool, and a chance for rest and relaxation or snorkeling excitement at Genti Bay. The hike is strenuous and the round trip from Centerline Road is over 6 miles. The National Park offers a ranger guided hike that includes a boat ride back to Cruz Bay from the bottom of Reef Bay. Bordeaux Mountain Trail The Bordeaux Mountain trail is a steep and rocky path leading from Little Lameshur Bay to the highest point of the island. The trail is unmaintained and although there are several overlooks along the way, there is no view from the top of this densely forested mountain. The trail gains almost 1,300 feet of elevation in about one mile. Lind Point Trail The one mile long Lind Point Trail begins in Cruz Bay, behind the Virgin Islands National Park Visitors Center. It climbs up to Lind Point, overlooking Cruz Bay harbor, before continuing on to Honeymoon Beach. Caneel Hill Trail Starting in Cruz Bay, just north of Mongoose Junction, the Caneel Hill Trail travels up a steep incline to the top of Caneel Hill. There is a wooden observation platform at the top with views of St. John, St. Thomas, Jost Van Dyke, and many smaller islands. On a clear day, it 's possible to see St. Croix and even Puerto Rico. Ram Head Trail Beginning at Salt Pond Bay, the Ram Head Trail travels about one mile down a dry and rocky peninsula to the southernmost point on St. John. Cinnamon Bay Nature Trail and accessible boardwalk Across from the entrance to Cinnamon Bay Campground, the Cinnamon Bay Nature Trail is a half mile loop winding through the ruins of a sugar factory. Signs along the path explain the history of the area. The trail is a mixture of boardwalks and paved paths with no steep hills. Historic sites The park is littered with dozens of historic ruins from the colonial and plantation eras through the 1950s. Annaberg historic district The Annaberg plantation is a partially restored sugar factory and windmill located just east of Mary 's Point. National Park signage guides visitors through the ruins and explains the process of turning sugar cane into molasses. Volunteers and park rangers are frequently in the area to answer questions. The bake house hosts cooking demonstrations and offers samples of dumb bread. The windmill is located on Annaberg Point, which offers views of Tortola, Great Thatch Island, and the Narrows. Reef Bay sugar factory historic district The ruins of the Reef Bay sugar factory can be reached via Reef Bay Trail or L'Esperance trail. Petroglyph site The Reef Bay Trail petroglyphs are Taino rock carvings located on rock pools near a waterfall. They can be reached via a quarter mile long spur trail from Reef Bay Trail. The Petroglyph site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Catherineberg sugar mill ruins The well preserved ruins of the Catherineberg sugar mill are some of the most easily accessed in the park. From Centerline Road, turn onto John Head Road and park right next to the sugar mill. Geography Virgin Islands National Park is spread out on 14,737 acres ( 5,964 ha ) of land. The park covers almost 60 percent of St. John Island, adjacent ocean, and almost all of Hassel Island. Features Mary Point as seen from Annaberg The main features of the Virgin Islands National Park are the coral reefs and oceans. They almost completely surround the park. Another important feature of the Virgin Islands are the tropical forests. Wild donkeys, deer, mongoose, pigs, goats, birds, iguanas, skinks, tortoise, frogs, and crabs are common seen. Bats are the only land mammal native to the park. Climate The Virgin Islands National Park has a tropical savannah climate. The average rainfall per year is 55 inches ( 1,400 mm ). In the winter, trade winds blow from 11 to 21 knots ( 39 km / h ). The average temperature for the park is 79 ° F ( 26 ° C ). At the Virgin Islands, the dominant plant species are dry tropical forest plants. Seasonality There is very little temperature difference between summer and winter and the sea is warm year round. The tourist season is from December to April and outside of those months prices for accommodations drop considerably. Camping and rustic lodging are available in the park from November through August at Cinnamon Bay Campground. Caneel Bay Resort provides luxury accommodations along with upscale dining in the park from November through July. Trunk Bay Geology St. John Geologic map Located at the east end of the Greater Antilles, St. John resides on the northeastern end of the Caribbean Plate. The island formed during the Cretaceous with the eruption of the Water Island Formation, consisting of keratophyres and pillow basalts. Igneous activity then changed to that of an island arc, characterized by the Louisenhoj Formation, consisting of andesite and basalt. Volcanism abated during the deposition of the Outer Brass Limestone. Volcanism resumed as evidenced by the Late Cretaceous Tutu Formation, consisting of volcaniclastic turbidites, basalt, and andesite. A diabase dike swarm followed and then compressive folding attributed to the Caribbean Plate colliding with the Bahama Platform. The Late Eocene saw the intrusion of Narrows pluton and Virgin Gorda batholith, associated with the Greater Antilles arc magmatism, and more compressive folding associated with the spreading of the Cayman Trough. This spreading is also tied to sinistral strike - slip faulting at 39 Ma. References Jump up ^ `` Listing of acreage as of December 31, 2011 ''. Land Resource Division, National Park Service. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 07. ^ Jump up to : `` NPS Annual Recreation Visits Report ''. National Park Service. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 09. Jump up ^ `` Virgin Islands Ferry Schedules ''. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 08. ^ Jump up to : `` Places to Go ''. Retrieved 7 March 2011. Jump up ^ Scheffel, Richard L. ; Wernet, Susan J., eds. ( 1980 ). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America : Reader 's Digest Association, Inc. p. 406. ISBN 0 - 89577 - 087 - 3. Jump up ^ `` St. John : Taxis & Rates - Virgin Islands ''. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 08. Jump up ^ Peters, Jeremy W. ( 2010 - 11 - 04 ). `` 6 Caribbean Beaches to See Before You Die ''. The New York Times. ISSN 0362 - 4331. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 10. Jump up ^ pixelbeachstudio.com. `` Cinnamon Bay Campground, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands ''. www.cinnamonbay.com. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 10. Jump up ^ `` 10 Most Relaxing Beaches in the World ''. 2015 - 02 - 23. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 10. Jump up ^ `` The Best Beaches in The World ''. 2016 - 05 - 03. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 10. Jump up ^ `` The Best Beaches in the U.S. Virgin Islands ''. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ Singer, Gerald ( 2006 ). `` St. John USVI Trails : Petroglyphs Trail ''. St. John Off The Beaten Track. Retrieved 4 November 2012. Jump up ^ Rankin, Douglas W. ( 2002 ). Geology of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, USGS Profressional Paper 1631. Washington : United States Government Printing Office. pp. 1 -- 30. External links Find more aboutVirgin Islands National Parkat Wikipedia 's sister projects Media from Wikimedia Commons Travel guide from Wikivoyage NPS : official Virgin Islands National Park website NPS Virgin Islands National Park -- map NPS : geology of Virgin Islands National Park The short film Saint John, Virgin Islands National Park ( 1990 ) is available for free download at the Internet Archive Territory of United States Virgin Islands Charlotte Amalie ( capital ) Topics Bibliography Demographics Culture Languages Religion Women Economy Sugar production Tourist attractions Geography History Telecommunications Transportation Government Congressional Delegates Elections Governors Politics Cannabis LGBT rights Same - sex marriage Senators Cities Anna 's Retreat Charlotte Amalie Charlotte Amalie West Christiansted Cruz Bay Frederiksted Islands Saint Croix Saint John Saint Thomas Water Island Others Parks Buck Island Reef NM Christiansted NHS Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve Virgin Islands Coral Reef NM Virgin Islands NP National Register of Historic Places in Virgin Islands National Park Historic districts Annaberg Historic District Hassel Island Hermitage Plantation Historic District Jossie Gut Historic District Liever Marches Bay Historic District More Hill Historic District Reef Bay Sugar Factory Historic District NRHP properties Brown Bay Plantation Historic District Catherineberg - Jockumsdahl - Herman Farm Cinnamon Bay Plantation Dennis Bay Historic District Lameshur Plantation Lind Point Fort Mary Point Estate Petroglyph Site See also : National Register of Historic Places listings in Virgin Islands National Park National parks of the United States Acadia American Samoa Arches Badlands Big Bend Biscayne Black Canyon of the Gunnison Bryce Canyon Canyonlands Capitol Reef Carlsbad Caverns Channel Islands Congaree Crater Lake Cuyahoga Valley Death Valley Denali Dry Tortugas Everglades Gates of the Arctic Glacier Glacier Bay Grand Canyon Grand Teton Great Basin Great Sand Dunes Great Smoky Mountains Guadalupe Mountains Haleakalā Hawaiʻi Volcanoes Hot Springs Isle Royale Joshua Tree Katmai Kenai Fjords Kings Canyon Kobuk Valley Lake Clark Lassen Volcanic Mammoth Cave Mesa Verde Mount Rainier North Cascades Olympic Petrified Forest Pinnacles Redwood Rocky Mountain Saguaro Sequoia Shenandoah Theodore Roosevelt Virgin Islands Voyageurs Wind Cave Wrangell -- St. Elias Yellowstone Yosemite Zion List of national parks of the United States ( by elevation ) Protected areas of the United States Virgin Islands National Parks Virgin Islands National Historic Parks Salt River Bay National Historic Sites Christiansted National Monuments Buck Island Reef Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Wildlife Refuges Caribbean Islands Buck Island Green Cay Sandy Point Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Virgin_Islands_National_Park&oldid=811693245 '' Categories : IUCN Category II 1956 establishments in the United States Biosphere reserves of the United States Parks in the United States Virgin Islands Protected areas established in 1956 Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Virgin Islands National Park Hidden categories : Coordinates on Wikidata Articles needing additional references from October 2017 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikivoyage Languages Български Català Cebuano Čeština Dansk Deutsch Español فارسی Français Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית മലയാളം Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Suomi Svenska Türkçe Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 23 November 2017, at 08 : 33. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: where is the virgin islands national park located
Answer: Saint John in the United States Virgin Islands, over 5,500 acres of adjacent ocean, plus nearly all of Hassel Island