On most tours, snorkeling equipment is provided, and a guide leads you through the underwater trail the first time. Uninhabited Buck Island retains a sense of solitude, which makes hiking here quite enjoyable. A 45-minute trail from West Beach leads into the interior of the island through tropical vegetation. It ascends to the island's highest peak, where you'll be rewarded with fabulous views of St. Croix and the turquoise-hued waters and reefs that surround Buck Island. The trail then turns downward and ends at Diedrichs Point picnic area, a short distance from West Beach.
Hikers can also walk the circumference of the island and discover other stunning beaches.
The island's facilities include picnic tables, grills, a pavilion, a changing house and rest rooms. The St. Croix Aquarium and Marine Education Center practices and teaches eco-sensitive measures. Every day, marine biologist and owner Lonnie Kaczmarksy dives to catch fresh food for the aquarium's marine creatures. With this constant rotation, hundreds of species pass through the aquarium's tanks each year. Of particular interest are the shark, seahorse, coral reef and mangrove exhibits.