Hiking the Reef Bay Trail on St John
The Reef Bay Trail in the Virgin Islands National Park on St John is arguably the most well known hiking trail on the tiny island that boasts well over 30 well managed trails, but much like the even more popular Trunk Bay, you can find yourself alone here in the pristine tropical jungle despite it’s popularity.
Most well known for the Petroglyphs sitting under the waterfall and for the National Park Ranger guided hike, this trail takes you 2.2 miles down the dense tropical forest, past specimen trees along and across small streams. But you don’t have to do it with a guide and a group, you can easily do the trail on your own. For those of you who hike, the trail is fairly typical in elevations and quite manageable. For novice hikers, you may consider arranging a boat ride back from the bottom, which is what is offered with the guided hike, but can also be set up privately.
We hiked the trail this weekend on a clear blue day after a rainy evening and it was nothing short of stunning (again!). The sometimes dry creeks filled the air with running water sounds, the flowers had all squeezed out for our pleasure and the lush canopy provided iridescent green shade. At the famed Petroglyphs, the waterfalls (both upper and lower) were magnificent and filled the air with a rainbow mist.
The Petroglyphs were carved as early as 500 AD, but archeologists suggest that some may have been carved over different periods of history from Pre-Columbian times all of the way to the Taino Indians that once populated this stunning rock.
Want to know more about hiking in the Virgin Islands National Park? Contact us anytime!