Virgin Islands National Park
Virgin Islands Est. 1956

Virgin Islands National Park

Ocean Island
Plan a visit Check conditions
Established
1956
Size
15,052 acres
Visitors / yr
400K
Entrance
Free
Best season
December through April
Nearest airport
STT Cyril E. King Airport (St. Thomas)
Caution: Trail Conditions Wildfire Tracker
01

Why Virgin Islands is worth the trip

Virgin Islands · Established 1956

Most of a Caribbean island, held in trust for everyone. Laurance Rockefeller bought up swaths of St. John in the 1950s and handed them to the public, and the result is a rare thing in the tropics, an island where green hills and living reefs outnumber the resorts. About 60 percent of St. John is park, ringed by beaches like Trunk Bay, where an underwater snorkel trail leads you over the reef plaque by plaque.

The hiking is the underrated half. The Reef Bay Trail drops through forest past the stone ruins of Danish-era sugar plantations and petroglyphs left by the Taino, a reminder that paradise here carries a heavy history worth reading. Rent a Jeep, learn to drive on the left, and alternate beaches with trails for a week. December through April is the sweet spot, and the hawksbill turtles do not care either way.

Start with our full Virgin Islands guide, then use the planning below.

02

Top things to do in Virgin Islands

Where we would start, and what we would plan a day around. Read the full guide.

Virgin Islands National Park
Start here

12 Things to Do in Virgin Islands National Park (2026 Guide)

Read the guide
01 Reef Bay Trail Self-Guided Tours - Walking · nps.gov Reef Bay Trail Reef Bay Trail is a strenuous hike that will take you past some of the oldest and tallest trees on the island. Danish sugar... 02 Discover Bird Watching in the Virgin Islands Guided Tours · nps.gov Discover Bird Watching in the Virgin Islands Join our Park Ranger for a tour of Francis Bay Trail and the nearby salt pond. While there you will enjoy to opportunity to... 03 Tektite Trail Hiking · nps.gov Tektite Trail The trailhead can be found to the right of Lameshur Road at the first switchback. The .7 mile trail begins with a moderately strenuous... 04 Maho Bay Snorkeling · nps.gov Maho Bay The perfect experience for sea turtle lovers!
Before you go

Get the Virgin Islands heads-up

Permit windows, closures and seasonal alerts, plus our best Virgin Islands guides, in your inbox before you go. Free, no spam.

03

Plan your trip

Our guides for the big decisions, plus the gear, maps and lodging we would actually use for Virgin Islands.

Things to Do When to Visit Fun Facts

Where to stay

Gateway towns with lodging, food and outfitters.

  • Cruz Bay, VIGateway town
  • Red Hook, VI (St. Thomas)Gateway town
  • Cinnamon Bay Beach and Campground 121 sites · Reserve
Compare stays near Virgin Islands

Maps & guides

Carry paper. Cell service dies fast inside most parks.

Virgin Islands Trails Illustrated map
Waterproof National Geographic topo of the park.
View on Amazon
Virgin Islands field guide
Trail-by-trail detail and planning help in print.
View on Amazon
America the Beautiful pass
$80 a year. Covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites.
Get the pass

What to bring

Field-tested picks we bring on park trips.

  • Water Shoes
    Quick-drying grip for shorelines, slot canyons, and river crossings. View on REI
  • Dry Bag
    Keep your phone, camera, and spare clothes dry near water. View on REI
  • Sun Hat
    Full-brim coverage for exposed trails with zero shade. View on REI
  • Binoculars
    Spot wildlife from a safe distance without disturbing them. View on REI

Getting there

  • STT Cyril E. King Airport (St. Thomas) 5 mi
NPS Official Page Reservations Google Maps

Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would use ourselves.

Virgin Islands map

VC Visitor Center CG Campground Nearby Park
04

When to go

Read our seasonal guide
Loading weather...

Month-by-Month Conditions

Tap any month for details

Month
High
Low
Crowds
Roads
Jan Best
85°
72°
Heavy
Open
Feb Best
85°
72°
Heavy
Open
Mar Best
86°
73°
Heavy
Open
Apr Best
87°
74°
Heavy
Open
May
88°
76°
Moderate
Open
Jun
90°
78°
Moderate
Open
Jul
91°
79°
Moderate
Open
Aug
91°
79°
Light
Open
Sep
90°
78°
Light
Open
Oct
89°
77°
Light
Open
Nov
87°
75°
Moderate
Open
Dec Best
86°
73°
Heavy
Open
Best months to visit Crowd level (low to peak)
A still from our Virgin Islands film
Watch our film

Virgin Islands National Park 8K

We hiked every trail on St. John and swam every bay to make this one, after Hurricane Maria hit. What we found looked nothing like the doom you see online. This is the park as it actually is now, and it's still paradise.

3 min 23 sec Filmed in 8K
Watch on YouTube
Browse all our national park films
05

More Virgin Islands guides

06

Parks near Virgin Islands

Within reach if you are building a longer trip.

Biscayne National Park
Florida

Biscayne

1108 miles away
Everglades National Park
Florida

Everglades

1142 miles away
Dry Tortugas National Park
Florida

Dry Tortugas

1244 miles away
Congaree National Park
South Carolina

Congaree

1457 miles away

Worth protecting

Virgin Islands belongs to all of us

Protections that took generations to win can be rolled back in a single session of Congress. We keep watch so they hold.

See what's at stake Join the fight

Threatened Lands Map

Follow what's happening on federal lands across the country with our interactive map.

View the Tracker
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