Cinnamon Bay Trail

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Located just across the way from the Cinnamon Bay Campground, this trail is a great way to see some of the tropical flora and fauna native to the park, and to get up-close and personal with a tangible aspect of Virgin Island's history.

The Cinnamon Bay Trail is an excellent out-and-back trail or it can be combined with the Reef Bay Trail for a full day of hiking from the North Shore to the South Shore of St. John. The trailhead is exactly across the street from Cinnamon Bay with plenty of parking. Keep an eye out for a boardwalk that marks the start of the trail. The beginning of this trail will also pass the Cinnamon Bay Plantation Ruins and an ADA trail built by the local non-profit, Friends of Virgin Islands Park.

The trail starts off fairly steep and will continue to move through the forests of St. John at a sustained grade. Though not very long, this trail can pack a punch, and you'll be navigating on a natural surface that includes many roots and rocks.

Once you've been ascending for about a mile, you'll have reached the high point of the trail. You'll find a spur trail at the top that leads to plantation ruins, which can be an interesting side trip. The ruins illustrate the importance of the sugar, molasses, and rum trades to the area, and visiting the ruins brings the history of the island to life.

Once you've enjoyed your time at the ruins, you'll continue on to the end of the trail at its intersection with Centerline Road. From that point, you can return the way that you came or continue on to join the Reef Bay Trail. To connect with the Reef Bay Trail, you'll have a short hike along Centerline Road.

You'll be able to see remnants of the sugar processing operations. These operations had an enormous impact on the islands, and stopping to visit ruins is a great way to make history come alive.