Updated in November 2026, this Virgin Islands National Park guide covers ticket prices, opening hours, parking, transport, accessibility and what to see.
Virgin Islands National Park is a national park covering about 60% of the island of St John, in the US Virgin Islands. Trunk Bay takes card and mobile payments only from 1 October.
Quick facts about Virgin Islands National Park
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | The park is open 24 hours a day, all year. Cruz Bay Visitor Center is open Monday to Thursday 8:15am to 4pm and Friday 8:15am to 1:30pm. |
| Ticket prices | No entrance fee. Trunk Bay beach costs $5 per person aged 16 and over. |
| Address | 1300 Cruz Bay Creek, St John, VI 00830 |
| Nearest public transport or parking | Cruz Bay ferry dock, two blocks from the Visitor Center. Limited parking at beaches and trailheads. |
| Typical time needed | A full day for two or three beaches and one short hike |
Virgin Islands National Park opening hours
Virgin Islands National Park is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, but its visitor facilities keep shorter hours.
| Facility | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Park grounds, beaches and trails | 24 hours daily |
| Cruz Bay Visitor Center | Monday to Thursday 8:15am to 4pm, Friday 8:15am to 1:30pm |
| Trunk Bay facilities | 8am to 4pm |
| Trunk Bay snack bar | 10am to 4pm |
The year-round hours are the same in every season, although the park is busiest from November to April. The Visitor Center is closed on Thanksgiving Day, 25 December and 4 July. Cinnamon Bay Campground is open seasonally.
Virgin Islands National Park ticket prices
There is no entrance fee for Virgin Islands National Park, but Trunk Bay charges $5 per person aged 16 and over from sunrise to sunset.
| Fee | Price |
|---|---|
| Park entrance | Free |
| Trunk Bay day pass (aged 16 and over) | $5.00 |
| Trunk Bay day pass, Senior or Access Pass holder | $2.50 |
| Overnight mooring or anchoring | $26.00 per night ($13.00 with a Senior or Access Pass) |
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in November 2026.
From 1 October 2026, Trunk Bay accepts card and mobile payments only. Day passes are sold at the Trunk Bay fee booth or online at recreation.gov, and the fee is not waived on national fee-free days. The Visitor Center takes cards only for America the Beautiful passes.
City passes: Virgin Islands National Park is not part of any city pass scheme.
How to get to Virgin Islands National Park
Virgin Islands National Park is on St John, which has no airport, so visitors fly into St Thomas and take a ferry to Cruz Bay.
- From the airport: A taxi from Cyril E. King Airport to the Red Hook ferry terminal takes about 30 minutes.
- Red Hook to Cruz Bay: The passenger ferry takes about 20 minutes and runs hourly. A non-resident adult fare is $8.15 one way, plus $4 per bag.
- Charlotte Amalie to Cruz Bay: The non-resident adult ferry fare is $13, and it’s $4 per bag.
- By car: Car barges run from Red Hook to Enighed Pond, just south of Cruz Bay. Some rental companies do not allow cars on the barge.
- Drive on the left: Traffic in the US Virgin Islands drives on the left.
The Visitor Center is about two blocks north of the public ferry dock on Route 20.
Parking at Virgin Islands National Park
Parking at Virgin Islands National Park is limited at all beaches and trailheads, and spaces fill quickly, so arrive early. Park only in designated areas to protect the vegetation.
There is parking at the Cruz Bay Visitor Center for visitors hiking in the park. Without a car, the hourly Vitran bus runs along Centerline Road, and taxis serve the beaches. Trails also lead from Cruz Bay to Salomon Beach (1.4 miles) and Honeymoon Beach (1.5 miles).
How long to spend at Virgin Islands National Park
Most visitors need a full day at Virgin Islands National Park to visit two or three beaches and walk one short trail.
| Activity | Length |
|---|---|
| Cinnamon Bay Nature Loop | Under half a mile, easy |
| Francis Bay Trail | Under half a mile, easy |
| Lind Point Trail to Salomon Beach | 1.4 miles from Cruz Bay |
| Lind Point Trail to Honeymoon Beach | 1.5 miles from Cruz Bay |
Allow extra time for uphill sections, swimming and snorkelling. The park has more than 20 trails, and the Visitor Center store sells a hiker’s guide.
Accessibility at Virgin Islands National Park
Parts of Virgin Islands National Park are wheelchair accessible, but most trails are steep, uneven or rocky. The Cruz Bay Visitor Center has an accessible entrance, parking and restrooms.
Trunk Bay has beach wheelchairs, accessible parking, restrooms, changing rooms and accessible paths to the water. Accessible boardwalks are at Cinnamon Bay, through the plantation ruins, and at Francis Bay, to a salt pond for bird watching. Annaberg Plantation has an accessible path through the ruins. Beach access ramps can be washed out during storms and high swell.
What to see at Virgin Islands National Park
Trunk Bay has an underwater snorkel trail, restrooms, showers and rentals of snorkel gear and chairs. There are no lifeguards on duty.
Cinnamon Bay has a long beach, a campground, rentals of kayaks, paddleboards, snorkel gear and chairs, and a self-guided trail through plantation ruins. A short spur leads to the ruins of America Hill.
Annaberg Plantation is a ruined sugar plantation on the north shore, with a sugar mill and a wheelchair-accessible path. It records the era when sugar and enslaved labour dominated life on St John.
The Reef Bay Trail leads down to ancient Taino petroglyphs and the old sugar mill beside a beach. Ranger-guided hikes with a boat return to the Visitor Center are offered seasonally through the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park.
Maho Bay, Waterlemon Cay and Salt Pond Bay are popular snorkel spots. Francis Bay has a salt pond, where birds can be seen from a boardwalk.
Honeymoon Beach and Salomon Beach are reached on foot along the Lind Point Trail from Cruz Bay. The Cruz Bay Visitor Center has exhibits, maps and an information desk.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip category | Advice |
|---|---|
| Timing | The Visitor Center closes at 1:30pm on Fridays and is not open at weekends, so call in before then for maps and activity schedules. |
| Crowds | The park is busiest from November to April, and beach car parks fill quickly, so arrive early. |
| Layout | Cruz Bay is the arrival point, and most beaches are along North Shore Road, with Centerline Road crossing the island. |
| Entry process | There is no entrance gate, but Trunk Bay has a fee booth, and you can pay online at recreation.gov in advance. |
| On-site logistics | Bring at least half a gallon of water for each four hours of hiking, wear shoes with good grip, and use reef-safe sunscreen and insect repellent. |
Frequently asked questions about Virgin Islands National Park
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Virgin Islands National Park suitable for children? | Yes. The Cinnamon Bay Nature Loop and Francis Bay Trail are easy and under half a mile, but there are no lifeguards at Trunk Bay. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Virgin Islands National Park? | No. The park has no entrance fee or reservation system. Campground bookings go through Cinnamon Bay Resort and Campground. |
| Is Virgin Islands National Park open on Sundays? | Yes. The park is open 24 hours a day, but the Cruz Bay Visitor Center is open Monday to Friday only. |
| Is there an entrance fee for Virgin Islands National Park? | No. Only Trunk Bay charges a fee, at $5 per person aged 16 and over. |
| Does Trunk Bay accept cash? | No. From 1 October 2026, Trunk Bay accepts card and mobile payments only. |
Things to do near Virgin Islands National Park
- Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument: A marine national monument next to the park, reachable only by boat.
- Coral World Ocean Park, St Thomas: A marine park and aquarium on St Thomas, the island reached by ferry from Red Hook.
- Coki Beach, St Thomas: A beach beside Coral World Ocean Park on St Thomas.
- Magens Bay, St Thomas: A beach on the north side of St Thomas.
- Hassel Island, St Thomas: An island in Charlotte Amalie harbour, most of which is part of the national park, with the ruins of historic fortifications.
Alternative attractions to Virgin Islands National Park
Other national park and wildlife sites in the US Virgin Islands are mostly on St Croix, reached from St Thomas by seaplane or flight.
- Buck Island Reef National Monument, St Croix: A marine national monument with a snorkel trail, reached by boat.
- Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, St Croix: A national park site with mangroves, a bay and links to Christopher Columbus’s 1493 visit.
- Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, St Croix: A turtle nesting beach on the south-west tip of the island, open on weekends and closed during nesting season from April to August.
- Christiansted National Historic Site, St Croix: A Danish colonial fort and waterfront buildings in the town of Christiansted.
- Fort Christian, St Thomas: A Danish-built fort in Charlotte Amalie that now houses the St Thomas museum.
More Caribbean travel
Other Caribbean travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens visitor guide: Combine the gardens with a mineral waterfall and mud baths in St Lucia.
- Go swimming with green turtles in Escambron Bay, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Christoffel National Park visitor guide: Including the climb to Curacao‘s highest point.
- Plan your visit to Konoko Falls, Ocho Rios, Jamaica: Guide with hours, prices and waterfall climb tips.
- Drink Killer Bee rum punches after enjoying a swim at Pinney’s Beach on Nevis.
