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- VISITATION:
- Visitation to Virgin Islands National Park is approximately
one million annually, with greater visitation December through April.
Lowest visitation occurs in September and October.
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- LOCATION:
- St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
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- ADDRESS:
- Headquarters: Virgin Islands National Park
P.O. Box 710
St. John, V.I. 00831
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- TELEPHONE:
- (340) 776-6201, Superintendent's Office and Visitor
Information Center, Cruz Bay
(340) 775-6238, Business Office, St. Thomas
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- OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS:
- Virgin Islands National Park Visitor Contact Station
is open daily, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed Christmas Day. Park areas
are open 24 hours a day year-round.
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- CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING:
- Temperatures range in the low 70s to upper 80s, December
through April, and are slightly higher (mid 80s to mid 90s), May through
November. Usually there is more rainfall July through January, while
spring and early summer can be quite dry. On any given day, however,
brief light rain showers are not uncommon.
Throughout the year, cotton clothes that are light in color and weight
are recommended in the daytime; a light jacket may occasionally be
needed in the late evening and early morning during the winter season.
Lightweight trousers help protect against insect bites on the denser
hiking trails.
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- DIRECTIONS:
- On St. John, access the Park via North Shore or Centerline
Roads.
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- TRANSPORTATION:
- To the Park: Hourly ferry service from Red Hook,
St. Thomas (a 20-minute ride) is available to St. John and operates
from 6:30 a.m., then on the hour from 7:00 am - midnight. Ferry service
from St. John to St. Thomas runs on the hour from 6:00 a.m - 11:00
p.m. Less frequent ferries travel between Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
and St. John (a 45-minute ride).
In Park: Most popular Park areas are easily accessed by local taxis,
called safari buses. Rental vehicles are available in Cruz Bay and
are necessary to travel to some of the more remote areas on St. John.
Parking is limited at many Park sites. Reef Bay and Cinnamon Bay Trails
and Salt Pond can be accessed by public bus service running from Cruz
Bay to the Coral Bay area by way of Centerline Road (Route 10). Check
the most current schedule posted near the Cruz Bay ferry dock. Boats
are necessary to visit some Park bays lacking road access. Bicycling
is not recommended within the Park, due to very steep, narrow and
winding roads.
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- FEES, COSTS, RATES:
- Park entrance is free.
A same-day use fee is collected at Annaberg
and Trunk Bay. Children age 16 and under
are admitted free; adults, $4; individual annual pass, $10; family
annual pass, $15; Golden Age and Golden Access annual cardholders
are admitted half price.
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FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES
- Visitor Contact Station: Virgin Islands National
Park Visitor Contact Station is temporarily located across from the
public ferry dock in Cruz Bay, in the foyer of the Morris de Castro
Clinic, while construction of the new visitor center and administrative
offices is under way. The Visitor Contact Station is an ideal place
to begin your Park explorations. Park rangers will provide you with
maps, brochures, and the latest activity schedule; as well as answer
your questions and help you plan your visit. A sales area operated
by Eastern National Cooperating Association offers a broad selection
of books about the natural and cultural history of the area.
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- Programs/Activities: The Park presents
a variety of interpretive programs, including guided walks through
historical and natural areas, snorkeling tours, cultural heritage
programs and demonstrations, and evening campground programs.
Stop at the Contact Station or check park bulletin boards for
the current activity schedule, which changes monthly. Some programs
may require advance registration and transportation fees. The
number of participants is limited on some programs. Check at the
Contact Station for more information.
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- Lodging and Camping Facilities: Camping
is permitted only at Cinnamon Bay campground. No backcountry or
beach camping is permitted within Virgin Islands National Park.
Accommodations at Cinnamon Bay campground include bare sites,
sites prepared with tent-covered platforms, and cottages. Cottages
and prepared sites are equipped with cooking supplies and linens.
A camp store sells food, beverages and other supplies. A campground
restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
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- Food/supplies: There is a wide variety
of restaurants and small grocery stores in Cruz Bay, and a few
in Coral Bay and other outlying parts of the island.
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- Other Park Visitor Facilities and Concessions:
A kiosk staffed by Friends
of the Virgin Islands National Park volunteers at Trunk Bay
provides Park information. Information is also posted on bulletin
boards located throughout the Park.
Facilities at Trunk Bay include showers; a snack
bar that sells sandwiches, snacks and drinks; a watersports shop
that rents snorkeling equipment and beach chairs; and a small gift
shop.
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A watersports shop at Cinnamon Bay rents snorkeling equipment,
sea kayaks, sailboards, and small sailboats and provides lessons.
- Accessibility: The Visitor Contact Station
in Cruz Bay and picnic areas at Trunk Bay and Hawksnest beaches are
wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair accessibility to beaches and trails
is extremely limited due to the steep topography of the island. Cinnamon
Bay campground has several accessible campsites. Call the Park for
more information.
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- RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES/PARK USE:
- While Annaberg and Trunk Bay are the most frequently-visited
park sites, Virgin Islands National Park’s diverse beaches, coral
reefs, historic ruins, and hiking trails provide endless hours of
exploration and enjoyment, as well as inspiration and opportunities
for solitude and reflection. Visitors enjoy a variety of activities
on the land and in the water, including swimming, snorkeling and scuba
diving; sailing, kayaking and windsurfing; and camping, hiking and
bird watching. Visitors can enjoy the crystal blue waters on a charter
day-sail or boat snorkeling tour which are offered by private operators
and can be booked in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay.
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- Some visitors explore the park on their own, while
others prefer a two-hour safari bus island tour with a private tour
guide. Charter day-sail trips and snorkeling tours can be booked in
Cruz Bay.
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- To learn more about the island and its diverse plants,
animals and people attend a Park program.
- For information on the ongoing archeological research
at Cinnamon Bay visit the Friends
of the Virgin Islands National Park.
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- RESERVATIONS/PERMITS:
- Reservations for special tours for schools and other
groups are necessary. At least two weeks notice is required. To schedule
a special program for a school or other organization contact the Division
of Interpretation at (340) 776-6201 ext. 252. Campground reservations
in winter months should be made at least four to six months in advance
by calling (340) 776-6330. Special permits for large-group use of
pavilions and picnic areas are required. Direct all permit queries
to (340) 776-6201 ext. 244.
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- BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS:
- See RECOMMENDED
ACTIVITIES/PARK USE:.
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- SPECIAL EVENTS, PROGRAMS:
- The park presents special interpretive programs
during the winter months that may include craft demonstrations, cultural
festivals, oral history programs, bus tours, interpretive theater,
and slide programs. Check at the Contact Station for more information.
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- SPECIAL ADVISORIES:
- Hurricane season extends from June through October.
Park visitors may obtain ongoing information at the Visitor Contact
Station or from any Park Ranger (including where to go in the event
of a serious storm.)
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- ADJACENT VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:
- Other National Park Service areas on nearby St. Croix,
U.S. Virgin Islands, include Christiansted National Historic Site,
Buck Island Reef National Monument and Salt
River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve.
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- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
- Write Virgin Islands National Park, Visitor Inormation,
P.O. Box 710, St. John, VI 00831, or call (340) 776-6201.
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