Trunk Bay is located in the US Virgin Islands National Park on the Island of St John and is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Situated on St. Johns North Shore, Trunk Bay has everything you hope for in a dream beach vacation.
It has a breathtaking white sand beach, aqua blue water, deep blue skies, and palm trees that line the beach, making this beach a dream destination.
Trunk Bay Beach St John USVI
Trunk Bay is located on St John Island in the United States. It is one of three major U.S. Virgin Islands: St Thomas, St Croix, and St John.
Two-thirds of St. John is part of Virgin Islands National Park, and over forty percent of It is underwater, creating a true tropical getaway!
My first thought upon arriving was, "I found paradise!" as I looked out onto Trunk Bay for the first time.
It felt like I had walked into an exotic dream as I gazed out at its 3/10-mile-long beach with lush tropical views.
Our photos even show the happiness we felt this day, even though we were slightly red after a full day at the beach.
Trunk Bay Amenities
- Showers
- Foot Rinses
- Food and beverage concessions
- Snorkel rentals
- Beach chair rentals
- Restrooms
- Public Telephones
- Lifeguards
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Virgin Islands National Park Entry Fee
There is no entrance fee required for Virgin Islands National Park.
Trunk Bay charges an Expanded Amenity Fee of $5.00/person ages 16 and up from sunrise to sunset. This fee is not waived on fee-free days. Interagency Senior Pass and Interagency Access Pass holders pay $2.50 for cardholders.
Also note the park charges mooring fees, and camping/lodging fees at Cinnamon Bay.
Planning a National Park vacation? America the Beautiful Pass/National Park Pass covers entrance fees for an entire year to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites.
The park pass covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and for up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy on REI.com, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
Free Entrance Days -Find the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
How to get to Trunk Bay from St Thomas
There are no airports on St John. Visitors will have to fly to the Cyril E. King International Airport in the capital city of Charlotte Amalie St Thomas (STT) and then catch a ferry over to St John. U.S. Citizens do not need a passport as you are going to a U.S. Territory.
Once you arrive in St. Thomas, you can rent a car and drive to Red Hook Fery Terminal, where you can catch the ferry. Parking on the island of St. John can be very limited, so make sure to show up early.
You can also take a cab to Red Hook and take the ferry over.
Once in St. John, you can rent a car there or take a taxi or open-air taxi. One thing to note about taxis is that if you get dropped off somewhere, make sure to arrange to be picked up before leaving your taxi, as cell service is not reliable, and taxis don't wait around at the beaches to take you back.
There are several charter options to take you from St Thomas to Cruz Bay, St John. The pier in Cruz Bay is located next to the Virgin Islands Visitor Center.
Map of Virgin Islands National Park courtesey of NPS
How to get to Trunk Bay from Cruise Ship
A cruise ship excursion will make it simple to visit Trunk Bay!
It can be as easy as signing up for one of the cruise ship-organized tours and then meeting at the designated time.
I looked at one cruise line and there were several options available with names like St John Trunk Bay Beach & Snorkel.
They will take you from the ship over to a boat and take you straight to Cruz Bay on St. John.
You will then be picked up by one of the open-air taxis and taken to Trunk Bay.
You will spend approximately one and a half hours at the beach before meeting the taxi to return to Cruz Bay.
You may have enough time to run over to the park's visitor center and get your park stamp before getting ready to return to your ship.
If you are taking a Caribbean Cruise, make sure to read my article about U.S. National Parks- Caribbean Ports of Call.
Trunk Bay Snorkeling
Trunk Bay is a great place to go snorkeling. It is a well-protected bay with easy access to the water.
All along the North shore is good snorkeling.
However, the reef continues out past the bay, and if you plan on going that far, expect the water to get rough, so be a strong swimmer/snorkeler.
Several types of coral and fish are also to be seen, and as a bonus, there's an underwater snorkeling trail!
Underwater Snorkeling Trail at Trunk Bay
I have hiked many trails in our National Parks, but this was the first and only place that I have been to a self-guided underwater snorkeling trail!
Leave it up to the National Park Service to come up with an underwater trail with interpretative panels!
The trail follows the West side of Trunk Bay Cay for approximately 100 yards before making a U-turn back toward shore.
Along the way, you will see several interpretative signs underwater about sea life and the corals and fish that live here.
Trunk Bay Beach Bar and Snack Shack
Trunk Bay does include a snack bar and gift shop. The hours posted are 10 am to 4ish. They have hot food, snacks, ice cream, island cocktails, mocktails, and beer. There are also retail items for sale, including t-shirts and hats.
What to bring to Trunk Bay
- Reef Safe Sunscreen.
- Sunscreen that is not reef-safe can cause coral bleaching, which puts immense stress on the coral and greatly increases its risk of death.
- Look for a sunscreen that is Hawaii 104 Reef Act and Florida Keys Compliant, as these products meet guidelines already in place to protect the coral in these areas.
- It's much easier than looking for like a half dozen ingredients like Oxybenzone and 4-methylbenzylidine.
- SPF-rated clothing and hats
- These products help reduce exposure to the sun and dependence on sunscreen or worrying about whether it has worn off.
- Snorkel Gear
- Snorkel gear is not very expensive, and you will get much better quality gear, making for a much more enjoyable experience.
- This includes getting a mask you prefer like one with panoramic views, anti-fog glass and a snorkel that stops waves from going back down in your mouthpiece.
- Beach Bag
- A nice beach bag will hold your beach towel, change of clothing/swimwear, flip flops or whatever else you plan on bringing to the beach
- I like the mesh bags so sand will sift out of them before getting back to your vehicle
- Gives time for towels/swimwear to dry while going back home
- Dry Bag
- A dry bag will help keep your stuff like phones and watches dry and in a safe place. They even make dry bags specifically for your phone now so you can protect your phone on beach days!
- Waterproof Camera
- If you plan on taking photos while out in the water, I HIGHLY recommend getting a waterproof camera.
- You can get a one-time disposable camera for under $20 and an off-brand 4 K 48MP camera for $80, so prices have really dropped.
- If you plan on doing a lot of underwater photography, I would suggest a good name brand, but remember that $20-$80 is much cheaper than a new cell phone will cost!
Additional St John Beaches to visit while exploring Virgin Islands National Park
Look for a list of the best beaches in St John and Virgin Islands National Park.
You are in luck! St John has beautiful white sand beaches with clear aqua-blue water and palm trees! All of which makes for the perfect beach getaway.
Below are several beaches on the North side of St John that are all known for their beaches.
Honeymoon Beach
To get to Honeymoon Beach, take the Lind Point Trail, which starts by the Virgin Islands Visitor Center in Cruz Bay. It is approximately 1 mile (20-30 minutes) to the beach.
The patch reef on the West side of the beach is a great place to go snorkeling. Not only will you see fish and coral, but you may also see sea turtles and rays!
In the clear water off the rocky point in between the two beaches, you will find several species of coral (brain, lettuce leaf, elkhorn, mustard hill, and pillar corals). Many colonies of finger coral can be found on the fringing reef west of Salomon.
Hawksnest Beach
From Cruz Bay, take Route 20 (North Shore Road) for about two miles. The parking lot is to the left.
The bonus is that there is plenty of parking, but it can become a narrow beach when the tide is in. It is also not as protected as the other North Shore beaches and can have more surf to contend with, especially while snorkeling.
You also need to be aware of the strong currents and undertow.
The coral here is pretty weathered, but it is known for its Elkhorn Coral Reefs.
Elkhorn corals are a federally protected species and extraordinarily fragile so be extremely cautious and don't attempt to swim over the top as they are very close to the surface.
The best way to view fish is to the side of the Elkhorn Coral Reefs.
Oppenheimer Beach
From Cruz Bay, take Route 20 (North Shore Road), approximately two miles and just beyond Hawksnest Beach.
Pass the white picket fence marking the Gibney's property. Immediately after the fence, you will see a gated entrance to Oppenheimer Beach and Gibney Beach.
There are a few spots along the left side of the entrance and a single spot across from Gibney's entrance.
Once parked (don't block the gate), head through the iron gate and down the paved drive. At the bottom, you will cut along the water's edge traveling West.
Note that this is not one of the popular beaches at Virgin Islands National Park. You will not find the crowds; it is off the beaten path, has limited parking, is not filled with white sand, and is not really known for having room to catch some sun.
It is a good beach to hang out under a palm tree or hit the water and go swimming or snorkeling.
Visitors may be attracted to the fact that Robert Oppenheimer (famous from the movie Oppenheimer) bought a small piece of this property from the Gibneys and built a small home there. The Oppenheimer's eventually gave away their home to the people of St John, and it has now been turned into a recreation center.
Robert Oppenheimer also has ties to The Manhattan Project and was the Director of the Los Alamos Laboratory (1943-1945) during the creation of the atomic bomb.
Cinnamon Bay
From Cruz Bay, take Route 20 (North Shore Road). Dive approximately four miles, and you will see signs marking the entrance to Cinnamon Bay Beach and campground.
Cinnamon Bay Beach is similar to Trunk Bay in that it has many amenities to offer its visitors. It is also the longest beach on St John and is also home to the Cinnamon Bay Resort and campground.
The best snorkeling is on the East side of the beach. About forty feet from where you enter the water is a large reef structure with plenty of fish and coral.
If you take a short hike towards Peter Bay along a rocky shoreline, you will find Little Cinnamon Beach. Here, you can swim out and see what's left of a small airplane about 50-100 feet out from the beach.
Cinnamon Bay Amenities include
- campground-eco tents-cottages
- Water Sports Concession
- Showers
- Restrooms
- Souvenir Shop
Maho Bay Beach
From Cruz Bay, Take route 20 (North Shore Road), approximately five miles. There is a small parking area and a much larger parking area on the East end of the beach.
Maho Bay is best known for its turtle-watching and is a favorite among islanders. In fact, it is the most recommended place to see turtles and rays on the island. The best snorkeling is on the eastern side and western side shorelines.
Both Maho and Francis Bay can get stirred up, reducing visibility when there is a north swell, but they are generally less affected by winter swells than elsewhere on the North Shore.
It is also a popular beach! It is a great place to bring kids as it has a gentle slope into the water and a nice sandy bottom that goes out a good twenty yards!
Maho Bay Beach Amenities include:
- Restrooms
- Covered pavilion with picnic tables
- Grills
Francis Bay Beach
From Cruz Bay, take Route 20 (North Shore Road), approximately five miles, to Maho Bay Beach. Continue past Maho Bay Beach until you reach a "Y" in the road. Take the left and go another .25 mile, and you will see an entrance on your right. Take this dirt road to the end.
Here, you can find shaded parking, smaller crowds, and a fantastic beach! There is lots of space, lots of shade, and good snorkeling on both sides of the beach.
Lodging/camping options on St John
The only lodging and camping options in Virgin Islands National Park is located at the Cinnamon Bay Beach & Campground.
The campground has 31 sites, 55 eco-tent sites, and 40 cottages.
Trunk Bay Hotels
If you would prefer to stay in a hotel or if all other lodging options are full or unavailable, here are some lodging options for St. John.
Parks to visit near Virgin Islands National Park
San Juan National Historic Site San Juan, Puerto Rico
Buck Island Reef National Monument St Croix, VI
Christiansted National Historic Site St Croix, VI
Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve St Croix, VI
Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument St John, VI -
Administered by Virgin Islands National Park, it includes federal submerged lands within the 3-mile belt off the Island of St John. There are no additional facilities from Virgin Islands National Park.
Make sure to check out more U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico National Parks and Florida National Parks.
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