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Reef Bay Trail
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mcpenguin5
- Posts: 114
- Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2006 8:05 am
- Location: Maryland
Reef Bay Trail
We will be on St. John Thanksgiving week, and we hope to do the Reef Bay Trail tour that the Park Service does. I found on their website that they conduct them on Mondays and Thursdays, so I guess that means Monday or nothing for us, as I am betting they won't be doing one on Thanksgiving Day. I see that they require reservations, but they don't say how long in advance you must make the reservations and how much it costs. They recommend going to the NPS headquarters in Cruz Bay to pick up the pamphlets for more information, but by then we might find that it is too late to get a reservation. And how much is it?
I wonder if any of you have done this tour, and what you remember about the reservations and cost. We really want to do this, but I would hate to miss out because we didn't have the information we need soon enough.
By the way, I did send them an email, but have received no response. I'm not sure they read their email there.
Also, I picked up some Keens Sandals with the toe protection. Would they be good enough to hike this trail? I have heard that they are good hiking sandals.
I wonder if any of you have done this tour, and what you remember about the reservations and cost. We really want to do this, but I would hate to miss out because we didn't have the information we need soon enough.
By the way, I did send them an email, but have received no response. I'm not sure they read their email there.
Also, I picked up some Keens Sandals with the toe protection. Would they be good enough to hike this trail? I have heard that they are good hiking sandals.
We just signed up for the Reef Bay Hike for our trip next month, and I would suggest you go to this website to see when the hike will be offered:
http://www.nps.gov/viis/planyourvisit/events.htm
We called to make reservations, and we didn't need to pay up-front. Cost was $21 per person for the transportation costs. I think closed-toe Keens should be fine, based on what others have said. I hope so, since I just bought a pair on sale!
http://www.nps.gov/viis/planyourvisit/events.htm
We called to make reservations, and we didn't need to pay up-front. Cost was $21 per person for the transportation costs. I think closed-toe Keens should be fine, based on what others have said. I hope so, since I just bought a pair on sale!
We did the hike in sneakers but teva-like shoes would have been fine. (I am nervous about having my toes out when hiking)
It was really rainy for the entire week during our visit so the water fall was running. We had lunch there. I took a backpack to carry our lunch and water, which worked well. There was one family that carried their lunch (wearing flip flops) along in shopping bags, I got the impression they don't venture into the woods on a regular basis!
The guide we had flew down over the hill, leaving lots of people far behind. When my mom did it the next year, the guide was very slow but much more personable.
We made our arrangements a month or two out (for a Jan trip) and I think my mom called once we were on island (for a Feb trip)
We sat up top on the boat ride back, which was very enjoyable as the captain gave us a running commentary about that side of the island.
It was really rainy for the entire week during our visit so the water fall was running. We had lunch there. I took a backpack to carry our lunch and water, which worked well. There was one family that carried their lunch (wearing flip flops) along in shopping bags, I got the impression they don't venture into the woods on a regular basis!
The guide we had flew down over the hill, leaving lots of people far behind. When my mom did it the next year, the guide was very slow but much more personable.
We made our arrangements a month or two out (for a Jan trip) and I think my mom called once we were on island (for a Feb trip)
We sat up top on the boat ride back, which was very enjoyable as the captain gave us a running commentary about that side of the island.
mcpenguin5,
We just did this hike for the second time on July 3rd. I made reservations for our group of 6 in mid-May by calling 340-776-6201 x238. The cost was $21 per person which includes your taxi to the trailhead and boat ride back to Cruz Bay. You don't pay until the morning of the hike which leaves the NPS Visitor's Center at 9:30. While on island we called about switching to the Monday, July 7 tour, but I was told there were 20+ people on the stand-by list. So, we kept our reservations for the 3rd.
It's a great trail. Our tour guide this time was brand new, so she didn't have as much information as our previous guide - but we still enjoyed it.
You'll be fine in closed-toe Tevas or Keens. I actually just wear my Birks and have no problems. Just make sure you take plenty of water and wear your swimsuit to enjoy a swim at the end.
Enjoy!
We just did this hike for the second time on July 3rd. I made reservations for our group of 6 in mid-May by calling 340-776-6201 x238. The cost was $21 per person which includes your taxi to the trailhead and boat ride back to Cruz Bay. You don't pay until the morning of the hike which leaves the NPS Visitor's Center at 9:30. While on island we called about switching to the Monday, July 7 tour, but I was told there were 20+ people on the stand-by list. So, we kept our reservations for the 3rd.
It's a great trail. Our tour guide this time was brand new, so she didn't have as much information as our previous guide - but we still enjoyed it.
You'll be fine in closed-toe Tevas or Keens. I actually just wear my Birks and have no problems. Just make sure you take plenty of water and wear your swimsuit to enjoy a swim at the end.
Enjoy!
LMarie
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mcpenguin5
- Posts: 114
- Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2006 8:05 am
- Location: Maryland
Thank you, Thank you!
I really appreciate all the responses, we have been working so hard to make sure this trip is good. With airfares and gasoline so high, vacations are getting more difficult to do. 
I want this one to be the best ever. My daughter-in-law has done so much of the research here, and I have been "memorizing" my copy of "Feet, Fins, And Four-Wheel Drive". I was really glad to hear that the Keens would be good. We are hoping to do carry-on only for the flight, and with Keens, I won't have to pack another pair of shoes! I am noting all of your suggestions about the trail, and will add them to my list of things to remember.
Once again, thank you all.
McPenguin5
I want this one to be the best ever. My daughter-in-law has done so much of the research here, and I have been "memorizing" my copy of "Feet, Fins, And Four-Wheel Drive". I was really glad to hear that the Keens would be good. We are hoping to do carry-on only for the flight, and with Keens, I won't have to pack another pair of shoes! I am noting all of your suggestions about the trail, and will add them to my list of things to remember.Once again, thank you all.
McPenguin5