USVI-On-Line

Pia wrote:I would not recommend the Johnny Horn it's a killer especially if you want something not too difficult (I refuse to do it)
Don't forget if you see a man with 2 barky dogs on the Brown Bay it's hubby as he walks it every morning with them - puppies are harmless just barky - call them by their names and freak them out, black one is Coqui (Coki) and they grey spotted one is Tiki

Pia

How's the Johnny Horn from Waterlemon to Brown Bay, that bad? Looking at the Trail Bandit map it looks like the section between Waterlemon and the Brown Bay spur trail is going parallel to the isoclines (level). The killer part of the Johnny Horn trail seems to be from Coral Bay to the Brown Bay spur.

http://www.trailbandit.org/maps.htm

Dana, from Carolina Corral, takes the girls up the Johnny Horn trail from Coral Bay on horseback rides. I've never done the Coral Bay side of Johnny Horn.

Cheers, RickG

How about the Lind Point Trail starting from behind the Nat'l Park Visitor's Center? It's relatively flat (a few hills), and if you want more of a challenge you can take the upper trail for a great lookout spot of Cruz Bay. And the best part is the beach at Salomon at the end! You can take the easier way back via Caneel. We always do this one day during our trips and I never get tired of it. (plus it is all the "hiking" I can get my husband to do too!)

Oops, just re-read your post and you've already done Lind Point!.....still love that hike though!

We've been on the Johnny Horn twice from Leinster over to Coral Bay and back. It's definitely a demanding hike, but one that we really like (but then we really like hiking). The harder part comes after the cutoff down to Brown Bay. I didn't find the hike up from Leinster to the ridge too difficult. Coming back up from the Coral Bay side is the toughest.

The views are superb, there's a variey of terrain and very few--if any--people are on the trail. I remember the first time we did it we were hanging out at Pickles in Coral Bay (another good place gone) getting ourselves ready to head back up and over to Leinster. We were talking to some people who really couldn't imagine that it was possible to walk over the mountain to Leinster Bay. it's a pretty satisfying hike, but you have to actually like hiking or it would just be hot hard work.

This is a cool topic. I don't think I have anything to add since I have only been to St. John once. But, this is great info for next time around. Looks like a a bunch of great hikes, some I have never even heard of, thanks everyone.

Thanks for the ideas everyone!

Parafins, we did Denis last trip, I forgot to add it to the list. We may go back this time since I have your advice on getting into the water. We brought our gear down in June but could not see a clear entry on the side of the beach we were on. We did not walk down by the pier because we could see the people that owned the house over there out and about in their front yard.

RickG and Lex, I have to be honest and say that I am definitely not up for the Johnny Horn trail. I've read about it and I know there are awesome views but it is just too much. It's the heat that kills it for me. I like harder hikes here in MA in the crisp and cool fall, but the island humidity would make it impossible for me to enjoy that hike.

I'm leaning towards Brown Bay or Pia's Cinnamon suggestion. Of course, I told John about my plan last night, and he said that he most definitely votes for the hike to the Beach Bar!

I'm glad that any hiking trails on S.T.J.don't bother me,hot or hilly.As a child I spent most of my vacations backpacking and hiking The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On S.T.J. the trail that i'd like to do is the Parrot Bay/Reef Bay shore trail.I think it would be a bit too long for you though.It is a level hike with no hills right?Parafins

Several sources of info about hikes.

The National Park Headquarters, of course, but you can't just drop in on them unless you are here.

So try Trail Bandit.

Go to the link, click on the Hiking Trail Website Link, then click on the Trail Bandit map (in the upper middle), and wait wait wait for the screen to load. You need a fast internet connection. Then scroll down and you will find descriptions of about 20 trails which you can also see on the map. You can zoom in -- but the faster your internet connection is the better.

Trail Bandit

parafins wrote:

MrB wrote:We are thinking about the Brown Bay trail this year. Maybe even finishing the hike to the horn instead of stopping at tektite.

MrB,If you go to Brown Bay please take some pics of the ruins.I would love to see them. Also remember,the earlier you go the cooler the hike will be.Parafins

We also recommend the Brown Bay hike starting from East End Road. It's a nice wide trail that goes up and over the hill. Easily hiked in sandals. There are a bunch of the big hermit crabs along the trail that you hear scurrying away as you walk by that makes the hike fun. You also see discarded clothing from illegals that had been dropped off in the bay, swam in and dumped their wet clothes. The hike leads you to Brown Bay which is usually deserted and has very good snorkeling.

We didn't find the ruins that interesting, it was more like rubble.