Hike· Buck Island (St Croix)· Virgin Islands (BVI, USVI and Spanish Virgins)
Buck Island Overlook Trail
17° 47.2′ N · 64° 37.2′ W · approximate
A steep marked trail from West Beach or Diedrichs Point over the island crest, with a side trail to an observation platform looking across the reef to the dark water where the island shelf drops into the Puerto Rico Trench.
Practical
Position approximate, placed near the summit by the Buck Island light (OSM 17.7869 N, 64.6191 W); the NPS does not publish the platform's coordinate. About 45 minutes at a walking pace across the island, described as fairly strenuous, with loose stones; NPS puts the beach-to-overlook round trip at about an hour. From West Beach the trail climbs through beach forest with turpentine and pigeon-berry trees; the main trail descends the south side in switchbacks through frangipani, organ-pipe cactus and bromeliads to Diedrichs Point, then an easy shoreline walk back to West Beach. Wear shoes and a shirt, carry water. Stay on the trail to avoid manchineel and Christmas bush (blistering rash). Diedrichs Point has picnic tables, grills, vault toilets and a 20 by 20 ft shelter.
Best for
Views over the reef after a morning snorkel
Nearby
- Buck Island Reef National MonumentRight here
- Buck Island Lagoon Moorings0.4 NM away
- Buck Island Underwater Trail0.4 NM away
- Turtle Beach (Buck Island)0.4 NM away
- Buck Island SCUBA Cut Mooring0.5 NM away
- Buck Island West Beach Anchorage0.6 NM away
- Duggan's Reef (Teague Bay)1.7 NM away
- Goat, Soup and Whiskey (Coakley Bay)1.7 NM away