St. John Photo of the Day

America Hill Great House

The America Hill Trail is a spur trail off the Cinnamon Bay Trail. It begins about 50 yards past the first gut crossing, marked by a steel post and leads to the ruins of the Estate House at America Hill.

Live Music on St. John Saturday, March 5

Castaways – Kenny Floyd – 8:00 – 11:00 – 777-3316
Larry’s Landing – Spiritual Rez – 10:00 – 1:00 – 693-8802
Morgan’s Mango – Luba – Piano & Vocals – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Rhumb Lines – Lauren -7:00 – 10:00
Skinnylegs - Hot Club of Coral Bay – 6:00 – 9:00 – 779-4982
Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – James Cobb – 6:30 – 10:00 – 693-8802

A word of caution to my visitors: I’m doing the best I can to present an accurate music schedule, but to be sure, it would be a great idea to call the restaurant or bar beforehand to confirm.

Weekly Music Schedule

View from new overlook on the Cinnamon Bay Trail

view to the east

There’s something new to view for hikers on the Cinnamon Bay Trail.

Jeff Chabot group leader and volunteers working with the Appalachian Mountain Club in a cooperative venture with the Virgin Islands National Park and Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park have cleared an overlook along the trail, with views extending from Jost Van Dyke to St. Thomas and the northwestern cays.

Some years ago there was an overlook higher up on the trail near the top, which has long since overgrown.

The trail crew did an excellent job creating this new overlook. The view is spectacular!

Other overlooks that have now been cleared are the Lind Point Battery Overlook,  at the bench almost to the top of Caneel Hill on the Caneel Hill Trail, one on the Bordeaux Mountain Trail and another on the Lameshur Bay Trail.

We’ll be posting photos of these overlooks shortly…

Soon come… one on the Reef Bay Trail, the Francis Bay Salt Pond and two on the Johnny Horn Trail….

As I’m now in the process of updating my best selling book, St. John Off the Beaten Track, I am revisiting the trails of St. John looking for any changes.

Reading Debbie Hime’s account of the America Hill Spur Trail in the St. John Sun Times, I find that the trail is no longer the struggle it used to be.

The main Cinnamon Bay Trail is pretty much unchanged since my last printing, except that the trees at the top of the trail have grown taller and the overlook near the Centerline trailhead is now obscured.

The America Hill Spur, which leads to the America Hill Estate House, on the other hand, has been significantly improved, thanks to the efforts of Friends of the Park trail volunteers. The scratchy sweet lime that lined the narrow path is no more and the bush at the top of the hill has been removed so that once again there is a spectacular view.

America Hill Estate House

View from the Sea	Old Photo by Dean Hulse	Ruins in Unstable Condition
South Corner	View to the West	Old Photo by Dean Hulse
Bake Oven	Sugar Boiling Pot	Terrace