Trunk Bay Trail
Years ago, my friend, John Gibney told me about this old trail that he remembered from his childhood that ran from Trunk Bay up to Centerline Road. I searched for it with him, but we never found it. To tell the truth I never really believed it existed until I was shown the old Oxholm Map of St. John in 1850, which clearly showed a road extending from Trunk Bay to what is now Centerline Road., but I was till convinced that it was irretrievably lost in the bush.

Not that long ago, another hiker, Bob Garrison, known as the Trail Bandit, told me that he was searching for that same trail. I warned him, that he was wasting his time. Gibney had been all through there and I had did a little exploring myself. “Not there,” I remember telling him.

But lo and behold, he found it,  and yesterday I walked that old road with Bob through the beautiful forest above Trunk Bay.

We headed into the bush just a little to the west of the large Trunk Bay ruin on the North Shore Road.

Just about 20 yards from the road we came to a small ruin that had been recently cleared.

Trunk Bay Ruin

Ruin	Stairs at Entrance

Continuing on we made our way further up the valley. The forest was cool and shady and had more guavaberry trees than I have seen anywhere and I made a mental note to pass through here in November when they bear the berries used to prepare guavaberry wine, preserves and pastries, traditional Virgin Islands Christmas treats.

At the higher elevations we started seeing more big trees such as the West Indian Locust or “stinking toe tree” and old gnarly hog plum trees. Also noteworthy were the large rock formations covered with lush anthuriums and bromiliads.

The old Danish road was well defined by the dry stacked stones that served as retaining walls for the track’s lower side. Although the trail could definitely use some work, It is a fairly comfortable hike, not too steep, shady and easy to follow, at least for now.

Trunk Bay Trail

Trail

Stone Wall

There was at least one point on the trail where with a little work, there could be a magnificent overlook. It can be appreciated somewhat right now, but that awesome full panorama view is obstructed by bush.

We continued up the valley until we reached a two foot high barb wire fence just before reaching Centerline Road. The  trail continues on the other side of fence, but runs through private property.

In order to stay on public land and rather than go back the way we came we took an intersecting side trail leading to the Susanaberg Road. This trail is in poor condition but we followed it anyway.

Being that the trail to Catherineberg is in even worse condition, I would suggest that unless things change, as they always do, that you enjoy the Trunk Bay Trail up to the top of the valley and then go back the way you came once you meet the fence.