Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In less than 3 miles, you'll come to:
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Hawksnest Beach
Hawksnest is one of the island's best beaches. Continuing your drive, you'll
pass, in this order, Trunk Bay, Peter Bay (private), and Cinnamon Bay, all of
which have sand, palm trees, and clear water. For more information about these
beaches, see p. 128.
A few steps from the entrance to the Cinnamon Bay Campground is a redwood sign
marking the beginning of the:
4
Cinnamon Bay Trail
Laid out for hikers by the National Park Service, this 1-mile walk takes about an
hour. Its clearly marked paths lead through shaded forest trails along the rutted
cobblestones of a former Danish road, past ruins of abandoned plantations.
A short drive beyond Cinnamon Bay is the sandy sweep of
Maho Bay,
site
of one of the most upscale and eco-friendly campgrounds in the Caribbean.
Shortly after Maho Bay, the road splits. Take the left fork, which merges in a few
moments with an extension of Centerline Road. Off this road will appear
another NPS signpost marked danish road; this detour takes you on a 5-minute
trek along a potholed road to the ruins of an 18th-century school.
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At the next fork, bear right toward Annaberg. (Make sure you don't go toward Francis
Bay.) You'll pass the beginning of a 1-mile walking trail to the Leinster Bay Estate,
which leads to a beach good for snorkeling. In less than a minute, you'll reach the
parking lot of the:
5
Annaberg Historic Trail
The highlight of this driving tour, the Annaberg Historic Trail leads pedestrians
within and around the ruined buildings of the best-preserved plantation on St.
John. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the smell of boiling molasses perme-
ated the air here. About a dozen NPS plaques identify and describe each build-
ing within the compound. The walk takes about 30 minutes. From a terrace near
the ruined windmill, a map identifies the British Virgin Islands to the north,
including Little Thatch, Tortola, Watermelon Cay, and Jost Van Dyke.
Back in the car, retrace your route to the first major division, and take the left fork.
Soon a sign will identify your road as
ROUTE
20
EAST
. Stay on this road, forking left
wherever possible, until you come, after many bends in the way, to:
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Emmaus Moravian Church
At the sandy bottomlands you'll see an elementary school, a baseball field, and,
on a hilltop, a simple barnlike building known as the Emmaus Moravian
Church. This church, with its yellow clapboards and red roof, is often closed to
visitors. Near its base yet another NPS walking trail begins: the 1.5-mile Johnny
Horn Trail, known for its scenic views and steep hills. You will now be about 13
miles east of Cruz Bay.
The roads at this point are not very clearly marked. Avoid the road beyond the ele-
mentary school below the church; it's pretty, but leads only to the barren and rather
dull expanses of the island's East End. Instead, backtrack a very short distance to a
cluster of signs that point to the restaurant Shipwreck Landing. Follow these signs
heading south about a mile to:
134
