If you’re a hiker that likes the tropics, you’re gonna wanna add this to your bucket list. Magens Bay is likely one of Saint Thomas’ best-known tourist attractions. The beach at Magens is regularly rated as one of the top beaches in the world by various beach-rating outlets. (How does one get a job writing those opinion pieces?)
Whether you live here, are staying a while, or are here for a day on a cruise, this hike is something you shouldn’t miss. If you’re open to a good hike down (then back up!) a good grade, through tropical rainforest, this is a great spot to live the experience.
Bring a backpack with some water, snacks, towels, something to read, maybe a football, and some friends, and you’ve got a fun trip and rest-spot halfway through.
Getting There
The entrance to the trail isn’t obvious. It’s on Magens Bay Road (also known as Route 35, though few locals will know the road by the number). The trail itself is actually on Google Maps these days, so it should be reasonably easy to get to.
If you’re driving, there’s a small driveway on the left (when going North on Route 35). You can park in there. If you’re taking a safari, they can drop you off there. Catching one on the way back may not be easy, so keep that in mind. You can always hike down, then grab a safari back to your hotel or ship from the beach.
When parking, beware of the drop-off at the end of the paved section of the driveway. It drops a good six inches, so be sure you’re driving an SUV… or at least not a low-riding vehicle.
The Trail
Magens Bay trail is overseen by the Nature Conservancy, VI Department of Planning and Natural Resources, and Magens Bay Authority. The land it sits on 319 acres of land, 25 of which was donated exclusively for this trail.
The trail is well-maintained and well developed. It includes a number of wood staircases, ropes for balance, and rock retaining walls, all of which make for a great trail experience while still respecting the environment around it.
You’ll end up hiking almost a mile from start to the beach, and another mile back up the hill upon return. The elevation change is a few hundred feet. Below are screenshots from MapMyWalk on Android, for an idea of how long it takes and what the elevation change looks like.
As described by the Authority, you pass through a number of ecosystems on your way from the top of the hill to the beach.
“Starting in a mixed-dry forest, moving into moist-tropical forest, then across a boardwalk passing through mangroves, and finally arriving at the picturesque beach”
Enter the trail using the steps off the driveway. It’s relatively flat to start and definitely picturesque.
Things get relatively steep pretty quickly. Rocky terrain makes for a challenging but steady descent down the hill toward the bay. Soon after the mix-dry forest, you definitely move into moist, tropical rain forest. The trek gets warm quickly. If you go on a hot day, the canopy overhead will act as a greenhouse, protecting you from any refreshing breeze. So be ready for a hot and humid experience.
About a third of the way down the trail, you’ll come to some steep rock steps and a rope rail. If you go left, it continues down the hill toward the beach. However, if you turn right, you’re in for a treat.
Another hundred or so feet brings you to a wooden look-out deck with a million-dollar view of Magens Bay. It makes for a nice spot to grab a photo on the way down, and it works out well as a quick rest stop on the way back up if you need it.
The trail levels out a bit and you find yourself climbing around and over large boulders that have been exposed by years of weathering. It’s kind of an up-down-up-down experience. Finally you begin to make your way down the last major grade, another rocky “staircase” that drops you another hundred feet or so. Most of this section has rope tied along the way to help you with your balance if necessary. Some of those root-rock steps can be pretty high, so don’t be ashamed of using the rope.
One last hill (with a precarious drop-off on the left) will bring you to almost-sea level. Once you’ve made it down, you enter the mangrove swamp. If it’s been dry, you can walk right into the mangroves. However, generally it’s damp if not fully wet in the mangroves. You’ll see a bunch of termite nests in the trees; don’t worry, they’re not bee hives.
Eventually you’ll make it to a boardwalk that takes up about two-thirds of the flat walk out to the beach. You’ll be surrounded by mangroves whose roots look like stilts in the forest; better yet, they look like tentacles. And they’re strong! You can climb all over them if you want. Mahogany is also common in the area; kind of cool to see a living example of a type of wood that is so expensive back Stateside. Here’s it’s much cheaper and plentiful.
The Arboretum
Once you leave the forest, you enter the Arboretum. I don’t know much about trees, but the Authority has listed the description I’ve quoted below. Just do yourself this favor: look up when you leave the forest. The trees you’ll encounter are honestly some of the most beautiful palms and tropical arbors you’ll ever see. It’s quite the sight.
Magens Bay arboretum, a shady restful grove of native and exotic trees, was designed and planted by Arthur S. Fairchild, who, in 1927, owned several estates including Louisenhoj and Magens Bay, on the north shore of St.Thomas. Mr. Fairchild was a great humanitarian with keen interest in nature. He kept meticulous notes on the hundreds of trees and plants which he imported from tropical areas all over the world. He also attempted to identify the insects that he observed on his properties. Mr. Fairchild deeded the arboretum and Magens Bay Beach to the people of the Virgin Islands in 1947. Over the years some of the trees were destroyed by various hurricanes that passed through the area, but some survived and are still here today. With the addition of 160 rare and unusual exotic trees planted in 1997, the arboretum is once again home to such species as Genip (Melicoccus Bijugata) , Turpentine (Bursera Simaraba), Manpoo (Pisonia Subcordata), Mahogany and much more. (Source)
The Beach
I won’t spend too much time on this because it’s well documented elsewhere on the internet, but the halfway point for your journey is Magens Bay Beach. It’s a beautiful strip of land that’s on the eastern end of Magens Bay. Magens is bounded by the north side of Saint Thomas on the south and the Peterborg peninsula on the north (the ritzy area of the island).
In a way, the beach reminds me of a state park in the northeast US. Covered pavilions for rent, public bathrooms, a beach bar/restaurant, dozens of picnic tables, plenty of parking, and one of the few beaches on Saint Thomas that’s life-guarded, it’s definitely a tourist destination. It’s one of the few beaches that charges for parking, so your free parking at the top of the hill saves you a few bucks.
Unfortunately, it’s also a bit of a tourist trap. On the plus side, most tourists end up on the north half of the beach because that’s where safaris drop you off. The trail ends on the south side of the beach, which is usually less active because tourists don’t care to walk there. It’s a regular sight to run into locals on weekends (especially Sundays after church) for family gatherings and parties. There will definitely be some partying, music, and drinking going on, so if you want a quiet experience, go earlier in the day.
But, enjoy your stop at one of America’s most beautiful beaches. Bring a bottle of water, some fruit, a towel, and a good book. Lay your clothes out to dry (you’re probably going to be sweaty), then hop in the water and cool off. Then, just lay out and soak up some rays. Get through that next chapter.
Going Back Up
Now it’s time to work your way back up to your car or pickup spot. Of course, if you were dropped off by safari at the top of the hill, you can always grab your safari back to your hotel or the ship from the entrance to the beach. But that’s no fun. Hail your safari from the road up the hill!
Hit the trail entrance through the Arboretum. There should be signs if you’ve lost your way, but remember to keep an eye out for all the palms that are across the driveway from the beach. That’s your first clue.
The trek back up is a lot more intensive than going down. You’ll make more use of the rope to pull yourself up some of the larger steps. You’ll be thankful, though, for the manmade steps in many cases because they’re easier to climb and more stable than working your way up rocky outcrops or sometimes slippery soil (even when it’s dry).
You’ll be sweaty when you make it to the top. Get ready to blast the AC or roll down all the windows on your way back. And if you’re safari-ing it, well, the windows are already down.
Fauna
You’ll see some cool animals along the way. As per usual on Saint Thomas, lizards abound, from small little critters to full-grown iguanas. You’ll see the smaller guys all over the place; iguanas are generally slower when they’re hanging in the canopy, so you may miss them if you don’t have a keen eye.
Some seriously scary spiders can also be found on the route, so keep an eye out. I have yet to see any snakes on the trail, but I’m told some can be found there. There are five types of snake that live on Saint Thomas and/or Water Island: corn snake, garter snake, blind snake, Puerto Rican racer, and the VI tree boa (or so says reptile ecologist Dr. Renata Platenberg).
(Much of the Thomian snake population is still trying to replenish since the introduction of mongoose on the island. Thankfully, none of the snakes that live on Saint Thomas are venomous, even if the tree boa does like it might be. Here’s a great report by the Fish and Wildlife Service on the VI tree boa if you’re interested.)
And, of course, crabs. Keep your eyes peeled for anything rolling on the trail. That’s likely a hermit crab that’s pulling in because it hears you coming. Which is hilarious because if they just keep moving at their slow pace, I’d likely not see them; but because they usually end up rolling down a rock or incline, it’s obvious when they’re there. Once you get into the mangroves, you’ll see hundreds of holes in the ground; those are the larger beach crabs and while I’ve never seen a live one out in the open (they run back into their hole promptly upon your arrival), the exoskeleton of one dearly departed (below) shows just how big they can get.
Words of Caution
Magens Bay Trail is a pretty rocky and steep trek. I suggest not going alone. (Though I admittedly don’t take my own advice on that one sometimes.) Even during busy season, I rarely see any others venturing into the trail. Which is great if you want the solitude of nature, but not so good if you happen to sprain an ankle halfway through.
Because of the rocks, I suggest wearing hiking boots that have good support for those ankles. Again, a sprain halfway through a mile-long, hilly trail makes for a very bad day.
This trail is slippery when wet! Even if it’s just damp after a wet night or still drying off from a storm or shower, the soil on the trail is very fine and lacks traction when it’s moist. Same for the roots and the rocks, which make up a good portion of your journey. So try to avoid the trail if it’s recently rained or looks like it may soon.
Especially slippery is the boardwalk through the mangroves. Even when the environment isn’t wet or damp, the boardwalk may be, and it’s slippery when it’s moist. Additionally, half of it is pretty old and may not be structurally sound in some places, so step lightly. The part closest to the beach was recently replaced though, so that’s in great shape.
Conclusion
If you’re a hiker who’s here visiting Saint Thomas or you live here, make sure to add this trail to the to-do list. It’s a great workout with an amazing halfway point treat of one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Many thanks to the Nature Conservancy and Magens Bay Authority for making this beautiful trail available to residents and visitors alike to enjoy Magens Bay Beach in a unique way that nature lovers can appreciate.
All photos in this post are © Matt Wade. More VI photos can be found on my Flickr page.
