VIDEO: Hiking Ram Head Trail in Virgin Islands National Park

Join along and learn the intricacies of hiking Ram Head Trail on St. John in the US Virgin Islands!

Let me guess. You have just a few days in St. John and you have to decide which hiking trail in Virgin Islands National Park you want to trek? So which one will it be? It’s a tough choice. But let me make the case for Ram Head Trail.

Of all the trails on St. John, Ram Head Trail may have the best views of all. Only so many of them have true panoramic views. And even among the ones that do, Ram Head is probably the best.

On a clear day, you can see St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda of the British Virgin Islands. And the best part? It’s a relatively easy hike – suitable for beginner hikers, young kids, and some elderly folks. Just see for yourself in our video below.

And once you’re done watching, be sure to let us know which trail you like better, Reef Bay Trail or Ram Head?!

READ MORE: 10 Tips for Hiking Ram Head Trail on St. John

Ram Head Trail: Photo Gallery

Ram Head Trail: Video Transcript

Finding the Ram Head Trailhead

Welcome to Ram Head Trail: one of the best, if not THE best hiking trail in all of the Virgin Islands. Confusingly, the trail begins in a parking lot for Salt Pond Bay. You’ll hike the salt Pond Bay Trail before actually reaching the trailhead for Ram Head. You can find the google maps location in the link down below.

Enjoying Salt Pond Bay

If you have someone in your group who is not keen on hiking, you can leave them at Salt Pond Bay – one of the best beaches on St. John.

Mining Salt at Salt Pond in St. John

Since it’s so windy, let me explain. Salt ponds are tropical features that serve as a buffer between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. This one, in particular, is famous as it was once used as a salt mine. During dry months, the water would evaporate leaving large chunks of salt behind.

To see the Salt Pond, you’ll find an alternate route along Drunk Bay Trail. If you want to extend your hiking day, I recommend checking it out before starting Ram Head.

Elevation Gain and Best Time to Go

I say that jokingly, but Ram head is an easy to moderate hike with a mild elevation gain of around 300 feet.

It’s true, Ram Head Trail is best enjoyed early in the morning. So get there as soon as possible before the Caribbean sun starts heating things up too much

Navigating Blue Cobblestone Beach

I’ll be honest, as you follow blue cobblestone beach you might get confused as to where the trail rebegins. But trust me, keep walking the shoreline and you’ll eventually find the sign. And once you do, you won’t believe the amount of these crazy-looking cactuses there are.

The Best Way to Enjoy Ram Head Trail

Every bit of this hike is beautiful. From the beaches, you pass on the way. The salt pond and its interesting history. The flora. The wind tunnels. And the panoramic views at the peak. What’s not to love?

But I must say, the best part of this hike is being able to share it with the people you love. For me, that’s my wife. And fortunately, we get to do these adventures all the time. But today, I also got to share this adventure with my Mom and Step-Dad who visited from Michigan. It reminded me that no matter where we go or what we do, no matter how amazing and beautiful a place is, it all means nothing if you can’t share it with the ones you love.

So yes, Ram Head IS the best hiking trail on St. John. But it’s best enjoyed with someone else.