Virgin Islands National Park · U.S. Virgin Islands

Francis Bay Trail

0.5 mi of trail, end to end · about 10 ft of climbing · 17 ft–31 ft · hiking

Picnic areas

Along the way Francis Bay

Francis Bay Trail the Park Service's write-up

30-90 Minutes · dogs allowed · season <p>Year round.</p>

Start Francis Bay Trail and Salt Pond

Francis Bay Trail starts at the Francis Bay Sugar Factory. It continues past the Mary's Point Estate house and around a salt pond. The dry tropical forest and salt pond provide an excellent opportunity to view birds. The lower portion of the trail is an accessible boardwalk that continues through the mangroves to the two viewing platforms.

Accessibility The boardwalk to the salt pond viewing platforms is wheelchair accessible. The rest of the trail is uneven and rocky. There is a steep climb from the parking lot at the Francis Sugar Factory to the beach and boardwalk. Those looking for easier access should park at the beach end of the trail.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.