The Lind Point Trail runs between the parking area behind the National Park Visitor Center and the beaches at Salomon and Honeymoon Bays. The trail passes through what are known as cactus scrub and dry forest environments with cactus scrub predominating between Cruz Bay and Lind Point and dry forest between Lind Point and the beaches.

Barrel Cactus
Barrel Cactus is also called Turk's Cap Cactus, Pope's Head or Compass Plant (because they tend to tilt toward the south). They are round or barrel shaped and can grow in hard, rocky, windswept, and sun-drenched environments where little else can survive. The small pink fruit is edible.

Pipe Organ Cactus
This tall light green cactus branches at the base and has vertical stems. The spines grow in long rows and are extremely formidable. They can pierce clothing and light footwear such as sneakers or sandals. Some birds make their nests using the spines for support and protection against enemies. This cactus is also known in the Virgin Islands as Didildo Cactus or Dildo Cactus.

Prickly Pear
The prickly pear cactus has flat oval-shaped spiny pads. Yellow flowers grow from the edges of the pads that turn into a red fruit, which can be peeled and eaten.

Trail Characteristics

The trail begins and ends at sea level reaching a maximum elevation of 160 feet at the Lind Point Overlook. The rate of incline is moderate with no really steep hills to negotiate.

Although the Lind Point trail passes through an area that was once devoted to cotton production, there is no longer any visible evidence of this industry nor will you see any cotton trees.

Distances
Visitor Center to Salomon Bay (1.0 mile)
Visitors Center to Honeymoon Bay (1.1 miles)
Visitor Center to Lind Point Overlook (0.4 mile)
Lind Point Overlook to start of Salomon Bay Spur Trail (0.3 mile)
Start of Salomon Bay Spur Trail to Salomon Bay (0.3 mi)
Start of Salomon Bay Spur Trail to Honeymoon Bay (0.4mi)

From the National Park Visitor Center to Lind Point
After about ten yards, the trail crosses a dirt road that follows the Cruz Bay shoreline to an old seaplane ramp that is no longer in use. The Lind Point Trail continues on the other side of this road and follows the eastern shoreline of Cruz Bay at a higher elevation.

The beginning of the trail is lined by the vine-like night blooming cereus. There are at least two native varieties of night blooming cerius found on St. John the one found here at Lind Point and another variety with a fatter fleshier vine. Both produce a magnificent large white flower that blooms for one night a year followed by the development of a delicious fruit that tastes something like a kiwi.

Variety of Night Blooming Cerius Found on The Lind Point Trail

After traveling about a quarter mile the trail forks near some large rocks.

Upper Trail leads to Lind Point, the trail on the right leads back to Cruz Bay

The main Lind Point Trail is to the right and goes uphill. The lower trail, which continues straight, runs parallel to the official Lind Point Trail, but at a lower elevation. Both trails access Salomon and Honeymoon Bays. The lower trail is slightly shorter and less hilly than the more scenic main trail.

The (upper) Lind Point Trail gains altitude through a series of switchbacks and then continues north toward Lind Point. This point, or headland, defines the northern extremity of Cruz Bay and the northwestern corner of the island of St. John.

At Lind Point, the trail forks, the left fork takes you to the Lind Point Battery Overlook and circles back to meet the main trail again about ten yards from the first fork. The main trail on the right continues to Solomon and Honeymoon beaches.

The Lind Point Overlook
During the early nineteenth century the English found themselves at odds with the French who were then under the leadership of Napoleon. British fears were not confined to Europe. In the Caribbean the English faced the very real threat of a French takeover of St. Thomas and St. John, which would give France control of the strategic harbors of Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Coral Bay on St. John. The British realized that by using the Danish West Indies as a base, the French would be in a strategically advantageous position in which to attack the British Virgin Islands and the rest of the British West Indies.

Fearing that the Danes would not be strong enough to defend their Caribbean territory against the French, Britain made a preemptive strike. British warships and soldiers were sent to St. Thomas and St. John with orders to take control of these Danish territories. Knowing that resistance was futile, the Danes surrendered without a single shot being fired and the French were effectively deterred from an easy takeover of the Danish islands.

In order to secure Cruz Bay harbor on St. John, the British built a fortification on Lind Point. The fort was hastily built and consisted simply of a semicircular platform supported by a well-built stone retaining wall upon which cannons were placed to defend the harbor.

The cannons are no longer there; only the stone wall remains. In their place is a wooden bench where you can sit and enjoy a view that juxtaposes unspoiled tropical scenery with the beginnings of modern development.

From Lind Point to Salomon and Honeymoon Bays
From Lind Point the trail turns right, or east, and follows the northwestern coastline.

The environment on this side of Lind Point changes to dry forest characterized by more and larger trees, such as mampoo, turpentine and genip, and broader leafed plants than the cactus scrub landscape on the other side of the point.

Mampoo

Many of the rock formations along the hillsides are covered by epiphytes (air plants), such as bromeliads and anthuriums. What appear to be designs on the rocks, are caused by the growth of lichen.

Scene from dry forest environment - turpentine tree and lichen covered rock

A little more than a quarter mile from Lind Point the trail meets the quarter-mile trail to Salomon Bay. This trail will be on your left and goes downhill to the western end of the beach. This is the most common destination for travelers using the trail.

For those not going to Salomon Bay, the Lind Point Trail continues straight ahead and runs on to Honeymoon Bay.

Before reaching the beach at Honeymoon Bay you will come to the intersection of the Caneel Hill Spur Trail and the Lind Point Trail. The Caneel Hill Spur Trail will be to your right and goes uphill. It is 0.8 mile long. This trail crosses the North Shore Road (Route 20) near the entrance to the National Park housing area and continues up the mountainside to an elevation of 300 feet where it meets the Caneel Hill Trail.

The continuation of the main Lind Point Trail will be to your left and goes downhill ending at an iron gate near a large tamarind tree. The gate serves to deter animals such as donkeys from entering the Caneel Bay Resort grounds. Pass through the gate and cross over the dirt road to get to the beach.

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