Hiking Buck Island: A Video Primer on a Personal Childhood Regret
Regret. It’s a terrible thing. I try very hard to avoid having regrets about anything in my life. There are, however, a few things that I missed out on while growing up in St. Croix. A few things that I wish I could go back in time to enjoy more fully now. Chief among them: hiking Buck Island.
The small (176 acres) uninhabited island sits a mile and a half off the northeast coast of St. Croix. As such, it’s a prime day sail destination for visitors and locals alike. The entirety of Buck Island and its surrounding waters have been protected by the U.S. Government since 1948, so it’s all nature out here.
No resorts. No Margaritaville touristy schlock. Just pure, unspoiled Caribbean beauty.
I’ve visited Buck Island dozens of times over the years to enjoy the beach, snorkel the Buck Island Reef National Monument Trail, and, in general, goof off with my friends (i.e.: boozing).
Hiking Buck Island? Yeah, somehow I never got around to that.
The video below showcases a bit of what I’ve been missing…
The hike starts at Turtle Beach at the far western edge of Buck Island. That’s where all the boats anchor and the weekend party I used to love so much rages. From the beach, the trail extends up to the island’s tallest point, offering amazing views of the surrounding waters. On clear days, you can even see neighboring islands like St. Thomas and St. John.
It doesn’t look like a particularly challenging hike (nothing like this), so I’ll be sure to make it part of my next Buck Island itinerary…even with my usual beach-booze shenanigans.
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