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Buck Island Reef National Monument

Christiansted, VI

The park was created to preserve one of the finest marine gardens in the Caribbean Sea. The elkhorn coral barrier reef that surrounds two-thirds of the island has extrodinary coral formations, deep grottoes, abundant reef fishes, sea fans and gorgonians, and the occasional sea turtle. At the eastern most point of the reef is the famous underwater trail; both novice and expert snorkelers will enjoy the passages through the reef. The island, which has an overland nature trail and white coral sand beaches, is a rookery for endangered brown pelicans and a nesting area for three species of sea turtles. Seasonally Buck Island Reef supports one of the last remaining protected nesting populations of endangered hawksbill sea turtles in the eastern Caribbean. Visitors can take daily trips to the park. Once there they can enjoy the tropical island its extraordinary array of marine life and tropical flora and fauna while leasurely swimming in the crystal clear waters, or snorkeling or SCUBA diving through the fantastic reef or hiking over the island while getting a birds-eye view of the reef and sea below.

CONTACTS

Email - BUIS_Superintendent@nps.gov

Fax- 340-773-5995

Write to
Danish Custom House, Kings Wharf
2100 Church Street #100
Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820-4611

Phone
Visitor Information - 340-773-1460

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Buck Island Reef National Monument is open year-round. There is no overnight camping on the island; the park is closed from sunset to sunrise.

Getting There
PLANE - American Airlines, US Air, and Delta all fly into the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix, Virgin Islands.

CAR - Travel by car to downtown Christiansted or to Green Cay Marina east of Christiansted. There are six concession companies that provide transport by boat to Buck Island Reef NM from these locations. REMEMBER WE DRIVE ON THE LEFT IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS!

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Buck Island Reef National Monument is accessible by park licensed concessionaires or private boat and is a 5.5 mile (8.8 km) sail from Christiansted on St. Croix. Concession boats are available at Christiansted Wharf or Green Cay Marina. Privately operated boat must abide by park regulations and maneuvered slowly through Monument waters and watch out for snorkelers at all times.

Weather & Climate
Light weight clothing for hot temperatures is suggested. Long sleeves, pants, sturdy shoes, and bug repellant are recommended for hiking. Visitors should take necessary precautions to avoid sunburn. A sunblock of SPF 30 or higher is recommended. Remember to drink water regularly.

Accessibility
All concession boats to Buck Island Reef NM are able to assist disabled visitors. Buck Island Reef has a concrete pier on the south side where boats can dock and assist persons off onto the island. There are no roads or sidewalks beyond the pier, just sand beaches, however, wheel chairs with large tires have maneuvered over the beaches. There is one concession vessel that has a glass bottom for underwater viewing without getting wet. You don't need to swim to enjoy the sites of the park!

Getting Around
The only way to get to Buck Island Reef NM is by boat; private or park licensed concession operation which has daily trips, full or half day. The trip is between 40 minutes to 1 1/2 hour depending on whether you sail or motor boat to the park. Once at Buck Island Reef you continue to move between the beach and reef by boat. There is only one foot path on the island which takes 45 minutes from beach to the reef overlook and back down to the beach. All other sites can be seen by walking, swimming, or snorkeling.

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
SCALE HOUSE AT CHRISTIANSTED NHS
Open All Year 8 am to 5 pm
Phone - 340-773-1460
Location - The Scale House Visitor Center serves as the visitor contact for people on St. Croix. There is no contact station for visitors on Buck Island Reef NM.
Closures - Visitor Center is closed on Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years Day.

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