Hiking the Great Sieben Trail in Virgin Islands National Park
Distance (One Way): 0.5 miles / 0.8 km
The Great Sieben Trail in Virgin Islands National Park is a little-known day hike that connects Fish Bay, just outside of Cruz Bay, to the L'Esperance Trail near the historic Great Sieben Plantation Ruins.
The reason I say 'little-known' is because the Great Sieben Trail is what’s typically known as a 'social trail,' meaning a trail that is not maintained by the National Park Service, similar to the Ring Arch Trail in Arches National Park and others across the National Park system.
That said, the Great Sieben Trail is fairly easy and very well maintained, and for those looking for much easier access to the L'Esperance Trail and the beaches at the bottom, the Great Sieben Trail is somewhat of a hidden gem, as it cuts out the first 1.0 mile (1.6 km) of the hike that begins off Centerline Road!
What Happened to the Baobab Tree?
The historic Baobab tree was once the highlight of the Great Sieben Trail and the reason so many many visitors ventured up the trail or down the L'Esperance Trail to see it.
However, as of October 2021, the Baobab tree is no longer alive due to severe damage from the invasive mango stem borer, which ultimately proved fatal despite attempts to preserve the tree.
Great Sieben Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Great Sieben Trail is fairly limited on the steep hillside at the trailhead, but hikers can find one of a few spots directly off Skytop Road near the first switchback.
That said, the Great Sieben Trail on Skytop Road is not a very popular place that off-island visitors typically hike in Virgin Islands National Park, but as long as your vehicle is safely off the road and allows traffic to pass, any spot near the trailhead should work just fine!
Google Maps Directions: Great Sieben Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Virgin Islands
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Virgin Islands National Park.
Hiking the Great Sieben Trail
The Great Sieben Trail begins at the first hairpin turn off Skytop Road—the first switchback after turning off Cocoloba Trail below.
For the entirety of the hike, the Great Sieben Trail follows a very easy, gradual uphill path as it winds its way up to the ruins and the L'Esperance Trail shortly thereafter.
Compared to other day hikes in Virgin Islands National Park, I think it’s fairly obvious that the Great Sieben Trail doesn’t receive the same kind of maintenance as others that the National Park Service oversees.
However, the community does a great job of keeping the Great Sieben Trail open and easy to access, which is why I think it’s such a hidden gem on the hike down to Genti Bay!
When the Great Sieben Trail makes this hard turn to the west, there is only 0.1 miles (0.2 km) before the junction that splits toward the historic ruins and the trail that bypasses the ruins and heads directly to the L'Esperance Trail.
Great Sieben Ruins-Great Sieben Bypass Junction
Shortly before the Great Sieben Trail reaches the historic plantation ruins, the trail splits.
The path to the right is a bypass around the ruins, which you can skip ahead to see by clicking the link below, or the path going straight is the true Great Sieben Trail up to the historic Danish ruins and the site of the old Baobab tree!
To skip ahead to the Great Sieben Bypass Trail, click here.
I chose to go straight to continue up the official Great Sieben Trail toward the Great Sieben Plantation Ruins just ahead.
Great Sieben Plantation Ruins
Just before the Great Sieben Trail meets the L'Esperance junction, the trail reaches the Great Sieben Ruins and this split in the hike.
Once here, hikers can go left to walk out toward a viewpoint above Fish Bay, or right to continue on the Great Sieben Trail through the ruins.
This is the viewpoint looking out toward Fish Bay and Ditleff Point.
After the viewpoint, the Great Sieben Trail passes directly through the historic Danish plantation-era ruins as it makes its way over to the L'Esperance Trail.
This is where the Great Sieben Trail leaves the ruins behind as it heads over to the L'Esperance Trail.
Upper Great Sieben-L'Esperance Junction
This is where the Great Sieben Trail meets the L'Esperance Trail at the upper junction.
At this split, hikers can go left to continue up to Centerline Road, or go right to hike down to both Genti and Reef Bay.
Read My Separate Post: L'Esperance Trail
Great Sieben Ruins-Great Sieben Bypass Junction
If you decide to go right at the junction just below the Great Sieben Ruins, this is the rest of the trail as it connects with the Lower L'Esperance Trail junction.
This final section is very short and slightly steeper, as it shortcuts its way up to the L'Esperance Trail.
Lower Great Sieben-L'Esperance Junction
This is the end of the Great Sieben Trail at the Lower L'Esperance junction, and it’s the route I recommend following if you’re most interested in using the Great Sieben Trail as a shortcut to get down to Genti Bay and the Reef Bay Trail at the bottom.
Once again, go left to hike up to Centerline Road, or right to head down to both Genti and Reef Bay.
Read My Separate Post: L'Esperance Trail
To skip back to the Great Sieben Trail that passes through the historic ruins, click here.
