Hiking the Petroglyph Trail in Virgin Islands National Park
Distance (One Way): 0.25 miles / 0.4 km
The Petroglyph Trail in Virgin Islands National Park is a very short out-and-back side trail off the Reef Bay Trail that leads to some of the most accessible indigenous petroglyphs on St. John—and the only 'real' waterfall on the island!
That said, accessing the Petroglyph Trail is either by way of the Reef Bay Trail, the Lameshur Bay Trail, or the L’Esperance Trail, with Reef Bay and Lameshur being the most popular, as both are located almost exactly 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the start of the Petroglyph Trail.
In any case, the reason I said 'real' waterfall is because, while there are other lesser-known waterfalls on St. John, none are as accessible as the one at the end of the Petroglyph Trail—though it only flows after very heavy rain. This is why, if the weather on St. John looks less than ideal during your trip, it may be the perfect time to venture out to see the waterfall on the Petroglyph Trail, while saving other adventures for clearer skies!
Petroglyph Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Petroglyph Trail entirely depends on which direction you choose to begin.
This is why I have linked both the Reef Bay and Lameshur Bay Trailheads below, as they are the two most popular routes to access the Petroglyph Trail off the Reef Bay Trail.
Before visiting, know that the Lameshur Bay Trailhead is best accessed with a high-clearance, 4×4 vehicle, which works out well since most rentals on St. John are Jeeps!
Google Maps Directions: Petroglyph Trailhead (Reef Bay) / Petroglyph Trailhead (Lameshur)
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 Petroglyph Trail
Petroglyph Trailhead (Petroglyph-Reef Bay Junction)
This is the start of the Petroglyph Trail from the Petroglyph–Reef Bay Junction, located almost exactly 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from both the Reef Bay and Lameshur Bay Trailheads.
Read My Separate Post: Reef Bay Trail
Similar to the lower elevations of the Reef Bay Trail, most of the Petroglyph Trail is flat, gaining little elevation from the junction shown above to the waterfall at the end.
This typically dry stream crossing is a nice sign that the petroglyphs and the waterfall are only a short walk ahead!
This is the end of the Petroglyph Trail where visitors can learn about the historic petroglyphs and the pool before walking down to the stream bed to see them!
Petroglyph Pool
This is the waterfall at the end of the Petroglyph Trail, and it’s where the petroglyphs can be seen on the lower right side of the rock face above the pool!
If you have a longer lens, I recommend hiking with it to capture better photos of the petroglyphs, as they don’t show up as well when taken on a phone from the far side of the pool.
Who Carved the Petroglyphs Near Reef Bay?
The petroglyphs near Reef Bay in Virgin Islands National Park were carved by the Taíno, an indigenous Caribbean people who lived on St. John before European contact.
The National Park Service also indicates that the carvings may represent water or spiritual meanings connected to the spring, but their exact meanings are not fully known.
