Sight · Virgin Islands National Park
A steep, exposed climb to St. John's southern point.
Overview
Ram Head is a rocky coastal headland at the southern end of St. John, reached on foot from Salt Pond Bay. The return walk is roughly 2½ miles, depending on how the route is measured, and ends in a steep, open climb. Expect rough footing and little shade rather than a quick roadside view. Bring sturdy shoes, water and sun protection.
Parkwolf’s verdictA headland worth the walkMap
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Virgin Islands Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Virgin Islands National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Salt Pond Bay and Ram Head“Salt Pond Bay's parking area is coming up, with a rocky quarter-mile walk down to the beach. The sandy middle gives you a gentle water entry, while the rocky edges are the more interesting snorkeling.”
Plays as you drive up to Ram Head in the Parkwolf Virgin Islands Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
The route drops from the Salt Pond Bay lot to Salt Pond Beach, then follows the coast toward Blue Cobblestone Beach before the final ascent. At the Drunk Bay split, take the Ram Head branch. A vault toilet is on the approach before Salt Pond Beach; carry enough water and a snack for the whole walk. The shared lot serves several destinations and parking is limited.
The open crest looks over the Caribbean to the south, the British Virgin Islands to the east, Bordeaux Mountain and St. John's backbone to the north, and the rugged south coast to the west. For a photo, stand back from the edge and use the rocky ground or a barrel cactus in the foreground to show how exposed the point is.
A plaque at the summit commemorates the 1733 Akwamu Insurrection, which began when enslaved people took the fort at Coral Bay on November 23. The uprising lasted about six months before colonial authorities returned. Some accounts place the rebels' final stand at Ram Head, but local historical records differ about where the deaths occurred; the exact site is unsettled.
Look for Turk's-cap barrel cactus on the exposed final slope. Its rounded, ribbed body and red crown stand out among the rocks and low coastal plants.
Wildlife
151 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
115 sightingsGreen IguanaMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
62 sightingsBrown PelicanMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
35 sightingsGreen Sea TurtleMost seen around noonSighting map
32 sightingsAmerican FlamingoMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
26 sightingsNurse SharkMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Virgin Islands. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyDrunk Bay Trail1.8 mi · 1.3 hr · 1 mi awayA salt pond path ends at a rough, rocky Caribbean shore.ChallengingRam Head Trail2.6 mi · 2 hr · 1 mi awayCactus slopes and island views reward the rocky beach crossing.
ModerateTektite Trail1.3 mi · 1 hr · 1.6 mi awayRocky climb to Great Lameshur Bay views and plantation ruins.
EasyYawzi Point Trail0.6 mi · 45 min · 2 mi awayColonial stonework, rocky coves and two bay views in one short walk.
EasyEuropa Bay Trail1.1 mi · 54 min · 2.2 mi awaySalt pond and coral rubble at the end of a short trail.
ModerateEuropa Point Trail1 mi · 54 min · 2.2 mi awayA short rocky spur ends with a wide view across Europa Bay.
ModerateLameshur Bay Trail3 mi · 2.8 hr · 2.2 mi awayThree miles round trip for a ridge walk to Reef Bay Trail.
ChallengingBordeaux Mountain Trail2.4 mi · 2.5 hr · 2.2 mi awayTwo viewpoints reward a steep climb above Lameshur Bay.
Beach · 0.3 mi awayBlue Cobblestone BeachA jade-green cobble shore where waves rattle the stones.
Beach · 0.7 mi awayDrunk BayA rough, rocky shore with surf and strange stone figures
Beach · 0.7 mi awaySalt Pond Bay BeachCurved sand, rocky-shore snorkeling and a short walk make this feel earned.
Beach · 1.8 mi awayGreat Lameshur Bay BeachA rocky snorkel shore before sandy Little Lameshur.
Beach · 2.2 mi awayLittle Lameshur Bay BeachA remote sandy beach with snorkeling reefs close to shore.
Sight · 2.2 mi awayLameshur Plantation RuinsA 60-foot horsemill and bay-oil still reveal centuries of work.
Sight · 3.2 mi awayReef Bay Sugar MillSurviving sugar-mill machinery, reached by a hard hike or boat.
Sight · 3.6 mi awayReef Bay PetroglyphsTaíno faces and a spring-fed pool reward the long hike.Parkwolf’s Virgin Islands ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
