A twenty-five-acre Nature Conservancy preserve on St. Croix, established more than 250 years ago as a Danish sugar plantation worked by enslaved Africans. The Hospital Building and Great House still stand in Afro-Danish architecture, and the grounds hold the Conservancy's Coral Innovation Hub along with trails for walking, birding and reaching the beach.
A 1,015-acre park at Salt River Bay, jointly managed by the National Park Service and the U.S. Virgin Islands government, on the site of the 1493 encounter with Columbus. Inside are the largest remaining mangrove forests in the Virgin Islands, coral reefs, a submarine canyon and a masonry tower of brick and coral block built in the 1790s. Visitors dive, snorkel, kayak and hike.
Over 19,000 acres of submerged and dry land a mile and a half off St. Croix, protecting endangered elkhorn coral reefs and holding a marked underwater snorkel trail. Trails on the 176-acre island lead to an observation platform. Reachable only by boat, with concession trips from Christiansted Wharf or Green Cay Marina.
Kayak trips launch from Salt River Marina, a morning paddle on Salt River and a bioluminescent trip. There is also a hike to the Annaly Bay tide pools, and stand-up paddleboards for rent.