? for 2Feathers

[Karysa]

I have another question regarding Soloman Beach. I have picked up a couple of books on St. John and in them they say that the 1.1 mile hike to Soloman Beach has a .4 mile incline and will take about 1 hour. This will be too long for my girls but I thought I saw a thread from you that said it was about 20-30 minutes. That sounds more like it for the distance. If you wouldn't mind could you please tell me how long it took you again. Also have you walked as far as Hawksnest Beach and if so do you just walk up to the resort and just sign in? This is exactly the day I was hoping for in St. John but I have to show my girls that it is 1/2 and hour each way because they will not be happy to hike an hour in that heat no matter how nice the beach is!:D

Thanks for your help 2Feathers!

[2Feathers]

Hello Karysa... I went back to check my VI National Park maps, because I don't remember it being that far, but sure enough, it says 1.1 miles. There is a fairly steep portion at the beginning and end of the trail, but I know for a fact it didn't take an hour for us to walk from Cruz Bay to Salomon. We've taken the trail from the VINP office in Cruz Bay at least twice, and once we parked up at the parking lot near the overlook, which is a little shorter hike, but its steeper from there.

 

We're by no means avid hikers, but we have a 1 mile path near our home we walk all the time in about 15-20 minutes, and it has some slight hills... Maybe its the anticipation of that beach that makes us walk faster subconsciously or something, but I would think 30 minutes is a high-end estimate for the average person to walk to Salomon. Maybe others have different viewpoints and could chime in...

 

Our two kids went with us the last time, at the time 9-year-old son and 17-year-old daughter, and they whined about the hike and heat, but still refer to Salomon as their all-time favorite beach. I'd walk double that distance to get there myself.

 

You mentioned Hawksnest Beach, and the resort, but I think you may have meant Caneel... Hawksnest is another beautiful beach, but doesn't have a resort on it, and isn't hikeable from Cruz Bay. We've never hiked on to Caneel, but it isn't far from Salomon, and is supposed to be flatter. We rented a dinghy one time and docked at the main beach at Caneel. As we got off, the Caneel workers were very nice and welcomed us to use the beach, but asked us not to use their chairs, which are reserved for guests of the resort. We didn't go past the beach or use any of their facilities, but I understand its a very nice resort. Again, maybe some others with experience there can chime in.

 

Its a little hard to describe all of this, so I'm thinking probably the best thing for you to do is to just take me along as a tour guide... I won't even charge you! Just take care of the room and board. I'm already packed, so just let me know when to be at the dock!

[Karysa]

I knew that I could count on you. I would love to take you as our guide and then if it is "too hot", "too long", "too hilly" (etc,etc,etc), I could just run up ahead and jump in for a swim and you could deal with my girls since you are experienced with that!;)

I am 99 percent sure that this is what we wil do in St. John. DH and I have been to trunk bay and it is lovely but we are lookin for something a little different and off the beaten path. A half an hour is a nice hike but I was a little concerned about an hour each way.

About Hawknest I thought that it was part of the Caneel Property which includes 7 beaches. If I am remembering correctly it is the one after Honeymoon Bay and I read that you must sign in at the resort to use the beach. We may just stay at Salomon as an hour hike on that day will probably be plenty for the girls. Should I prepare them for nudity or has this pretty much fizzled out at Salomon?

Thanks so much for your help. Karysa

[2Feathers]

Karysa... Heading east out of Cruz Bay, Salomon is the first beach, then Honeymoon, then Caneel's main beach, then their other beaches are around a point, and Hawksnest is sort of the next bay over after the Caneel Beaches. That would sure be a long hike! The girls would not be happy, no matter how nice the beach is! Believe me, I have extensive experience with whiney teens! Another useful bit of advice based on experience: do NOT EVER take your teenage girls on the Ram's Head hike!!!! The views at the end are amazing, but the 'tudes can get downright ugly! Then you have to hike back.... If I remember the exact quote from my daughter, it was something like, "Yeah, I'm sure its a nice view from the face of the sun, too, but its probably a lot cooler!"

 

We saw nudity at Salomon only one time... Three guys just sort of standing around... hangin' out, as it were. I've often wondered just what the attraction of that is, and exactly what it was they were talking about. Eh, to each his own, I suppose. We've been to almost all of the other St. John beaches, and Salomon and Little Cinnamon were the only places we saw nudity. Its supposed to be illegal, and you'll hear about the Park Rangers trying to watch for that and writing people up for it. It certainly doesn't appear to be an everyday thing, though. If you do see this at Salomon, and it bothers you, you can stay on the trail a few more minutes and go on to Honeymoon. Have a great time!

[Karysa]

Ya, 2Feathers one would think that anyone that can out shop me could hike any hike out there but unless it ends in a Guess store I would not be trying it

with those three!

I think they would probably just laugh if they saw people on the beach "in all of their glory" but if it troubled them we would just keep on hikin!

Thanks again.

Karysa