Parking is going to be at a premium at our very favorite beach during the next two months…
The National Park Service announced earlier this week that the upgrades that were scheduled to begin last September on the Maho Bay parking lot have finally begun. The work is happening at the larger parking area, which is across from the eastern edge of the beach. The park is upgrading the lot in an effort to reduce runoff and sedimentation into the bay. It will also provide a more efficient and safe parking area, as well increase safety for pedestrians crossing the roadway to the beach.
Once the upgrades are completed, there will be 33 clearly defined parking spaces. There will also be clearly defined entrance and exit areas, as well as travel ways. The lot will be redone with gravel. It will not be paved. Funding for this project was provided by the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park, so a huge thank you to that organization who has worked so hard over the years to make our park one of the best in the world.
This project was set to begin on September 5th, but was pushed back due to Hurricane Irma which hit St. John on September 6th. The park hoped to close the area during low season, but clearly Irma, and then Maria, had different plans. The park stated in a release that it recognizes the inconvenience of the current closure; however this is a necessary step in protecting our beloved Maho Bay.
During this closure, guests are asked not to park on the roadside so not to impede traffic or access for emergency vehicles.
Work is expected to be completed no later than April 5th. We will keep you all posted. In the meantime, have a wonderful day folks!
Maho… great news in the big picture but oh boy… we’re there next week! Questions: so the beach itself is open? Is there anywhere to park? If not, how might someone …
Thanks!
(:
We were there yesterday with Jenn. Beach still our favorite! We had a wonderful time with Jenn.
You can have somebody, taxi, to drop you off and pick-up. Or park somewhere else and walk.
there is limited parking at the west end. other than that, Francis Bay right next door is probably a good option that will give you somewhat of the same vibe as Maho.
Hi –
Just wanted to let you know that there was a typo in your post – Hurricane Irma hit us on Wednesday, September 6th, not the 7th.
Thanks sara. You would think after writing that so many times, I wouldn’t have done hat. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Have tried to contact the person responsible for this blog without any luck. my question was and still is: do we know if and when cinnamon bay campground is reopening? The campground us one of the pillars of St. John’s eco tourism solutions and, in fact, the only affordable option on the island. The website is 4 months old and just says they were closed because of damage from the storm. Are these people gone for good?
Hello, I do my best to respond to every email I receive. I am sorry if I did not respond to yours. Please check your spam folder. Sometimes they get routed there.
To answer your question, nothing is happening at Cinnamon currently. The company who operates the campground told me personally that they plan to reopen; however no work has been done yet. The company is out of California. I am not certain if they have any people who are currently on island.