Columbus Landing Beach

Beaches St. Croix Cane Bay and the North ShoreLast verified October 31, 2026

Scrub-covered point and sandy beach at the Columbus landing site on Salt River Bay, seen from the park's visitor center, with a sailboat moored in the bay and hills beyond — Columbus Landing Site, Salt River Bay

Columbus Landing Beach is on Salt River Bay on St. Croix's North Shore, in Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, co-managed by the National Park Service and the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR). A Native village stood here in the 1400s, and the site is known for the 1493 encounter with Columbus's crew. From Christiansted, take Northside Road west, turn right onto North Shore Road (Route 80) and drive past the Salt River Marina entrance to the road's end. It is usually quiet, with no facilities and little shade. The water suits swimming over a mostly grassy bottom, with a reef offshore for snorkeling; the park warns of hazardous surf and crosscurrents, so do not swim alone. The preserve is day use only; digging, littering and temporary structures are banned. DPNR listed the beach as not monitored this season in its October 30, 2026 data.

Services

No facilities; little shade
Swimming, with a reef offshore for snorkeling
Day use only
Kayak tours from nearby Salt River Marina

How we checked

Last verified on October 31, 2026. We checked it against the sources below.

Source: GoToStCroix, https://www.gotostcroix.com/discover/parks-recreation/columbus-landing/ (co-management with DPNR and the National Park Service, directions, quiet beach, Native village in the 1400s and the 1493 encounter, swimming, grassy bottom with sandy patches, reef a short way out, no amenities, little shade, day use only, banned activities) and https://www.gotostcroix.com/discover/beaches/salt-river/ (a second beach just around the point, reached through Salt River Marina, where many kayak tours come and go), both copyright 2026; National Park Service, https://www.nps.gov/sari/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm (joint management, 1493 encounter, hazardous surf and crosscurrents, do not swim alone), https://www.nps.gov/sari/planyourvisit/directions.htm (Route 75 to Route 80; co-managed with DPNR) and https://www.nps.gov/sari/planyourvisit/hours.htm (updated February 19, 2026); DPNR beach data, https://dpnr.vi.gov/beach-advisory/ (Columbus Landing is marked as not monitored this season in the data sheet of October 30, 2026); all accessed 2026-10-31. No source states lifeguard coverage, so none is claimed. Map point: GNIS feature 1993647 (Beach), 'Salt River Beach'; DPNR's Columbus Landing monitoring site (STX-18, https://www.waterqualitydata.us/provider/STORET/USVIST_WQX/USVIST_WQX-STX-18/, accessed 2026-10-31) lies about 175 meters away. GoToStCroix's separate Salt River beach is covered here.

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Around Cane Bay and the North Shore

Forested hills of St. Croix's north shore sloping to the sea above Davis Bay, with palms, a small beach and red-roofed buildings among the trees — Davis Bay, North Shore, St. Croix

Stone ruins of the Rust Op Twist sugar mill on a grassy hillside under a blue sky — Cane Bay, St. Croix

Boats moored in Salt River Bay, framed by mangroves and green hills, with the open sea beyond on St. Croix's north shore — Salt River Bay, St. Croix