Monk's Bath and Northside Valley Beach
Around St. Croix
Photo: Jason P. Heym, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Matt H. Wade, CC BY-SA 3.0
Monk's Bath is a set of tidal pools in the rock near Northside Valley Beach, a tiny, mostly rocky beach on St. Croix's northwest corner, about 3 miles north of Frederiksted. About a quarter mile past the Northside Valley sign, look for a large building on the right and park on the left side of the road; leave no valuables inside. The pools are a hike north from the beach. Despite the monk legend, a history on GoToStCroix says the pools are a coral quarry dug around the 1840s for sugar mill stone and a swimming bay carved in the 1950s. The rocky shore is good for snorkeling, but the rock is sharp and sea urchins hide in the crevices, so wear shoes. There are no facilities and the footing is uneven, so go with someone. The Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) does not test the water here.
Services
- Roadside parking
- No facilities
- Snorkeling along the rocky shore
How we checked
Last verified on October 31, 2026. We checked it against the sources below.
Source: GoToStCroix, https://www.gotostcroix.com/discover/points-interest/monks-bath-tidal-pools-northside-valley-beach/ (copyright 2026; location on the northwest corner about 3 miles north of Frederiksted, directions and parking, valuables, tiny and mostly rocky beach, pools a hike north of the beach, snorkeling, sharp rock, sea urchins in the crevices, take someone with you, no amenities; history credited to Anthony J. Ayer: the monk story is a legend, a coral quarry was cut around the 1840s for sugar mill stone, and his family had a swimming bay carved in the 1950s and cut steps to the water; the page does not say which pool carries the Monk's Bath name); DPNR beach data, https://dpnr.vi.gov/beach-advisory/ (Monk's Bath is not among the monitored beaches in the data sheet of October 30, 2026); both accessed 2026-10-31. No source states lifeguard coverage, so none is claimed. Map point: GNIS feature 1993924 (Beach), 'Monks Bath Beach'.
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