Caneel Bay News

 

Caneel Bay

NPS photo

 

Overview and Background of Caneel Bay

Caneel Bay is located on a 150-acre peninsula on the northwest side of the island and was originally developed by Laurance Rockefeller beginning in 1956. Initially, Rockefeller donated over 5,000 acres of land to the National Park Service (NPS) and reserved the 150 acres, what has been Caneel Bay Resort, for the Jackson Hole Preserve, a Rockefeller family land trust. In 1983 Jackson Hole Preserve donated the 150 acres of land to the U.S. government for inclusion within the Virgin Islands National Park. The preserved land was transferred to the NPS with a 40-year retained use estate (RUE).

Between 1983 and 2023 the resort was owned and/or managed by different companies under the RUE. The final operator of the Caneel Bay Resort was Rosewood Hotels on behalf of the owners, CBI Acquisitions between 1992 and 2023.

In September 2017, Caneel Bay Resort sustained heavy damage from back-to-back category 5 Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Subsequently, the RUE-holder closed the site, did not undertake significant repairs to the site or structures, and overnight accommodations did not resume.

CBI Acquisitions filed a quiet title action lawsuit in June 2022 in which they claimed ownership of Caneel Bay Resort and its buildings. On April 18, 2024, the VI District Court awarded ownership to the United States. Appeals by EHI were rejected, with the 3rd Circuit affirming U.S. ownership of both the lands and improvements on May 20, 2025.

Before Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the property operated as a resort with roughly 100 buildings and structures used for lodging, food service, recreation, landscape and facility maintenance, security, and utilities. The site consisted mainly of a dispersed developed resort area surrounded by several undeveloped areas with natural vegetation and wildlife. Beaches bordered the resort to the north and west, while steep undeveloped terrain bordered it to the south and east.

In 2012 The National Park Service determined that the property is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. The property also contains numerous documented archaeological resources.

 

Environmental Cleanup at Caneel Bay

The first phase of environmental cleanup at Caneel Bay focused on removing asbestos-containing debris from 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria. On-site work was conducted pursuant to NPS’s delegated authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Plans for ACM removal work resulted from the park’s 2021 Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) Report and 2022 EE/CA Report Addendum, which documented releases of hazardous substances at the site. That report and others can be found here Park Planning - Public Involvement for the Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) Site Assessment at Caneel Bay Resort (nps.gov).

The second phase of work includes removal of contaminated soil and sediment containing barium, PAHs, and pesticides, from the site’s landscaping, maintenance and engineering area and associated drainage channel (Area 2). Approximately 570 tons of contaminated soil and sediment were removed from the site between July and September 2025. The NPS is moving forward with efforts to complete the soil removal for the second phase. This second phase of removal work is funded in part by the Department of the Interior’s Central Hazardous Materials Fund (CHF), with additional funds leveraged from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

The third and final phase will include a response action to address hazardous substance contamination in the unauthorized landfill near Honeymoon Beach. This work is on hold as the current funding allocated for the project is reassessed.

 

Map of Public Access areas and Path to Caneel Beach

NPS Image

Current Operations at Caneel Beach

Virgin Islands National Park opened Caneel Beach for public access since the Virgin Islands District Court affirmed the federal government’s ownership of Caneel Bay Resort lands and improvements in April 2024.

The opening of Caneel Beach occurred on August 1, 2024. The public is advised to use designated public areas only and not to enter areas that are still closed due to remaining safety risks. Please refer to this map to orient to open areas. The map highlights public parking, a paved pedestrian pathway to Caneel Beach, viewing area for the Historic Durloo Plantation, and shows areas that remain closed to the public due to present safety risks.

The Caneel Bay pier remains closed for safety reasons because the structure has been deemed unsafe.

The parking lot is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is secured with a locked gate outside of those hours. Visitors should ensure their vehicles are not left in the lot after closing to avoid being locked in.

Porta Johns are available at this location.

 

Image of Caneel Bay.

NPS Photo

Request for Proposals (RFP)

CANEEL BAY UPDATE – May 7

The National Park Service has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the redevelopment of Caneel Bay at Virgin Islands National Park.

Proposals may include plans to rebuild, rehabilitate, and operate overnight lodging and related amenities, consistent with National Park Service laws and policies. Any redevelopment must protect natural and cultural resources and support long-term stewardship of the site.

Tours of the Caneel Bay site for those planning to respond to the Request for Proposals will happen in early June. Proposal submission deadline is July 8, 2026 at 2:00 P.M. (ET).

Additional information will be available at: Request for Proposals - Leasing (U.S. National Park Service)

 

NPS News Releases on Caneel Bay