Taking a Ride on the Wild Side with Gecko’s Island Adventures

I’ve been lucky enough to have driven wave runners and snowmobiles in the past, but I had never driven an ATV. That all changed recently when I got the opportunity this past November to head out to the west side of St Croix to take a ride on the wild side with Gecko’s Island Adventures!

I have to admit, I had some anxiety going into it. Though I do like a bit of adventure, I would never call myself an adrenaline junky. I tend to take things a bit more cautiously with a side of anxiety lol. But, I also like to challenge myself and conquer my fears when I can. So, when I was invited to check it out, I gathered my courage and headed out.

I arrived in Frederiksted on a beautiful morning after we had some significant rains, so I was expecting a muddy ride and dressed appropriately (in the end I got far less dirty than I imagined). I checked into the shop on Queen Street just before the tour and was greeted by one of the owners, Cynthia, who gave me the rundown of the tour ahead and the safety details. They have a cute little shop with fun gifts, water, drinks, etc. They even had an extra helmet harness for my GoPro! But most importantly, they have helmets for safety. I got properly fitted and headed out to my ATV.

Outside our guide, Porkchop (Shawn, Cynthia’s husband, and co-owner), had our ATVs lined up and ready to go. He went over a safety briefing and let us know the guidelines for our tour. I was really nervous but after the briefing and a little movement in the yard, I felt more confident. And we were off!

We headed out along the coastal road towards Creque Dam Rd with Porkchop at the front and our other guide at the back for safety. This was a nice way of easing into feeling the brakes, gas, and maneuverability. We road along the way, single file, and then headed up Creque Dam Road into the rainforest. The rains had left some epic puddles on the road and that was our first big test. We splashed through those puddles with a sense of exhilaration! The waterfall was running and Creque dam was full. The ride up the road couldn’t have been more beautiful.

Once we reached the top, we stopped again to take a break and for another safety and trail briefing as we made our way to go off-roading. I can honestly say, I HAD A BLAST!!! There were a few spots that made me nervous with huge ruts that we had to ride along almost sideways, but every step of the way things were explained expertly and safely and I knew we were in great hands.

All-in-all it was an incredible day! After my tour, I headed over to Polly’s at the Pier for a little lunch – I am a huge fan of their decadent grilled cheese sandwiches (on gluten-free bread for me!) and then I headed back up Creque Dam to enjoy the waterfall and the serenity of the full dam.

Whether you are visiting for a week or on a cruise ship – don’t miss an ATV Tour with Gecko’s Islands Adventures! (and keep an eye out for them in Alaska next summer)

The ATV Tour Details

• The tour lasts approximately 1 1/2 hours and covers 14 miles of tropical terrain
• Drivers must be at least 18 and have a driver’s license.
• Passengers must be 5 years old or up
• ATV tour takes off from their shop in Frederiksted, up the coast, and then up through the rainforest for adventure! You’ll do some riding on the country road to get used to the vehicle and then off-roading on the dirt roads atop the hills.
• Tour pricing starts at $175/ATV (up to two riders)

Check out St Croix Island Tours