The only U.S. national park south of the equator protects steep rainforest, coral reefs and the villages that have cared for them for some 3,000 years. Much of the park is land leased from Samoan villages and families, so you are a guest in someone's home here; ask before using a beach, dress modestly, and keep Sundays quiet. Most visitors stay on Tutuila, where ridge trails climb above Pago Pago Harbor and the village of Vatia. If you can manage the extra flight, the Manuʻa Islands of Ofu and Taʻū hold some of the finest beach and reef in the Pacific.
TRAILS
1 OF 6
Mount ʻAlava Trail
Difficulty
Hard
Length
7 mi
Elevation gain
About 1,500 ft
Tutuila · Fagasā Pass — The park's signature hike follows an old ridge road through rainforest from Fagasā Pass to the 1,610-foot summit of Mount ʻAlava. Watch for fruit bats (peʻa) gliding over the canopy. At the top you look straight down on Pago Pago Harbor and across to Rainmaker Mountain. It is a full, hot, humid day, so start early and pack lots of water.
⚠︎ Storms and heavy rain can damage the trail. Check conditions at the visitor center first.
Photo: National Park Service, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
2 OF 6
Mount ʻAlava Adventure Trail
Difficulty
Strenuous
Length
5.6 mi
Elevation gain
About 1,600 ft
Tutuila · Vatia — The hard way to the summit, climbing from the village of Vatia along knife-edge ridges with 56 ladders and 783 steps. The views back down to Vatia Bay and Pola Island are worth every rung. It's a serious, sweaty climb, best for fit hikers with a head for heights.
⚠︎ Ladders and steps get slick in rain. Skip it after heavy downpours.
Photo: Eddy23, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
3 OF 6
Tuafanua Trail
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
2.2 mi
Elevation gain
About 400 ft
Tutuila · Vatia — Switchbacks climb out of Vatia through rainforest to a ridgetop with ocean views, then drop by ladders and ropes to a wild, rocky beach facing Pola Island. You will likely have it to yourself. Enjoy the beach from dry land: the surf here is powerful and not safe for swimming.
⚠︎ Dangerous waves at the beach. Do not swim.
Photo: NPS, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
4 OF 6
Pola Island Trail
Difficulty
Easy
Length
0.1 mi
Elevation gain
Flat
Tutuila · Vatia — A few minutes on foot past the end of the road in Vatia brings you to a rocky beach facing Pola Island, a sheer sea stack rising straight out of the water. Seabirds nest on its cliffs and circle overhead. Come in late afternoon, when the light turns the rock gold.
Photo: Tavita Togia, National Park Service, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
5 OF 6
Lower Sauma Ridge Trail
Difficulty
Easy
Length
0.4 mi
Elevation gain
About 100 ft
Tutuila · road to Vatia — A short climb to an ancient star mound, a stone platform once used for a traditional pigeon-catching sport, with views over the Vaiʻava Strait to Pola Island. Signs explain what the site meant to the people who built it. Treat it as you would any historic or sacred place and stay off the mound itself.
Photo: NPS, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
6 OF 6
Ofu Beach and reef
Difficulty
Easy
Length
Swim from the beach
Elevation gain
Flat
Manuʻa Islands · Ofu — A long, nearly empty white-sand beach backed by green peaks, with a shallow lagoon of healthy coral right offshore. Snorkel at higher tide for the best water over the reef, and bring all your own gear because there are no rentals. Getting here takes effort and luck with flights, which is exactly why it stays so quiet.
⚠︎ Currents in the channels can be strong. Stay inside the lagoon and never touch the coral.
Photo: National Park Service, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Plan your American Samoa trip
The Nova Bound app builds the whole trip around these trails: where to stay, where to charge, and what to see each day. Coming soon to the App Store.
Distances are round trip unless noted, from NPS.gov and rounded. Trails, permits and road openings change; always check nps.gov before you go. Trail write-ups by Nova Bound.