CaribSeek Kaleidoscope | Caribbean Hiking by M. Timothy O'Keefe

The Caribbean's Top Ten Hiking Destinations

Until the first edition of my book, Caribbean Afoot!, was published in the early 1990s, it was difficult to obtain precise information about the walking and hiking opportunities in the West Indies. My guide was the first attempt to bring together the best city walks and mountain hikes on the most popular islands in a clear and comprehensive way. Now Caribbean Afoot! is back, so completely updated and expanded that it carries the new name Caribbean Hiking. The guide contains walking maps of all the major port cities as well as detailed descriptions of rain forest and mountain hikes--almost 400 hikes in all.

The walks and hikes are so diverse it was difficult to choose a Top 10. I picked the following because they are unusual and interesting, not necessarily because they're tough. Their level of difficulty ranges from Level 1 (anyone capable of ambulatory movement should be able to enjoy this hike) to Level 5 (a gut buster).

Whether a particular hike deserves to be a Top 10 is highly subjective. It's possible you might hate a hike that I enjoyed. Or you might like one that didn't particularly impress me. Weather sometimes has a lot to do with it. A pleasant walk I took during a dry period may be a hellish nightmare in the rainy season when hiking trails are slick and slippery. The same considerations apply to the city walks, which will be affected by the company you keep and how well you get along with the locals.

No walk is ever exactly the same twice.

Click to Enlarge	1. Dominica Valley of Desolation and Boiling Lake Hike. A 7-hour roundtrip marathon up and down the mountains of Dominica to what seems like a prehistoric setting from the beginning of time. Sulfur crystals color the ground, steam vents through cracks in the earth and streams run black. The Boiling Lake is one of the world's largest. Tough and memorable, there's nothing like this hike anywhere. Far and away the Caribbean's best hike, but get into condition for this one. Take a guide. At least one tourist has died on the trail. Level 5 difficulty.
Click to Enlarge	2. Guadeloupe La Soufriere Volcano Hike. Much less effort required to climb to the summit of an active volcano whose last major eruption was in 1976. Vegetation was destroyed but it's now coming back. A stunning display of all the colors of green. A naturalist guide is essential to appreciate this hike. Level 3-4 difficulty to reach the summit.
Click to Enlarge	3. Dominican Republic Pico Duarte Ascent. At 10,700 feet, this is the Caribbean's highest peak. Because of the extreme distance between the main campsites, the hike requires a blistering pace more akin to a run than a walk. For this reason, some people make part of the ascent on foot and part on the back of a mule. The mountain scenery is striking and well worth the effort. The real lure is to stand on the region's tallest mountain. Level 5 difficulty.
4. Jamaica Blue Mountain Peak Climb. Leave your bed at 2 a.m. and walk 7 miles and 3,500 up to the peak of Blue Mountain (7,402 feet high) in time to catch the sunrise (assuming it's not raining or cloudy). The entire experience, especially climbing Jacob's Ladder and stumbling around in the dark, is an unforgettable challenge. Anyone in good health can make this climb. Level 3-4 difficulty.
5. Tobago Little Tobago. A pleasant, easy walk on the small cay of Little Tobago, a sea bird sanctuary. The dramatic, sheer ocean cliffs where sea birds nest are reminiscent of the nesting colonies in the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador. Beautiful scenery and a chance to view close-up species of sea birds on their nests in spring. The dramatic views are a pleasant shock. Easy Level 1 walking except for the initial 10-minute ascent, which is somewhat steep.
6. Trinidad Asa Wright Nature Center. Pleasant pathways cut through this huge, open-sky aviary. More hummingbirds at close range than you ever thought possible. Also the opportunity to see rare oil birds. Very easy Level 1 walking for the most part.
Click to Enlarge	7. U.S. Virgin Islands St. John. The entire island. Two-thirds of it is a national park criss-crossed with 20 different hiking trails, most quite short. The Reef Bay Trail with the detour to the Petroglyph Pool and the Ram Head hike are my favorites. Level 3 difficulty for both.
8. Puerto Rico Hike to El Yunque Peak. For sheer spectacle, variety and accessibility, the Caribbean National Forest is difficult to top. The hike to El Yunque Peak offers an overview of all the main tropical forest types on a single walk. Compared to many mountain walks, it's not that tough. Hikes vary from Level 1 to Level 5.
Click to Enlarge	9. Grenada Mt. Qua Qua Hike. A walk through tropical rain forest with excellent panoramic views on one of the Caribbean's lushest and friendliest islands. This is a moderate-difficulty climb often slick in spots. A knowledgeable guide enhances the climb tremendously. Level 3-4 difficulty depending on slipperiness.
Click to Enlarge	10. St. Kitts Bloody River Stream Walk. A brief walk to a canyon containing about 100 petroglyph rubbings made by the Caribs before a thousand of the Indians were massacred in this narrow passageway in 1626 by combined British and French forces. The sense of history while standing amidst these ancient drawings is stunning. Some tricky rock walking and river crossing give this a difficulty of Level 2-3.

Honorable mention: Virgin Gorda: The Baths. As much a Caribbean tourist attraction as Walt Disney World but understandably so. The astonishing pile of giant boulders on the beach creates a maze of passageways and pools fun to explore, almost in the shadow of the real Treasure Island.

This brief list of 10 hikes should give you an idea of the tremendous variety waiting in the Caribbean. Experiences that would fill more than one lifetime are awaiting. One piece of advice before you strike out on your own:

Old West Indian Proverb: "Long pass draw sweat, short pass draw blood."

Translation: "Short cuts usually get you into trouble."

M. Timothy O'Keefe is a regular contributor to Caribbean Travel & Life Magazine. Outside Magazine calls his book, Caribbean Hiking, "the definitive guide for hot-weather adventurers interested in more than sunshine and beaches."