Caribbean Hiking – Experience Nature on a Tropical Island Trail!
There’s nothing better than hiking through a lush rain-forest to the top of a green-blanketed volcano, enjoying eye-popping views of the Caribbean Sea along the way!
There’s a wide variety of hiking and trekking trails in the Caribbean. There’s something for everyone – Whether you’re looking for an easy trail that will only take minutes to hike, an intermediate length trail that may take about an hour, or a challenging up-hill day hike… there are hundreds of options, across a dozen or more islands. Some trails are relatively flat, while others are full of peaks and valleys. Some are well maintained and groomed, while others can be very ‘rustic’. You choose the adventure… Follow the highlighted links below to get trail information as well as hiking guides / tour operators to get you on the trail…
The best Caribbean islands for mountainous / rain-forest hiking include:
- Dominica
- The mountainous island has a dozen peaks above 1,500 feet (500m) along with cross-country, volcanic and river / waterfall trails. Diverse hikes are available in/around Morne Trois Pitons National Park and the Northern and Central Forest Reserves.
- Jamaica
- With more than ten peaks over 3,300 feet (1,000m) tall, you can experience ‘altitude’ hiking in Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and rolling hills in Cockpit Country. Easier / flatter trails are also available.
- Martinique
- One of the best volcano hikes in the Caribbean awaits you, as well as over 3 dozen well-maintained and diverse trails around the island.
- Grenada
- Amazing waterfall hikes, the Caribbean’s 20th highest peak, as well as incredible views of the Grenadine Islands are there for the taking.
- Saint Lucia
- Enjoy half a dozen mountains above 1,500 feet (500m), including the iconic Pitons. Easier / flatter trails are also available.
- Guadeloupe
- Saint Kitts & Nevis
- Hike half a dozen mountainous peaks above 1,500 feet (500m), including the epic Mount Liamuiga volcano and Nevis Peak. Easier / flatter trails are also available in the Central Forest Reserve National Park.
- Puerto Rico
- Saint Vincent
- Montserrat
- Antigua
- Saba
- St. Eustatius
If you’re really into hiking mountains and volcanoes, check out the Caribbean’s highest peaks.
The best Caribbean islands for relaxing and intermediate hiking include:
Check out our very own personal Caribbean hiking experiences by visiting our Hiking Blog Posts (just click on a highlighted link below):
- Dominica’s Boiling Lake
- Dominica’s Victoria Falls
- Dominica’s Middleham Falls
- Dominica’s Morne Anglais Trail
- Jamaica’s Blue Mountain (Sunrise) Hike
- Jamaica’s Burnt Hill Nature Trail
- Martinique’s Mount Pelee Trail
- Martinique’s Cascade de la Riviere Couleuvre Trail
- St. Lucia’s Mount Gimie Trail
- St. Lucia’s Gros Piton Hike
- St. Lucia’s Enbas Saut Falls
- St. Kitts’ Mount Liamuiga Volcano Hike
- St. Kitts Central Forest Reserve (Bench Trail) Hike
- Nevis Peak Hike / Climb
- Martinique’s Circuit de-la-Caravelle Trail
- Antigua’s Mount Obama / Boggy Peak
- Antigua’s Middle Ground Trail
- Antigua’s Monk’s Hill / Fort George Hike
When planning your Caribbean hiking adventure, there are many factors that could influence your travel decisions… Everyone’s priorities are different – Considerations for choosing a Caribbean hiking vacation include:
- The number of desirable hike-able trails per island
- Trail characteristics:
- Duration
- Degree of difficulty
- The varying terrain and/or views available
- The lushness (flora) of each island
- The ease (cost) of getting to each island
- Other things (besides hiking) to do on each island
Find the information you need to make an informed decision, here on the pages of the Active Caribbean Travel
Looking to backpack and camp in the Caribbean?
For backpackers, there are multi-day hikes on the Dominican Republic, Dominica and Martinique. There are campsites in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba, Dominica, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Grenada and St. Eustatius. That said, you can’t (officially) just pitch a tent wherever you want – Each island has designated camping areas, typically in their national parks. There are also plenty of rustic (inexpensive) hotels, cabins, cottages and B&Bs on most of the islands, and even camper-cars to rent in Guadeloupe. Hey – It’s even OK to camp on some of the beaches on St. Kitts & Nevis as well as Puerto Rico.
Back to our Caribbean Adventures and Activities page
Explore what each island has to offer on our Caribbean Islands page
Back to the Active Caribbean Travel Home page
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds” – Edward Abbey
