Hike Jamaica – Trail Info, Guides and Tour Operators
Located at the east end of Jamaica, the Blue Mountain range is 28 miles (45km) long and is typically covered in a bluish cloud / mist, hence it’s name. The Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, is where you can find the highest points of the island, including Blue Mountain Peak which stands 7,402 feet (2,256 m) tall – The most iconic Jamaica hiking tour, the Blue Mountain sunrise hike, ascends this peak.
The best Jamaica hiking trails in the Blue & John Crow National Park and Holywell Park area include:
- Blue Mountain Sunrise Hike in Blue & John Crow National Park:
- Challenging
- 11.5 miles (18.5km) round trip requiring 5-8 hours
- Great hike with epic views of the island / sea waiting for you at the top
- Middleton Mountain
- Intermediate – Challenging
- 6 miles (10km) return requiring 4-5 hours
- Steep trail crosses a river (twice)
- Fairy Glades
- Easy – Intermediate
- About 3 miles (5km) round trip requiring 2 – 4 hours
- Montane and elfin woodlands containing beautiful flowering plant life
- Catherine’s Peak
- Intermediate (short but steep)
- Hike takes 30-45 minutes each way to & from the Peak
- An overgrown concrete track takes you to a radio tower at 4,860 feet (1,500m)
- Woodcutter’s Gap / Green Hills Trail / Silver Hill Gap
- Spur trail options from the Catherine’s Peak trail
- Cold Spring
- Intermediate
- 4.5 miles (7km) round trip requiring 5 – 6 hours
- Charles Town Trails (at the north end of the park)
- Sambo Hill Trail
- Orange Vale Plantation ruins
- Waterfall Trail (Holywell Recreation Area)
- Easy – Intermediate (steep in sections)
- Just over 1.5 miles (2.6km) round trip requiring 1 to 1.5 hours
- Varied mountain / valley trail with stream and 15 foot (4.5m) high waterfalls
- Oatley Mountain Interpretive Trail (Holywell Recreation Area)
- Easy – Intermediate (steep in sections)
- Just under a mile (1.2km) long loop requiring about an hour
- Loop gravel trail with panoramic views – 4,595 feet (1,400m) above sea-level
- Wag Water/Dicks Pond Trail (Holywell Recreation Area)
- Easy – Intermediate (short but steep)
- About a mile (1.3km) round trip requiring about an hour / May be impacted from Hurricane Dean
- Scenic views from the pond
Check out our personal Jamaica hiking experience with our Blue Mountain Sunrise Hike Blog Post
Note: Holywell Park is just over an hour’s drive (north-east) from Kingston
Jamaica Hiking trails about 10 km (as the crow flies) further east of Holywell Park include:
- Clydesdale to Cinchona trail
- Easy – Intermediate
- About 5 miles (8km) return trip requiring 2 – 4 hours
- Great views of Kingston, the Caribbean sea and Blue Mountain Peak from Cinchona Botanical Gardens
- Vinegar Hill Trail (Cinchona to Morces Gap)
- Easy – Intermediate
- About 2.5 miles (4km) return trip requiring 1.5 to 2 hours
- Very old / historic trail. Weather permitting, great views of the Blue mountains and coastlines
Day hikes between Kingston and Holywell Park include:
- Maya Lodge Loop (includes the Fairly Glades trail)
- Intermediate – Challenging (endurance)
- 12 miles (20km) loop requiring 6 – 8 hours
- Trail runs through a river valley, forests and a couple of villages
- Jack’s Hill – Peter’s Rock
- Intermediate
- 4 miles (6km) return requiring a couple of hours
- Steep sections / Great views from the top
- Peter’s Rock – Holywell
- Intermediate
- 4 miles (6km) return requiring a couple of hours
- Steep sections / Trail takes you into Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park
- Gordon town – Craigton (Bermuda Mount Trail)
- Short hike of less than an hour
- Redlight/Craigton – Gordon Town
- This 2 hour hike crosses a river several times (via foot bridges)
- Gordon Town – Flamstead
- Challenging 4 hour steep hike with great views
- Sugar Loaf Trail (Gordon Town – Content Gap)
- Intermediate trail
- About 6 miles (10km) return trip requiring 3 – 5 hours
- Trail has steep section and crosses a river several times (via foot bridges) – With a view of Kingston harbour
- The Copper Gully Trail (Newcastle – Greenwich)
- Steep trail
- Bellevue – Mount Rosanna – Tower Hill – Mavis Bank
- Intermediate – Challenging trail requiring 4 – 6 hours return
- Trail has steep sections and amazing views. Trail runs through farms on its way to the Coffee factory at Mavis bank
- Guava River Trail
- 3 hour challenging hike starts at Bellevue with the trail following the Guava River into the heart of the Blue Mountains. Optional hike further upstream to a hot spring.
Be safe and sure with a local hiking guide or tour operator. Tour operators or local Guides are recommended for most trails. To Hike Jamaica’s Blue & John Crow National Park / Holywell Park area, these local Tour Operators will take good care of you:
To Hike Jamaica’s Blue Mountains from Runaway Bay, Ocho Rios and Port Antonio, these local Tour Operators will take good care of you:
- Jamaica’s Blue Mountain (Hollywell Nature Reserve) Hike & Coffee Tour
- Blue Mountain Peak Hiking Tour – Overnight Hike to the Peak (Sunrise Hike)
To Hike Jamaica’s Blue Mountains from Kingston, these local Tour Operators will take good care of you:
- Guided Hiking Tours
- Blue Mountain Peak Sunrise Hike
- Duration: 9 Hours return hike and 5 hours return drive
- Overnight Accommodation in Mountain Lodge (Dorm Style)
- Degree of difficulty: 7.5/10
- Blue Mountain Peak Sunset (Overnight) Hike
- Duration: 9 Hours return hike and 5 hours return drive
- Overnight Accommodation in Mountain Lodge (Dorm Style)
- Degree of difficulty: 7.5/10
- Cunha Cunha Pass Crossing
- Duration: 6 Hours return hike and 5 hours return drive
- Degree of difficulty: 7.0/10
- Cockpit Country Crossing 3 Hike
- Duration: 5 Hours hike and 6-7 hours return drive
- Degree of difficulty: 6/10
- Cinchona Gardens / High Blue Hike
- Duration: 4 Hours return hike and 4 hours return drive
- Degree of difficulty: 7.0/10
- Duration: 9 Hours return hike and 5 hours return drive
- Blue Mountain Peak Sunrise Hike
- Special Interest Tours
- Bird Watching Tours
- In the Blue Mountains
- Shore Birds in Hellshire
- Scientific / Research Tours – Medicinal Plants in Sherwood Forest (John Crow Mountains)
- Duration: 3 Hour hike into the rain forest of the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park
- Degree of difficulty: 6.0/10
- Custom Tours Available in the John Crow Mountains and Grand Ridge Wilderness Retreat (Northern Blue Mountains)
- Bird Watching Tours
- Blue Mountains & Old Tavern Coffee Estate (with Hike and Swim)
- Hiking with the Charles Town Maroons
- Easy One Hour Rain-Forest trail Hike to the abandoned Hidden City Coffee Plantation
- Hike the Cunha-Cunha Trail
- Remote and Challenging Hikes from 2-5 Hour Day Hikes or Multi-Day Hikes
- Hike to Blue Mountain Peak (Over-night Sunrise Hike)
- Jamaica’s Blue Mountain (Hollywell Nature Reserve) Hike & Coffee Tour
- Blue Mountain Peak Hiking Tour – Overnight Hike to the Peak (Sunrise Hike)
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