Martinique’s Couleuvre River Waterfall Trail Description & Local Hiking Guides
Overview of hiking Martinique – Cascade de la Riviere Couleuvre Trail:
- Time required: 1.5 – 2 hours (depending on how much time you spend at the falls)
- Degree of Difficulty: 6 out of 10 (steady elevation change)
- Height: Just over 820 feet (250m) in total elevation change
- Distance: About 2 miles (>3km) return
- Guide Required: No, the trail is well-marked. That said, the hiking experience is always enhanced by the knowledge of a local guide.
Located less than half an hour from Sainte-Pierre on the northwest tip of Martinique, the Couleuvre River Waterfall Trail is a well-worn path through dense rainforest steadily gaining in elevation along the Couleuvre River climaxing at a cliff featuring Martinique’s tallest waterfall.
The trailhead starts at “the end of the road” on the northwest side of the island. The northbound D10 road ends at a small, typically overflowing, parking lot. There you will find a small but clear post marking the start of the trail, where folks can hike to the Couleuvre River Waterfall or take an alternate trail to some remote beaches.
Heading east, the trail will take you back and forth across the Couleuvre River several times, although unless you’re hiking after heavy rains, you should be able to keep your feet dry by stepping across rocks that are conveniently spaced across the stream. While hiking you will notice plenty of tropical rainforest plants with fungi, moss and interesting fern-like vegetation growing on everything. You will see some huge trees along with massive vines all over the place, growing from the ground up into the tree tops and back down again. Massive clusters of bamboo will really stand out as well.
After about 45 minutes or more, you will arrive at the base of the waterfalls – A thin long stream of water plunging about 100 feet (30m) down a near-vertical black rock cliff face surrounded by green vegetation.
In summary, this trail is easy to find and follow, taking you through an enjoyable lush rainforest full of plants and trees. The trail is popular so expect a steady, but not overly-populated, flow of hikers. The dense jungle limits the amount of sun and wind you’ll feel, so while you may not need sunscreen, expect a fair amount of humidity. That said, the base of the spectacular waterfall is in an opening. Overall, a great nature hike with an awesome reward at the end.
To hike Martinique’s Cascade de la Riviere Couleuvre Trail, these local Tour Operators / Hiking Guides will take good care of you (Click on a Tour Operator below for more details):
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For a more colourful, first-hand account of hiking this trail, check out our Cascade de la Riviere Couleuvre Blog Post
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