ST. Lucia Hiking – Rain-Forest Trails, Waterfalls and Epic Views Await You
I suspect that most people think of the Caribbean as a place to relax on the beach with a tropical rum punch in hand… and while that’s a great idea, when I think of the Caribbean, I paint a mental picture of hiking through a lush rain-forest, passing a beautiful waterfall along the way up a green volcanic mountain, enjoying eye-popping views of the Caribbean Sea as a reward! On Saint Lucia, you can easily make this vision come true.
You’ll find Saint Lucia in the southern Caribbean’s ‘Windward’ islands, just south of Martinique and west of Barbados. When exploring St. Lucia, you’ll find a mountainous island covered in lush green rain-forest, with the distinctive and easily recognizable Pitons (mountains), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A very popular Caribbean destination known for romantic getaways, St. Lucia also has plenty to offer adventurous travelers looking for a hiking-filled vacation – If you know where to look…
Saint Lucia hiking offers a variety of trails on the island, offering something for everyone – From short nature walks to intermediate hikes along with a couple of challenging hikes. While no hiking trip to Saint Lucia is complete without climbing the majestic Gros Piton, the island’s highest peak is Mount Gimie at just over 3,000 feet (950m) above sea level. Our favourite trails on the island include:
The Best St. Lucia Hiking Trails on the south end of the island include:
Mount/Morne Gimie Trail in the Edmund Forest Reserve – Plan a full day for this fun and challenging hike covering 5-6 miles (8-10km) of amazing tropical terrain. For those looking for a remote and challenging rain-forest hike on St. Lucia, this is the one to do. While the trail meanders up and down across a mountain ridge and valley, the absolute vertical from start to finish is just under 2,000 feet (600m). You’ll experience a range of trail conditions on this hike, including a couple of amazingly steep sections, where you will need to climb natural ladders of tree roots. You’ll see amazing plant life in this moist rain-forest, and you’ll even be able to go for a dip at the bottom of a waterfall. Of course, the views of the island at various stops along the trail are spectacular, including a very unique perspective of the Pitons from the island’s interior.
For a more colourful review, check out our personal, first-hand account of Hiking St. Lucia’s Tallest Peak
For more information on this trail, including hiking guides to show you the way, check out our St. Lucia Mount – Morne Gimie Hike page
While we’re talking about it… The Edmund Forest Reserve is home to one end of a couple of ‘cross-country’ trails of note. The Des Cartiers to Edmund Forest Trail is an approximately 5 mile (8km) long easy-to-intermediate level hike, while the Barre D’Isle to Edmund Forest Trail is a more challenging 10 mile (16km) Saint Lucia hike with a section of the trail venturing across a nice ridge.
Gros Piton Trail – An “adventurous” trip to St. Lucia is incomplete without hiking the iconic Gros Piton. This memorable St. Lucia hike consists of a fairly challenging climb to the peak, which is just over 2,500 feet (780m) tall. While this trail is under 3 miles (4.4km) round trip, it’s all uphill (on the way up that is ;), with some pretty steep sections. As expected, once you catch your breath, the views from the top, of the western and south part of the island, are sensational. While this is a somewhat short hike, in order to really enjoy it, you’ll require decent leg strength and cardio. FYI – The Petit Piton can also be hiked, however it is extremely steep and potentially dangerous in some areas.
For a more colourful review, check out our personal, first-hand account of Hiking St. Lucia’s Stair Climber of a Trail
For a more detailed review of this trail, along with a list of local guides to make it happen, click on our St. Lucia Gros Piton Hike page
Enbas Saut Falls Trail – This is an intermediate level St. Lucia hike with lots of rustic wooden/natural stairs to first descend, then climb-back-up on the return journey. Depending on your starting point, the hike can cover over 5 miles (9km), requiring 3-4 hours to get to and from the fun and amazing cascading waterfalls.
For a more colourful review, check out our personal, first-hand account of Hiking a Stairway to Adventure
For more info, including hiking guides to show you the way, check out our St. Lucia Enbas Saut Falls Hike page
The Best Saint Lucia Hiking Trails elsewhere on the island include:
Further north in Saint Lucia, you’ll find a number of interesting rain-forest trails. The Union Nature Trail, a quick 10 minute drive east of Castries, provides a short and easy trail – Good for a much-needed visit to nature. The Intermediate level Piton Flore Trail, just south-east of Castries, is a hilly hike taking about 4 hours to complete. Other trails in the area include the Jacquot Trail and the Millet (Bird Sanctuary) Trails. Further south you’ll find the interesting and varied Barre D’Isle Ridge – Mount La Combe – Grande Ravine area trails.
For more information about hiking in the north end of St. Lucia, around Castries, including a list of guides who can get you on the trail, click on our St. Lucia Hiking page
The Eastern Nature Trail, not surprisingly found on the east side of island, is a fairly easy, but reasonably long St. Lucia hike along the remote eastern coastline of the island – Great for adventurers looking to get away from it all.
If you’re looking for a more relaxing walk on the the island, you can always enjoy an outing on Pigeon Island National Park or the highly recommended Tet Paul Nature Trail!
For more information about the trails on the island, including hiking guides who will help you get the most out of your day, click on our St. Lucia Hiking page
So… When you’ve had enough relaxation on the beach and have enjoyed indulging in a local chocolate based meal, you can go for a heart pumping adventurous hike up a piton or mountain or simply take a great leisurely stroll through the rain-forest… Whatever you choose to do, you’re sure to have a memorable hiking holiday in St. Lucia!
ACT Staff
If you’re looking for other exciting activities to experience on the island, take a look at our St. Lucia Adventures recommendations
When you’re not hiking, snorkeling or biking around the island, there’s plenty of other things to do on St. Lucia, including a visit to the Sulphur Springs, Mud Baths and associated Waterfalls. For more ideas for a fun and relaxing vacation, take a look at our St. Lucia Attractions blog
For an overview of the beautiful island of Saint Lucia, click on our St. Lucia Vacations page
Have fun!
