Hill Top Fortifications, Mount Obama, Coastal trails and more!
Antigua and Barbuda are a Caribbean nation in the Leeward Islands just north of Guadeloupe and east of Montserrat and St. Kitts & Nevis. Known as the sailing capital of the English Caribbean, Antigua is famous for it’s 365 white sand beaches and excellent cuisine. It’s worth knowing that the island also has some amazing hiking trails. Trails that are so quiet that you’ll likely encounter only 1 or two other small groups on your hike! So, when you’ve bored of suntanning and are looking to explore the gorgeous island, get a little exercise by checking out the island’s diverse hiking trials. Antigua hiking trails offer something for everyone – There are short sight-seeing strolls as well as some longer more challenging hilly hikes – Surprisingly, Antigua has got it all.
Most of Antigua’s more popular hiking trails are located in the Nelson’s Dockyard National Park and Shirley Heights area, however there are also a number of trails in the south-west corner of Antigua. Amid the rolling hills and volcanic features of the “Green Corridor”, you can explore the Wallings Nature Reserve, Christian Valley, as well as Mount Obama – the island’s highest peak at 1,330 feet (405m) above sea level. While there’s plenty more to choose from, our favourite Antigua hiking trails include:
Mount Obama Trail
While Antigua’s landscape is mostly flat coral and limestone, the island’s hilly south-west has some interesting volcanic formations as well as larger vegetation than the rest of the island. This area is home to Mount Obama National Park and the island’s tallest peak, Mount Obama. Formerly known as Boggy Peak, the area was renamed in 2009 in honour of the historic presidential election of Barack Obama in the USA.
This is an intermediate level ‘hilly’ hike of just over 4 miles (6.6km) requiring 2 to 3 hours to complete. This review is based on hiking over the mountain one way, from north to south. The hike starts on a nice dirt road lined with papaya trees which narrows onto a trail that disappears into the forest. The natural path twists and turns through the woods, traveling across a couple of dry riverbeds along the way. The dry trail is littered with leaves and foliage from the surrounding trees and bamboo stands, all the while constantly going up and up. The trail gets steeper as it nears the top and becomes really steep on the last section which is actually a concrete road that winds it’s way around the mountain peak.
Feel the refreshing cool breeze at the top as you take-in the spectacular 360 degree views. The southern view of the Antigua coastline and Caribbean Sea includes two of the island’s most famous icons, a large field growing the island’s famous ‘black pineapple’ and the island’s top snorkeling spot, Cades Reef. On a clear day you can even see Montserrat off in the distance. This perspective is flanked by amazing views of rolling hills that hint at the island’s volcanic past. Although the views to the north are somewhat obstructed by telecom towers and antennas, you can easily see the western Caribbean coastline including Darkwood Beach and Jolly Harbour, as well as St. John’s way off in the distance, easily discernible when there’s a cruise ship in port.
The southern descent follows a concrete road all the way to the agricultural land near the bottom of the mountain. Fortunately, the road is not too steep as it twists and turns most of the way down before transitioning to a less arduous road lined with coconut and other fruit trees. A fun way to spend the morning and a “must do” Antigua trail for the avid hiker!
For a longer, more colourful review of this trail, check out our personal Antigua hiking experience with our Mount Obama Blog
Monk’s Hill to Fort George
This short but rewarding hike journeys to an Antigua hilltop with stunning views of Falmouth Harbour. This is an easy/intermediate level “hilly” trail of just under 2 miles (3km) requiring an hour or so to complete. Part of Antigua’s National Park system, the remains of 17th century Fort George sits atop Monk’s Hill, 650 feet (200m) above sea level.
The trail starts as a paved road that quickly degrades into a stone covered dirt road. During the first part of the hike, the left side of the trail offers teasing views of the ocean and southern coastline, partially seen over the rooftops of a few houses perched on the side of the hill. The flora on the right side of the road is an interesting combination of tropical forest and dry scrub desert – It’s somewhat green and lush, although there’s a variety of cacti dotting the landscape as well.
The trail unfolds steadily uphill on a gentle incline, making it a very pleasant stroll. As the track nears the mountain top it takes a hairpin turn along a stone wall, which is part of the old fortification. The trail follows the wall until it ducks into the fort’s entrance through a stone archway then pretty much disappears. The hilltop reveals a large flat rock surface with the remains of a stone building among the scrub brush. The wind is strong along the edge of the escarpment, but the southern view is worth being subjected to it. The Antigua shoreline, in all it’s glory, unfolds below! The amazing view of the bays and natural harbours, provide a great reward for such little exertion required for this hike. The spectacular view of Falmouth Bay, English Harbour and the rolling hills to the west make this a great vantage point. It’s also fun to see sailing regattas unfold below, watching several sailboats racing back and forth across the large bay.
Before heading back down the same trail, a short walk to the other side of the mountain top reveals interesting views to the north-east. Sights include the stone remains of an old mill, a fairly large solar farm as well as the Atlantic Ocean way off in the distance.
For a longer, more colourful review of this hike, check out our personal Antigua hiking experience with our Monk’s Hill & Fort George Blog
Middle Ground Trail to Nelson’s Dockyard
This enjoyable Antigua hike crosses the small peninsula that separates English Harbour from Falmouth Harbour, ending at historic Fort Berkeley. There’s also a small spur trail that connects the fort to the popular tourist attraction of Nelson’s Dockyard. This can be a hot and arid hike on an easy / intermediate level trail of just under 3 miles (4.5km) requiring a couple of hours or more to complete.
The trail starts in a nice wooded area near a beach, with a short climb up a fairly steep, but small hill. Man-made steps quickly give way to a natural dirt path at the top of the hill. Looking back to the west provides a quick reward with an amazing view of Falmouth Harbour and it’s sailboats sitting atop gorgeous shades of turquoise! With it’s low growing scrub brush, cactus and a few scattered clumps of small trees here and there, the rocky landscape is somewhat reminiscent of the southwest USA. For the most part, this trail is a wide path of dirt and small stones – very comfortable to walk on. The ground is also littered with small pellets thanks to a number of shy goats wandering around all over the place. Hence the reason this Antigua hiking trail is also affectionately known as ‘the Goat Track’.
The path journeys on a wide ridge trail of sorts following the contour of the southern coastline with plenty of shallow ups and downs to make the hike interesting. There are remains of stone structures along the trail that were probably part of the original fortifications of the area. These, along with dramatic views of the Caribbean Sea makes this trail a great photo opportunity. Typical of exposed ridge trails, this hike is pretty much fully exposed to the hot tropical sun, while a constant breeze coming off the ocean helps cool things down a bit.
Eventually, nice aerial perspectives of Fort Berkeley come into view. The long and skinny 18th century stone fortification frames the natural land mass protecting the entrance to English Harbour. Across the water, Antigua’s famous coral and limestone rock formations known as the Pillars of Hercules, can be seen at the southern end of Freeman’s Bay.
In order to reach the fort, the trail takes you down a very steep, almost cliff-like section of the hill. Ropes are in place to support the descent and from there, it’s just a short walk to the stone wall that surrounds the point. The old fortification includes a guardhouse and old powder magazine as well as a couple of cannons in place along the wall. Before taking the same trail back, you can follow a short gravel road for a quick visit to Nelson’s Dockyard if you choose.
For a longer, more colourful review of this hike, check out our personal Antigua hiking experience with our Middle Ground Trail Hike Blog
Other Antigua Hiking Trails…
One of the most popular tourist sites in Antigua is an area overlooking Nelson’s Dockyard and English Harbour, known as Shirley Heights. There are a number of hiking trails that can take you to this area – Arguably, the best spot for picturesque views of Antigua. The easy/intermediate routes to ascend and descend this hilltop include:
- Carpenters Rock Trail (from Galleon Beach) – An interesting hike past Fort Charlotte
- Jones Valley Trail (From Freeman’s Bay) – A partial loop trail with some much appreciated shade
- Lookout Trail (From Freeman’s Bay) – A short, but steep route to the top
- Desmonds & Carpenters Trail Combo (From Galleon Beach) – A fun, slightly longer route to Shirley Heights
It’s also worth noting that from Shirley Heights, it’s another half mile (1km) walk up the road to the Blockhouse, a historical site for another vantage point with great views south of the island. Finally, on the coastal trail back to Freeman’s Bay, there’s also an optional short spur trail that leads to the Pillars of Hercules.
There are also some great Antigua hiking trails in/around the Wallings Nature Reserve. They include:
- Button Pond – An easy nature trail that takes less than an hour
- Wallings Dam to Signal Hill – An easy/intermediate trail with some interesting elevation change and great views of the island
- Wallings Dam to Rendezvous Bay – An easy/intermediate hilly hike to a secluded lagoon beach that will take about 3 hours to complete
- The challenging Rendezvous Bay to Claremont trail
There’s more Antigua hiking trails in/around Christian Valley including:
- Christian Valley Bird Trail – There’s a North Loop (easy) and a South Loop (easy/intermediate) through the rainforest jungle
- Christian Valley Waterfalls Trail – An easy hike that passes a small (seasonal) waterfall
- Mount McNish Trail – An intermediate level hilly hike to a summit of close to 1,000 feet (300m) high, with great views of the island
- Body Pond Valley Trail – An intermediate cross country route between a couple of local villages.
Have fun (wear a hat and bring plenty of water!)
ACT Staff
For even more information on hiking in Antigua & Barbuda, take a look at our Antigua & Barbuda Hiking – Trail Reviews and Hiking Guides page
If you’re looking for some other adventures that will raise your pulse rate a bit, check the recommendations in our Antigua & Barbuda Adventure blog
If you’re looking to slow-it-down a bit, maybe take a tour of the island to see some attractions, check out our recommendations for Things To Do in Antigua & Barbuda blog
For an overview of the “land of sun and sea”, check out our Antigua & Barbuda Vacations page
