ST. VINCENT HIKING

Level: Hard

Duration: 2 hours one-way from the Rabacca trailhead.

Details: Dominating the north of the island, La Soufriere Volcano is accessible from either leeward or windward coasts. The most popular hiking route is from Rabacca on the windward coast where a paved farm track heads inland through plantations of bananas until it reaches the clearly marked trailhead. From there it is a 2 hour steady uphill climb to the crater’s edge. The hiking trail passes through rainforest, montane thicket and cloud forest before arriving at the volcanic rock and ash-strewn rim of this awesome crater.

Filling your entire field of vision, the crater is immense, with an active lava dome located at its centre. A trail continues around the crater’s edge and then down through the forest, until it reaches the village of Richmond on the leeward coast. It is also possible to go down into the crater and walk around the active dome - a rope stretches all the way down a steep trail to the crater floor, adding a further 2 hours or so to your hiking experience.

Whether you decide to go there and back, all the way across the island, or even down into the crater itself, St. Vincent’s La Soufriere Volcano is an amazing and unforgettable hike. The site opens from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.

It is the largest of the 3 craters that are present at the summit of the volcano, the other 2, the Somma and the 1812 crater, both presently dormant. The eruptions have generated a series of pyroclastic flows, lahars, ballistic projectiles and ash. The ash generated by the larger eruptions is, in fact, responsible for the yellow cliffs that run along the windward coast of the island. The ‘Rabacca stuff’ used in the construction industry, is also a ‘product’ of such activities.

HISTORIC ACTIVITIES OF LA SOUFRIERE
1718 Explosive Eruption
1780 Dome building eruption
1812 Explosive eruption (more than 56 fatalities)
1880 Doom building eruption
1902-03 Explosive eruption (more than 1565 fatalities)
1971-72 Dome building eruption
1979 Explosive eruption, no fatalities
more than 14,000 evacuated.
(Source: NEMO - National Emergency Management Organisation)

Read the do's and dont's of La Soufriere Volcano here...

Level: Medium

Duration: 1/2 hour

Details: On the leeward coast of St. Vincent there is a clearly signposted vehicle track a little to the south of Richmond Beach which runs inland for some distance until it ends at a small parking area. From the trailhead, hike along a pretty forest trail until you reach the top of a ridge. A steep descent takes you down into a gorge with a fast-flowing river and the Trinity Falls.

Three powerful waterfalls tumble into a wide river basin before falling again into a further pool below. Bathing is wonderful though the force of the river should not be underestimated, especially in the wet season.

Level: Easy

Duration: 15 minutes

Details: The hike to Dark View Falls is very short - just 10 to 15 minutes from the parking area - but it requires a very exhilarating river crossing. Don’t worry, you won’t get wet. This crossing is in the form of a bridge made of long bamboo poles. Once across to the other side, don’t be surprised if your legs continue shaking for quite some time afterwards! Pass through a clearing in the middle of a pretty bamboo grove before reaching a tall waterfall. Cascading down a high cliff face, Dark View Falls tumbles into two pools that are great for bathing. The falls flow from a tributary of the Richmond River on the Leeward section of the island, with an elevation of 110 feet and 229 feet above sea level respectively. The site opens from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Read the do's and dont's of Dark View Falls here...

See the National Parks Rivers and Beaches Authority permits for events, site and facility user fees here (PDF)…

Level: Medium

Duration: 2 hours

Details: Located in St. Vincent’s southern interior, the Vermont Nature Trail offers great hiking for all ages and abilities. In this 10,870 acre reserve, you can enjoy 2 miles of clearly marked hiking trails through a variety of forest habitats including rainforest and plantation forest. Informative signs describe the fauna and flora you may encounter as you make your way through lush woodlands to the St. Vincent Parrot Look-Out on the far side of the reserve.

Sightings of the rare St. Vincent Parrot are practically guaranteed. Listen for their unmistakable calls and then look out from the view point as they fly above the forest canopy in front of you.

This is also the habitat for the Whistling Warbler, Black Hawk, Cocoa Thrush, the Crested Hummingbird, Redcapped Green Tanager, Green Heron and several other interesting species.

Trekking the Vermont Nature Trail is a fun and educational hiking experience as well as a wonderful destination for bird watching.

Located just 9 miles from Kingstown, driving time is approximately half an hour.

Read the do's and dont's of Vermont Nature Trails here...

Duration: Approximately 2.5 miles
At a relatively moderate pace the trail takes approximately 2 hours to complete

Details: Description of Site

The Cumberland Nature Trail is rested in the Cumberland Valley, traversing a variety of Forest Vegetation and Farm lands. At the initial section, the trail runs next to a wooden water pipe transporting water to a hydro-electricity power plant located in the Cumberland Valley. From its head at Grove, the trail winds its way eastwards for 1Km before veering to the south for another km. This 2-Km section of the trail actually mimics the curves and contours of the wooden pipe that conducts water from the Youngman's Valley to three (3) hydro-electricity generating units located at several points along the Cumberland River with the last one sited at lower Cumberland. Hydro-electricity generation and transmission is therefore an interesting element of the trail.

Its biggest attractions are however the rain forest and the opportunity for bird-watching both endemic species and other wildlife. The trail is between one and a half and two hours hiking. The site opens from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Read the do's and dont's of Cumberland Nature Trail here...

Facilities
Trail
Washrooms
Ticket Booth
Lookout Point
Exit Shelter