Blue Mountains"It is the fairest island eyes have beheld; mountainous and the land seems to touch the sky."
Christopher Columbus, 1494
Shrouded almost perpetually by mists that give Jamaica’s highest mountains their bluish color, the Blue Mountain range sprawls across the eastern portion of the island for a length of 28 miles and an average width of about 12 miles. They rise steeply in an area so compact that it is possible to drive from the coastal plains to an elevation of over 7,000 feet in less than an hour.
When Columbus discovered Jamaica in 1494, the mountains were heavily forested. Early Spanish settlers established their hatos or cattle ranches at the foot of the Blue Mountains on the southern coast at Liguanea, the Yallahs Valley and around the Morant Bay area. However, their numbers were few and it was after the island was captured by the English that the lower slopes were cleared for farming and the forests were harvested to meet the great demand in England for Jamaican hardwoods. Today, economic and population pressures have pushed the forest line to around 2000 ft. on the northern slopes and almost 5000 ft. on the southern slopes.
The 194,000 acre Blue Mountain and John Crow Mountain National Park was established in 1992 to preserve some of the remaining forests and to protect the island’s largest watershed. The park comprises about 6% of Jamaica’s total land mass. These diverse mountain forests have more than 800 species of endemic plants, the world’s second largest butterfly, Papilo homerus, 200 species of resident and migrant birds and is one of the largest migratory bird habitats in the Caribbean. There are also more than 500 species of flowering plants of which almost one half are native to Jamaica. Of these, the most interesting is perhaps the Jamaican bamboo, Chusquea abietifolia, that flowers only once every 33 years. The next flowering will take place in 2017.
From Kingston, two approaches via Irish Town and Guava Ridge converge at the town of Section where the road continues down to Bull Bay on the North Coast. This is the only road that traverses the Blue Mountains and is the main access to the region. All other roads follow the river valleys from the main road around the island to penetrate the lower slopes of the Blue Mountains including the Port Antonio - Bowden road that follows the Rio Grande between the Blue Mountains and the John Crow Mountains.
It is this eastern face of the Blue Mountains that receives more than 300 inches of rain each year, providing water for almost one half of Jamaica’s population. Together with the John Crow Mountains, this area is Jamaica’s last remaining rainforest where many rare and exotic plants can be found as well as the world’s second largest butterfly. The land is particularly rugged and when the Spanish fled Jamaica, their freed slaves escaped to these mountains. The Winward Maroons, as they later became known, were led by Nanny, a legendary chieftainess who is said to have possessed magical powers. They harassed the English for decades before signing a treaty whereby they were allowed to live in relative autonomy.
There are some very pleasant walks from the small towns along the Port Antonio - Bowden road, especially at Ginger House where there is a pretty waterfall beside a cave and a mineral spring. A swinging bridge across the river connects Ginger House to Cornwall Barracks where British troops once launched their assaults on the Winward Maroons. However, hikes up into the forests are usually very rugged, river crossing, machete wielding, trailblazing affairs. For intrepid explorers, there are trails from the Rio Grande valley to Nanny Town, the original hideout of the Winward Maroons, and to Bath Fountain in St. Thomas where there are hot mineral springs.
General InformationA day trip to the Blue Mountains is easily arranged through the travel desk of any hotel. However, some planning is required for those wanting to spend more than a day as arrangements must be made in advance.
To arrange a Blue Mountain trek, hikers should plan to spend the night close to the trailhead. Hikes get underway between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. so as to reach the top before the mist obscures the view. Three places to overnight are Whitfield Hall (Tel-Kingston: 876-927-0986), Wildflower Lodge (Tel-Kingston: 876-929-5394) and Pine Grove (Tel-Kingston: 876-977-8009, Fax: 876-977-8001). Whitfield Hall offers budget bunk-style accommodations with shared bathrooms, no hot water, and a kitchen that is available for preparing your own meals. Rooms at Wildflower Lodge are small with sink, toilet and communal showers. There is no electricity or hot water. Meals are available on request. Pine Grove has individual bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, hot water and will prepare meals on request. All three will arrange to pick up guests at Mavis Bank near the end of the bus route or at Papine. 2 WD vehicles may be left safely at the Mavis Bank Police Station.
Bird watchers and botanists favor the forested areas of the Hardwar Gap and the Rio Grande Valley. There are campsites and inexpensive but very rustic cabins at Holywell forest reserve. Visitors must bring their own food and bedding and arrangements must be made in advance at the Forestry Department in Kingston (173 Constant Spring Road, Tel: 876-924-2667). Most people prefer to use Port Antonio as a base for visiting the Rio Grande Valley.
Around Newcastle, the Jamaica Defence Force rents some very basic military cottages. (Tel: 876-944-8230). Strawberry Hill is a nearby mountain-top resort that offers guided hikes. Rooms cost US$300-600 per night (Tel: 876-944-8400, Fax: 876-944-8408).
With prior arrangement, it is possible to spend the night at Charlottenburg Great House. It can be reached by a short walk from Content Gap or a longer walk from Gordon Town. (Tel:876-978-3530 or 876-927-0752). Clydesdale offers basic rooms and campsites are available at Cinchona Botanical Gardens. Arrangements for both must be made in Kingston at the Forestry Department. (173 Constant Spring Road, Tel: 876-924-2667). Starlight Chalet will arrange nature walks and mountain hiking trips for their guests.
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