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St. Lucia – Pitons and Rainforest Hiking
I was there for the Pitons
Alas, I made it to St. Lucia in late May to meander around what would now become my favorite Lesser Antilles island thus far. No doubt, with a quick search of St. Lucia, the first image that’ll pop up is the majestic remnants of the once active volcanoes – the Pitons. Hiking these steep and ancient volcanic plugs was mission numero uno. That, and I am a sucker for tropical rainforest island trails. Nevertheless, I landed at the southern tip of the island, made my way a little north to the once French town of Soufrière, and spent a few days driving and hiking the interior of the island. Here is how it went.
Logistics over the 4 days in St. Lucia:
- Flight was $185 on AA after applying a COVID-19 cancellation credit FINALLY after years of attempts.
- Accommodation on Airbnb was $430. This was a full apartment with two bedrooms, kitchen and living room. More than I needed and still a decent deal.
- Car rental was $230 with no security deposit. Kudos to the representative who knew I had a HunterXHunter sticker on my credit card!
Total for basic logistics was roughly $845.
Negotiate
Compared to other Lesser Antilles islands I'd been to, St. Lucians will "require" guides or impose a fee to let you hike trails. Replace the fee with purchasing a service, or buy some food. I found that worked most times.
In my opinion, Soufrière was the best place to stay on the island for exploring the Pitons and other nature-related interests on your own. This statement comes after driving to the north end of the island twice for Gros Islet and Castries (where cruise ships dock). I saw plenty of buses full of tourists coming down from the north to see the Pitons, eat at the upscale restaurants and stop at the sulfur springs.
It’s all fine and dandy, but if you can get a car and homebase in Soufrière, you’ll save hours of driving rough, winding roads and already be smack in the middle of the best things St. Lucia has to offer.
Gros and Petit Piton
First, I’ll get right into the main attraction – Gros Piton. It is the highest Piton on the island and probably the most accessible making it the most popular by default. This was where the “mandatory guide” and “fees” really hit hard. As of the time I went, there was a $50 fee to hike and a guide was mandatory. For Petit Piton (which in defense, is much more gnarly) I was quoted ranges in the mid $100’s.
Knowing this was a main attraction, I can understand how a fee could definitely generate some revenue. However, the price was just a little steep and I questioned if any of it went to maintaining the trail. Furthermore, I was able to hike well ahead of my guide to reach the summit where the view only faced south (narrow view, no Pitons). A little disappointing, but hey, I wouldn’t let it buzzkill a beautiful day in St. Lucia. It was a great workout and there was still plenty more to do.
Gros Piton was a challenging hike and saying I was famished would be an understatement. I ended up at a nearby restaurant and eco-resort called Fond Doux where I had my new favorite freshwater fish for lunch – bangamary. After getting some energy back, I walked a trail behind the resort to get my closest glimpse of Petit Piton.
Best Pitons View?
After thoroughly driving the roads and exploring the area around the Pitons, I believe the best view of both Pitons is right north of Soufrière at the mirador overlooking the town and the mountains. Either that, or pay thousands at Jade Mountain (although an infinity pool is quite nice!)
Interior hikes with friends!
During my hike of Gros Piton, I met a French couple (Emmanuel and Diane) who were working and vacationing through the the Lesser Antilles as well. After talking for a while descending Gros Islet, we ended up planning to meet up the following day to hike two interior trails: Barre de l’Isle and Piton Flore. Half the battle ended up being just finding the trail head!
With these types of trails, there are normally very few reviews or descriptions, so it is a gamble. We were all up for the challenge, however. I think this was the point for me to take in and appreciate St. Lucia’s nature and rainforest.
After a few google map redirects, we finally found the entrance to Barre de l’Isle. Upon closer inspection, the gate was locked and a warning sign was placed depicting venous snakes and other animals. We proceeded. The trail was decently marked and it seemed as though we were on some ridgeline beneath tropical trees. At some point, however, the trail abruptly stopped and there was no clear direction. I pushed further through the dense foliage, but could not make out any markings before turning back. What was almost a strikeout became much more lively when Emmanuel came within a foot of stepping on a lancehead pit-viper. Definitely poisonous! Although a close encounter, it was thrilling to see one up close right in the middle of the trail.
Narrowly escaping that situation, we were now much more on alert moving onward to our next trail, and my personal favorite – Piton Flore. The overgrowth was a pallet of vibrant greens with massive bamboo shoots and gigantic, Jurassic-looking, fern trees providing shade throughout. It was quiet. Only the sound of birds and water droplets playing off the leaves could be heard. At the top was a rusty radio tower of some sort with a small observation deck. I was able to climb up on the roof, braving the wind, for a 180 degree view of St. Lucia’s eastern half. This was the type of trail I envisioned before arriving, so being able to play it out made all the difference.
Thoughts
With three Lesser Antilles islands down so far, I am getting a better idea of what to expect and commonalities between each of these sovereign countries. Fish Fridays, doubles for breakfast and crazy taxis. It doesn’t take long to get outside the main tourist area to get a good idea of real island life. St. Lucia, along with the other islands, have fit the bill perfectly for extended weekend warrior trips; allowing me to rough it at a quickened pace.
I’ve made it a mission to focus more on the island interiors than the beaches and resorts. And it got me thinking on why that is. Part of it probably has to do with growing up 5 minutes from a beach, so another one has little impact. But the other half is seeing (and quite literally almost stepping on!) the abundance of nature all around. The variety of species, both plants and animals, from the largest tree to the line of ants, form a unique ecosystem. Guess I’ve been a natureboy all along.
-ML
Recap of Places
Check out the MAP for links!
- Soufrière
- Mirador Piton – on the main road north of the town
- Gros Piton – highest and most accessible Piton on the island
- Petit Piton
- Piton Flore – interior Piton with my favorite trail
- Barre de l’Isle – interior trail
- Fond Doux Eco Resort – bangamary fish
- Sulphur Springs – hot sulphur springs outside of Soufrière
Michael Lakus
IT professional, athlete, musician, ponderer of many things... Born and raised in Florida, I began traveling internationally after college. I created this site primarily to remind myself of where I've been and to share my experiences on traveling with a quirky, stress-free, travel attitude.
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