Mount Gimie Saint Lucia

"I (37, female, fit) hiked this alone, without a guide. And in rain. It is possible :) 2hrs 45 from the trailhead to the top. Roughly the same time back down. Combination of extreme uphill/downhill climbing/scrambling using trees, roots and rocks to anchor yourself. Brief areas of easier walking (especially at the beginning).
I used the all trails app map (download the offline version). The map is not accurate once you reach the stream, however. Follow the stream downstream (away from the waterfall) and you’ll see another, smaller mountain stream that joins it from the left (if facing upstream). You will follow that stream uphill and pick up the trail from there. You’ll cross another small stream and again pick up the trail on the other side.

Do not attempt this hike if you aren’t in very good health and very fit. If you get winded easily, have bad knees or weak joints, can’t comfortably do many flights of steps, are in less than amazing cardiovascular health, etc- this is absolutely not the hike for you. It involves lots of scrambling and grabbing onto roots to lift and lower yourself. You need to be able to pull yourself up and climb up/down sometimes backwards. Careful foot placement is a must. Roots and mud and rocks make for a very slick trek. You should be strong and be able to travel long distances. Be honest with yourself about your physical condition.

It is easy to lose the trail. Most people should only attempt with a guide. There were three times that I needed to explore to find the trail again.

I wore shorts and used bug spray- but long pants are more ideal (think saw grass, biting ants, mosquitoes, flies). Bring water and a small backpack to carry everything. I survived just fine without water, but again most people will need it. Yes there are snakes, I was careful with hand and foot placement and didn’t come across any (that I could see 😆). Hiking shoes/boots are pretty much a non negotiable.

I started late- didn’t arrive at the trailhead until after 11am. This made for an intense race to beat the sunset back to the jeep. Obviously you should start around 8-9am to have a more comfortable experience and to spend more time at the falls and top of the mountain.

There was no view at the top when I arrived due to the mist, but I didn’t care. I made it to the top. Some nice views on the way, though. Plus crabs, pristine jungle (not a shred of trash anywhere), beautiful flora, amazing birdlife, an extremely private waterfall and stream and the best part of all- not a soul in sight. It verged on otherworldly. A true jungle hike in what feels like absolute wilderness. Muddy, wet, and absolutely f*cking fabulous.

Side note: I had no issues at all- but this trailhead is more remote. Do NOT leave valuables in your car."

Linda H

"Stunning! You will definitely need a 4-wheel-drive with reasonable ground clearance to get up to the beginning of the trail, and you need to be a confident driver, but it’s well worth it. It’s a whole world away from the guided experience trails, and costs nothing.

You’ll need some hiking and navigation experience as the trail is, in a few places, easy to stray from, and use a decent map/app like Outdooractive to get there from Fond St Jacques, and to hike the trail.

Cloud forest plant life is just incredible, as is the bird life, with close encounters with Hummingbirds a real highlight."

Simon Daultrey

"Great place to hike"

Xan Walter