Blue and John Crow Mountains © C. David Kangas

Jamaica, at 4,411 sq. miles in area, is about equal in size to the U.S. state of Connecticut and has an allure few other islands can claim. Its mountains, valleys and surrounding seas offer  a compelling array of white sand beaches, majestic gardens, rainforests and caves. There’s a hint of adventure almost everywhere.  

A mountain garden 

One natural adventure spot is located in the mist-shrouded upper slopes of the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, a mountain rainforest situated in the island’s east. There, at 990 meters (3,250 feet) is Holywell Recreation Park, a designated picnic and mountain reserve within the national park. The recreation park protects 300 acres (120 hectares) of woodland, lush with dozens of fern species, epithets, impatiens, violets, nasturtiums, wild strawberries and raspberries. Pine trees dominate other indigenous trees, such as dogwood and soapwood. The slopes abound with the bright red of ginger lilies, giving the park the radiant look of a bouquet. In 1985, a renowned botanist recorded that 41percent of the plants found in the park were found nowhere else in the world. 

Holywell (the shortened version of its name by Jamaicans) is ideal for birders. All of Jamaica’s 30 endemic birds are found in the park, a spectacular part of a total of 256 indigenous species of birds. They include Jamaica’s national bird, the streamer-tail hummingbird locally called the doctor bird because its long, narrow black feathered tail resembles a 19^th-century coat tail worn by doctors. There are also ring-tail pigeons, black billed, red billed and yellow billed streamer tail parrots, Jamaican woodpeckers, Jamaican todies and solitaries, and many more. Cameras and binoculars are musts! 

There are numerous other fauna, you might find scurrying along the trails. If you are a night person, you might come face to face with the nocturnal coney, a rodent endemic to Jamaica. There is also an abundance of yellow snakes that are completely harmless, and non-poisonous lizards and frogs. Your most rewarding thrill however, may be a glimpse of the gigantic swallow tail butterfly whose wing span can be as much as 10 inches. 

Exhilarating for hiking  

There are five scenic trails leading off in different directions through ferny dells, cloud-covered forest and elfin woodlands. The trails provide the visitor with an opportunity to view over 50 different species of trees and shrubs.  Among the most used trails are the Oately Mountain Trail, 1.5 hours long, which is marked with educational signs and leads through the forest to a river whose cool waters will titillate the bather.  

For the seasoned hiker, a walk along the Waterfall Shelter Trail leads to the Cascade, Jamaica’s second highest waterfall, which plunges majestically from the North Slope some 4,363 feet above sea level. Dare to take a dip in its invigoratingly pulsating spray! This uphill trek is about 45 minutes to one hour long. 

The Fairy Glade Trail whisks you off along a 45-minute pathway through bountiful bowers of ginger lilies. To enhance your experience, certified tour guides are available for all trails. 

If you want to double your scenic pleasure and physical workout, you can start your hike from the New Castle Training Depot, a 17^th-century army camp located about three miles from Holywell. It’s easy going along with almost flat gradient of paved road that is lined with an array of colorful impatiens. 

If you’re daring, you can bring your own tent and camp out under starlit skies. Make sure you pack warm gear as temperatures can dive as low as 14º C (57º F). 

There are three rustic self-contained cabins: two one-bedroom and one two-bedroom, all fully furnished and rented to vacationers wishing to play indoor games and cozy up to warm fireplaces. Later you can snuggle up in twin or double beds. Housekeepers provide daily cleaning service; meals are available upon request. 

The Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park receives 75 inches of rain annually, with May and October being the rainiest months. Temperatures can range between 14º C and 30º C (86º F) with brisk winds in March and April. 

On the general grounds of Holywell there are 10 modern toilets, five tent sites, four outside shower stalls, eight gazebos with traditional barbecue pits for picnic, five trails and an environmental resource center where information is available on the park. 

The Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park in Jamaica ranks fifth among the world’s islands in terms of having the most endemic plants and animal species.