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Gros Piton Nature Trail

Gros Piton Nature Trail

Gros Piton Nature Trail
4.5
7:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Monday
7:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Friday
7:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 2:00 AM
About
Duration: More than 3 hours
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  • Mark W
    21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sweaty Stairs of St Lucia
    This trail consists of about 2.5 miles up a mountain where you’ll ascend 2,000 ft in about two hours. Take water. It’s broken into four segments. The two “moderate” at the beginning and the two “difficult” toward the top. Seats adorn four rest stops. The first one has a weed guy (growing it on the trail) who sells gatorades, water, and Piton beer and calls himself lifesaver. Take water. There are makeshift handrails along much of the path which consists of mostly large rocks. The trail is not technically difficult, it’s just a grueling climb upward where by the end you’ll be tired of staring at effing rocks. The views are nice but the views from Tet Paul are better so this is really about the self abuse and bragging rights. Take water. They say to take a little and a half of water. I took half that and typically don’t hydrate or sweat much when climbing or hiking mountains but I didn’t have enough and was drenched at about the 1/2 way point in sweat. Basically it’s one step forward about two up. So imagine a stair master where the vertical steps are about 18 - 24 inches in most cases and do that for two hours in a steam room. Lifesaver lived up to his name. Take water and $7 US for the Gatorade. Still, it’s kind of cool to look at the mountain made of rock from any vantage point on that side of the island and say, yeeeeap, I’m dumb. And I can still do this stuff so that’s cool too I guess. 5 out of 5; be smart and leave your lady at the spa for this one if she doesn’t like to punish herself too.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 13 October 2023
  • Sophie E
    6 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sense of achievement!
    Wow! How naive was I thinking this would be a steep hike but a fairly straightforward trail! You are basically clambering up rocks the whole way! It is really tough! My husband and I are quite active (him more than me) mid thirties and in very good shape. I don’t know how I was able to get up and down! Gruelling! You also sweat loads, my husband had to wring out his T-shirt half just over half way up because he was drenched from the humidity! To say you’ve done it though is amazing and we got some great pictures of the views. It took us just over four hours to complete. We booked through Travelocity and had a driver called John who was great. The trip included taking us to the sulphur springs and mud bath and he also stopped at a chocolate shop for us which he suggested we might like. Our Gros Piton hike we were assigned was pleasant but he didn’t talk much which wasn’t an issue. We did it on a Sunday morning and it wasn’t busy at all which meant we didn’t have to move aside to allow people to pass us. Definitely worth doing it! Felt amazing but was tough! I couldn’t actually walk up stairs with ease for 2-3 days after. I was so stiff! Gave me an excuse to book a massage at the hotel spa!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 20 October 2023
  • Navigate06060143102
    8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Loved this experience
    We hiked the Gros Piton with Shane as our guide. He was awesome. He really made it clear what our experience and timeline would be going up the mountain. He was encouraging and helpful the entire time. He even shared some of his golden apple with us to try at the top. It was definitely a harder hike if it’s not something you do often (I go on a hiking trip 2-3x a year, but don’t live somewhere that I can hike each weekend for example). I loved it and it was the perfect level for me, my fiancé has only hiked one other time and he was able to complete the hike no problem but did express that it was difficult for him. We are both in pretty good shape, but I workout my legs more than he does. I only share this to help better understand the physical toll the hike takes. There are 3 spots to take a break while on the way up, but don’t stop for too long or it’ll be harder to keep going! The summit is one of the smaller ones I’ve been on but there’s still plenty of space to sit and eat a snack while enjoying the beautiful views of rainforest and ocean.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 21 October 2023
  • TeresaT
    19 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hard but worth it
    I am a moderately experience hiker and thought I would have no trouble with this hike. It was actually much more challenging than I expected. The trail has very few flat sections where you can catch your breath and the extreme heat and humidity make it even more challenging. The steps on the trail are often pretty steep (18" plus) and the surface can be slippery so you need to pay attention to every step. I was very glad that I did it, but I should have been training harder in preparation. The heat really affected me and I felt winded and way overheated for the first half of the trail (it gets cooler as you gain altitude). As background info, I exercise every day (yoga, pilates, walking) and have done lots of hikes in cooler climates, but I think it would have been easier for me if I had trained by running hills or on a treadmill at an incline. My husband is a runner and did much better than me on the way up, but his knees and hamstrings took a beating going down (going down was easier for me due to regular yoga). The trail itself is amazing and the view is breathtaking. I would urge anyone to do this hike, but do yourself a favour and train in advance. I would say make sure you can run at least 5km and do some hill training too. You need good hiking boots. People do wear runners, but the rocks are slippery and you're just asking for trouble without proper footwear. My boots were covered in scratches after this hike but my feet were fine. I'd say the guides vary. You might need to be a bit assertive about setting your own pace. Ours took off way too fast and I ran into trouble as a consequence, but when I talked to her at the halfway point she was understanding and slowed down. It took us 5.5 hours to do the whole hike, but I needed to rest quite a few times on the way up. On that note, make sure you tip your guide. They do not get paid unless they have customers (they don't get a salary) and this is a very hard way to make a living. Be assertive if you need to about the pace you want, and feel free to ask questions, etc. but pay them for their time and trouble. Our guide was a little brusque to start, but she was actually very helpful once we started chatting. Treat them respectfully and you will have a better experience. I have to say I was disgusted by a couple staying at Sugar Beach who didn't tip their guide at all - if you can afford a 5-star resort, you can afford a tip for people who are scratching out a living doing a very hard job. In conclusion, this is a hard climb. Do the necessary preparation and you will have an amazing experience.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 16 November 2023
  • Irene L
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful hike and well worth it
    I had an excellent time hiking the Gros Piton trail. My tour guide, Cameron, was absolutely amazing. He provided lots of information about the plants, area, history, and St Lucian life while on hiking through the forest and up Gros Piton. The views were amazing and it was a great hike. If you are looking for a moderate to difficult hike, this is a great one to complete. If you try it and you think it is difficult there is a halfway point to stop at while the group continues up. Not a bad place to stop. It still has panoramic views of Saint Lucia.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 December 2023
  • Abigail E
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing view, great guide!
    My husband and I really enjoyed this hike. It’s challenging but definitely do-able. Our guide, Abigail, was amazing!! The cost to complete this hike is $50 pp and takes about 3-5 hours to complete. The views were great and we definitely felt accomplished after completing it. They have 4 break areas throughout the hike if you need to rest or eat a snack which was nice. I would recommend to go early (we got there around 7) to beat the heat.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 February 2024
  • Britt M
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Challenging and very rewarding
    This was a bucket list goal for my husband and I. We are pretty athletic and it was challenging. Very steep and rocky but very rewarding. I am so glad we did it.! There are 4 “break” stops on the way up, and the views were amazing at the top. I would recommend to go very early to beat the heat, bring lots of water, maybe some snacks, bug spray and towel. You will sweat a lot!!! Our tour guide Arrol was great, informative and encouraging. He barely broke a sweat, it was impressive! :) Don’t forget cash to tip! A cold Piton beer tasted so good once we got back down. I would highly recommend this hike!
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 February 2024
  • Yevgeniy V
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida15 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Underwhelming but glad I did it
    The cost of entry is $50 USD per person. In addition you are required to get a guide, who they inform you work primarily for tips. Walking sticks are $5 USD if you want one. The hike itself was very difficult. Very steep and big rocks. Felt like bouldering at times. View at the top was a bit underwhelming.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 16 April 2024
  • Amybeth
    6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Incredible experience!!
    My husband and I absolutely loved this hike, it was a real challenge but 100% worth it. Our guide Errol was amazing, so patient, helpful and a great laugh! We started the hike at 7.30am which was a good time before other groups starting coming.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 April 2024
  • James W
    12 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mind was keen, body said no.
    Was determined to do this but be wary of the humidity and heat. I’m 50 plus and relatively fit, making it three quarters of the way, but wished I’d turned back half way as I was overheating and decided to listen to my body - and the guides. Was a struggle back down. And the views aren’t that special. Bouldering, rather than hiking.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 11 May 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles232 reviews
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64
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27
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2000bre
Otsego, MN170 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
My husband and I are in our early 40s, in relatively good shape and enjoy hiking. We knew this was a hike we wanted to do on St. Lucia. We left a little before 8:00 and were assigned to guide Margaret. Before we could leave to start the hike, she wanted to stop to get food so we waited at this hut but no one was there to serve food so we finally moved on. We paid $5 US each extra for a walking stick which was useful and worth it, especially for going down. We started our hike slowly and continued slowly, taking way too many breaks because our guide didn’t seem to be in well enough shape. It was painful to go so slow. If you are not in shape and want a slower pace, Margaret would be a great fit for you, but we wanted to hike the mountain quickly and get on with our day and this was not happening with Margaret. She told us a little bit about the history but we had a hard time understanding her and otherwise she seemed quite disinterested in being our guide. Quite disappointing. Finally, as we were near the top, she let us go on at our own pace and also on the way back let us go at our own pace. This was much better, but I would have thought that a guide that does this hike all the time could keep up with some people from Minnesota who aren’t used to climbing mountains. We ended our hike many minutes ahead of her and were planning on tipping her anyway but she walked past us at the ice cream hut and then we couldn’t find her. We are glad we did the hike just to say we did it, for the sense of accomplishment and view at the top, but the guide situation was very disappointing. I would recommend having Margaret work at the ice cream stand and having the young woman serving ice cream be a guide hike instead as she was very pleasant (sorry, don’t remember her name).
Written 7 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JulianC
9 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Solo
50$ US is a very steep price for a very steep climb, but a glorious view. My guide was lovely but surplus to requirements. The walk itself is relatively short but definitely sharp.There is a 'recommendation ' that you take 1 1/2 liters of water, which is actually a condition of doing the walk. I bought it with bad grace, and returned the bottle unbroached 3 hours later on my return. The bottles of Piton beer I bought and drank at the top were enough for me. Do the walk early if possible.
A far cheaper and very easy alternative is the short walk at Tet Paul where the views are excellent , with the whole island, St Vincent and Martinique in plain sight the day we went. My wife has no trouble walking up, notwithstanding that she had sprained her ankle quite badly only two weeks before.
Unlike most other sights on the Island both these destinations are well sign-posted.
Written 8 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

akshays630
Amsterdam, The Netherlands48 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
Beautiful views at the top. You need to be physically fit. We had booked via an agent who charged us $50 each. That's the official price even at the gate. He gave us a 1.5 Litre bottle each at the bottom to carry. Try to start early to avoid getting baked. You need a good hiking bag. The views come in only from the top other than a couple in between. We were slow and took 5.5 hours. Every group going up gets a separate guide. Whether group of 1 or group of 5. Our guide was not enthusiastic. She tried discouraging my wife and asked other guides to talk her out of going to the top. She kept on demotivating her. Do not plan to carry babies, that's not safe.
Written 6 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

happydays1012
London, UK175 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022 • Couples
If you’re planning on climbing Gros Piton please be prepared. We took our own walking stick (although you can hire one), backpacks and water bottles and wore ankle support hiking boots. The stick is useful but at times a hindrance as you need to stay low and use your hands to climb.

We started our hike around 8am but it had rained the night before so it was slippery in places. The first quarter is relatively easy but from the next quarter it gets steep and it’s about scrambling up large boulders rather than hiking. You need a good fitness level, this isn’t for the feint hearted as the heat will also get to you as this is a vigorous and challenging climb. The descent is harder (especially if it’s rained) so take your time.

I’m really supportive of investment in local communities and I understand the guides live at the base of the Pitons so some of the $50 fee goes towards this. However, the most disappointing aspect of this activity was the mandatory guide. He was disengaged, walked so far ahead so he wasn’t really guiding us. He didn’t talk to us or explain anything about the Pitons, flora and fauna and was more interested in having a chat with fellow guides. We asked questions and got one word answers. He smoked weed at the rest points (the smell gives me a headache). It felt as though he just wanted to get this job done as quickly as possible to the point he was discouraging - telling us we were really unfit to go far and that we should turn around. There was no encouragement or motivation whatsoever. For $50 each this guy knew it was better use of his time to not get us to the top. He made us feel like an inconvenience and I was quite annoyed that we were required to pay so much for such a poor guide. We did buy him an ice cream and tip but it wasn’t really deserved as he didn’t do very much. If we were allowed, we would have been better off climbing on our own at our own pace.

Gros Piton itself is beautiful and there’s a nice view of Petit Piton at the half way point. Shame about the guide!
Written 26 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Robin T
Cleveland, OH33 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023
The hike itself was great...excellent exercise with some great views. It is fairly steep though and more like scrambling over rocks than walking/hiking. Our problem was related to the guides. We were charged $50 per person to do the hike and were assigned a guide. A few other couples showed up around the same time as us and were also assigned their own guides. The group sort of did the hike together though and for the most part, the guides completely ignored all of us tourists. They spoke a great deal to each other though in broken French / Creole. I speak French and from what I could understand of the conversation, they were mostly making fun of us/the tourists. It was extremely rude and I wouldn't recommend paying $50 a person to be mocked. I'm not even sure why they were so rude...we were all in our thirties and forties and hiked to the top fairly quickly without any real breaks or complaints.
Written 9 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

spottygraffe
5 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020
We did this hike as a family and it took us about 4 hours in total, including the time we spent on the summit and several stops to look at the views on the way up. My watch told me it was a 7k round trip with 600m vertical ascent/descent. This makes it sound easier than it actually is. My 12 year old daughter found it pretty tough but she did enjoy it. The whole trail is shaded by trees so you're never in direct sun. It was still pretty hot and humid though and we took 14 x 500ml bottles of water and drank 12 of them. We did meet several hikers who had turned back before they reached the summit. It's pretty steep in parts but there are often wooden handrails in place, which we used more going downhill. You can hire hiking poles for $5 each, but we chose not to and didn't need them, but we noticed most people did have them. You don't need a guide to find the trail because it's so straightforward, but it's nice to support the community and our guide pointed out interesting things and took us to an alternative viewpoint at the summit where we got an amazing view of the Petit Piton. If you're reasonably fit then don't hesitate to do this hike.
Written 31 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrey S
Toronto, Canada69 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
This is a hard trail for an average person and while it does give a sense of accomplishment I don't think it's worth the 50 USD price and the physical effort and risk.

I don't mind exerting myself however I'd like the reward to be worth it.

However in this case the views from the top are OK, there's one decent viewpoint to take a shot of the Petit Piton but that's pretty much it.

The Tet Paul trail is easy, safe and offers much better views for a much smaller price.
Written 17 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dan F
West Chester, PA7 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2021
The mountain is located in a village that is over 300 years old, and to get to it you walk through a park where there are vendors selling snacks and drinks. You will definitely want to stop there after, so have some extra cash. The guides will make sure you have enough water, when they say 1.5 liters minimum they mean it, you will go through it. The guides do a good job explaining the route and how the first half of the hike up is moderate, and from there to the top it is strenuous. My wife and I are both in good shape, and we agreed with that assessment. The way up isn't too bad, but we had a harder time going back down- make sure you go slow and are careful. One other thing to keep in mind is that the top is rocky, there aren’t really any good places to sit and eat. There is a spot about a minute from the top that is better for that. The biggest thing I would emphasize that I felt wasn’t clear enough in the preview/instructions is that this is an intense hike. It is not an easy stroll and you definitely need to be in pretty good shape for it. I highly recommend bringing your own food and plenty of water, I also recommend paying the $5 for the walking stick at the beginning of the hike, you will almost definitely need it on the way down. Like one earlier reviewer mentioned, we were both sore afterwards for a day or so, so I would also factor that in to planning the timing of your hike.
Written 30 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jo_g_Cornwall
Penryn, UK23 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Couples
I would echo that of others and say it is really hard! It is mainly scrambling up and down rocks.

We went with Merv “the mountain goat” and would definitely recommend booking a good guide in advance otherwise you will be assigned a guide. Merv was excellent and let us go at our own pace for the tricky bit and could answer all our questions about the nature and the area. For this reason we give it five stars. You can contact him on WhatsApp at +1 (758) 384 7844

I would recommend good shoes/boots. Don’t bother with sun cream. I was a sweaty sun cream mess instantly and it’s mostly shady. I didn’t use poles as I wanted to use my hands which worked for me.
Written 21 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Clearwell
Cheshire175 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Make sure you use an official guide and do this properly. The locals rely on this. Start at the guide centre, where you are allocated a guide. It's $50US per person, so not cheap, but Gros Piton IS St Lucia!

It's a pretty tough hike, particularly the second half, which is effectively steps/rocks all the way to the top. You get a few designated stopping points, with great views, but your guides will go at your pace. It's easy to get out of breath on the way up.
Obviously take lots of water, and snacks for the top. You get two great views: one of the south of the island, and one of Petit Piton. Make sure you get both, because sometimes they don't take you to the better Piton view unless you ask. If you're lucky it'll be clear when you get there. It's worth checking the forecast first, to pick a day that gives you the best chance of clear skies.

Down is tougher on the legs than the way up. You've got to be pretty fit to do this, although trainers are fine, you don't need hiking boots. I took a hiking stick, which helped a lot.

My daughter and I did in about 4 hours, and we'd like to think we're pretty active and fit.

Make sure you buy a Piton beer, or the homemade ice cream at the bottom from the locals.

A must do!
Written 21 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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GROS PITON NATURE TRAIL (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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