Hiking in St Lucia is a great way to get to know the island’s nature and history, as well as to reach the best viewpoints. This guide outlines the best walking and hiking trails in Saint Lucia that range from easy coastal walks to challenging mountain ascents.
You may also be interested in our other guides: ‘The best things to do in Saint Lucia‘ and ‘The best places to eat in Saint Lucia‘.
Location: The trailhead is a 20-minute drive from Soufriere, towards Vieux Fort. It is well signposted from the roads. Many tour operators will take visitors here.
Distance of walk (time): 45-minute round trip.
Difficulty: Easy.
Cost: $10 per person (this includes entrance to the site and a guide).
An easy trail winding through Saint Lucia’s native flora with well maintained steps up to beautiful views across the island and of the Pitons. Note that you cannot do the walk yourself and you must take a guide.
Soufriere to Malgretoute beach
Location: The trail starts from the south side of Soufriere.
Distance of walk (time): 30 minutes (one-way).
Difficulty: Easy.
Cost: Free
This trail is worth doing if you are staying in Soufriere. Follow the road round by the water to the left of Soufriere as you look out to the sea. This will take you through the fishing village part of Soufriere, where you’ll then join a dirt path taking you around the hillside. Keep following this path; you’ll pass a small hotel and a sign to ‘The Mango Tree’. Keep following the path round to the right until you reach a beach – Malgretoute beach. At the far end of the beach is a restaurant where you can rent sun loungers for the day, snorkelling gear, and stand-up paddle boards. You can order food and drinks right from your sun lounger. For the return journey, either take the same path back to Soufriere, get a taxi to pick you up, or arrange for a boat to take you (this can be done from the beach and costs about $20 for a 5-minute trip).
Pigeon Island walking trails
Location: Pigeon Island.
Distance of walk (time): Up to 1h 30m round trip depending on which route you take.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate.
Cost: $10 per person (this includes entrance to Pigeon Island National Park).
Pigeon Island is a fantastic place to learn about the island’s history. The 44-acre reserve has several walking trails to choose from most of which lead to the historic hilltop Fort Rodney used during battles between the French and British. From here you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the north of the island. An additional (and steeper) trail to Signal Hill offers further unrestricted views – you can even see Martinique on a clear day.
Lookout over Marigot Bay
Location: The trail starts from the Oasis Marigot, Saint Lucia Villas resort, Marigot Bay.
Distance of walk (time): 45-minute round trip.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Cost: Free.
We recommend you do this walk only if you are staying in Marigot Bay as the trail is not well used and can only be reached by taking the Marigot Bay water taxi. The trail begins from behind the Oasis Marigot, St Lucia Villas – head to villa 3 and you will see a path to the left leading up into the forest. From here, it’s a steady incline through heavy vegetation for about 20 minutes, until you reach a fork in the path – take the route to the left which will then lead you to a clearing and the viewpoint overlooking Marigot Bay. To get back, you can either take the same route back down (recommended) or continue on the path right where the trail forked. This will take you further up the hill before descending back down to Marigot Bay beach. We recommend taking the same trail you took up as there are no further viewpoints the other way. The trail is covered in rocks, tree roots, and piles of leaves so we recommend wearing closed-toe footwear.
Gros Piton Nature Trail
Location: The trailhead is a 20-minute drive from Soufriere, towards Vieux Fort. It is well signposted from the roads. Many tour operators will take visitors here.
Distance of walk (time): 4 hours round trip.
Difficulty: Difficult.
Cost: $50 per person (this includes entrance to the site and a guide).
Standing at just under 800 meters tall, Gros Piton is a challenging but rewarding hike that winds up the volcanic peak through jungle to spectacular viewpoints. Sturdy footwear is needed as well as a good level of fitness as the climb is steep and the terrain is rocky. Start the hike early in the morning as it gets very hot. This is certainly the best hike to do in St Lucia, however, you are required to have a guide at all times which means you must pay the $50pp fee.
Petit Piton Trail
Location: The trailhead is a 10-minute drive from Soufriere, towards Vieux Fort. Take the road signposted to Sugar Beach resort.
Distance of walk (time): 4 hours round trip.
Difficulty: Very Difficult.
Cost: Approx. $60 per person (this includes entrance to the site and a guide).
Petit Piton is the iconic pyramid-shaped volcanic mountain jutting out of the sea. Like its sister mountain, Gros Piton, the trail is steep, however, this one is more like a climb rather than a hike. This is the most challenging hike in St Lucia, with rope-assisted and near-vertical sections. Needless to say, you must be fit and experienced to hike this piton and we would recommend you hire a guide which can be arranged through your hotel.
