FORESTRY DEPARTMENT INVITES YOU ON ITS BLUE MOUNTAIN FUN HIKE
OCHO RIOS, St Ann; Sept 18, 2025
Have you ever considered going on a hike through Jamaica’s forests? And how about going with colleagues or taking family members, including children?
Well, the Forestry Department is inviting you to join the #HikeLife to boost your health and wellness amidst the demands of personal and professional life. Forest kikes are known to have very positive effects on mental and physical well-being.
On September 16, 2025, the environmental agency launched registration for Forest Trek II, its second major hike this year, and invited the public islandwide to hike in the world-renowned Blue Mountain Forest Reserve in St. Andrew on Sunday, November 2, 2025.
(A hiker pauses to capture a memorable moment as she hikes along the Gordon Town trail in the Blue Mountain Forest Reserve at Forest Trek, March 2013).
Nasheji-Gaye Elliot, Public Relations and Communications Officer, said, “Hiking is an exciting and invigorating way to be well physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. It strengthens the body; it de-stresses the mind; it is a fun way for families, friends, and colleagues to bond, and it really brings you closer to something greater than yourself.”
(You can do it — touch and feel the forest’s beauty and be healthy at the same time)
The November event marks the seventeenth staging of Forest Trek, which started in 2011. Since then, the hike has become a staple among fitness and nature enthusiasts who take on the cross-country hike in a forest, often a forest reserve, the Forestry Department said.
In 2023, Ainsley A. Henry, CEO and Conservator of Forests, expanded the hike to children to make it a family event, promoting health and wellness for the entire family.
The 10-kilometre trail will start in Miss Lou (Gordon Town) Square, St Andrew, and end in the famous Holywell Recreational Park.
While the trail difficulty is rated as an overall rating of 8 out of 10, which requires the hikers to be fit, the Department says Forest Trek II includes points at which hikers can skip challenging parts of the terrain without missing out on the experience.
(Trekkers make their way along Dunn’s River in the Bogue 2 Forest Reserve, St. Ann, during Forest Trek II in November 2018).
Francine Black Richards, Senior Director, Corporate Communications and Marketing, said, “The 10-kilometre trail is for persons 13 years and older. She said there is a special one–kilometre trail for children under 13 who must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. “Persons can also choose either of the 5KM options for a shorter but equally impactful experience.”
The Blue Mountain Forest Reserve is not only the country’s largest forest reserve but also well-known for its rich natural and cultural heritage that all Jamaicans should know about.
The reserve is one of the few closed broadleaf or pristine natural forests remaining on the island and is an important forest ecosystem that preserves many endemic and native flora and fauna that make up the island’s biodiversity.
Persons should register on the Forestry Department’s website at www.forestry.gov.jm/ForestTrek.
