The National Park
The Blue and John Mountains National Park is a protected area under the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act, Forestry Act and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust Act. The park is managed by the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT).
Just a one-hour drive from the capital city of Kingston, an enchanting world of crisp, clean air, lush terrain and vibrant wildlife awaits you in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park.
Jamaica’s only national park, the Blue and John Crow Mountains covers 41,198 hectares (101,313 acres) and includes Jamaica’s highest point – the Blue Mountain Peak at 2,256 metres (7,401 feet). With over 15 kilometres (9 miles) of hiking trails, the largest butterfly in the western hemisphere, hundreds of flowering plants and birds, as well as countless waterfalls, the park is a nature-lover’s paradise.
The legendary Windward Maroons that used the area as a stronghold in their resistance to British colonialism add to the mystique of the Blue and John Crow Mountains. Separated from mainstream Jamaican society, the maroons maintained a distinct way of life – language, cuisine and philosophies – that can be observed by visitors to their mountain communities today.
In 2015, the Blue and John Crow Mountains was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its natural and cultural heritage. With the designation, Jamaica’s national park, joins the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Egypt as an area of universal value; deserving of special protection.
Visitors are welcome to enjoy the park in three recreational areas: Holywell, Portland Gap and the Blue Mountain Peak Trail.