Sage Mountain National Park: Tortola's Verdant Crown

Sage Mountain National Park, cradling Tortola's highest peak at 1,716 feet, stands as a testament to conservation efforts in the British Virgin Islands. Established in 1964, it was the first national park in the BVI, thanks to a generous donation from Laurance Rockefeller who purchased the land from farmers. The park's creation marked the beginning of a dedicated effort to preserve the island's remaining forests and vital watershed areas. Once farmland, the area was reforested with white cedar, West Indian, and Honduran mahogany trees, which now thrive alongside naturally regenerated vegetation. Today, the park features a network of trails that meander through diverse ecosystems, from dry forests to humid rainforests. The northern side of the park, blessed with more rainfall, showcases a Caribbean moist forest, a stark contrast to the old pastures and dry tropical forests in the south. Visitors can explore fourteen trails, with loops creating circular routes, offering panoramic views of the island, neighboring cays, and the Caribbean Sea. The main entrance is a short walk from the car park. Keep an eye out for the diverse flora and fauna, including bullet wood trees, mahogany, guavaberry, cedar, tree ferns, philodendrons, hermit crabs, the American kestrel, red-tailed hawks, mountain doves, and the pearly-eyed trasher. Sage Mountain's unique microclimate fosters plant life not found elsewhere on the island. The Joseph Reynold O'Neal Trail, named after the first Chairman of the National Parks Trust, leads to the Mahogany Forest. While exploring, be mindful not to stray from the marked paths to avoid disorientation.