Jacko Steps

Above the Layou river in the interior, a set of steps is cut into the rock face leading up to a defensible plateau, and they were made by Maroons, people who escaped enslavement and established camps in the mountains that held out against colonial forces for decades. The camp is associated with Chief Jacko, who led one of the largest and was killed in 1814. The steps are steep, overgrown in places and reached on a forest trail.

What to look for

• The cut steps - the stairway carved into rock up to the camp plateau.
• The defensible position - the plateau chosen for how hard it was to attack.
• The Maroon history - the mountain camps that held out for decades.
• The Layou valley - the river and forest the route passes through.

When to go

December to April is drier and the trail is safer. Rain makes the steps and approach slippery. Mornings are cooler for the climb.

Good to know

The trail is steep, muddy and poorly marked; a guide is strongly advised. The steps themselves are worn and overgrown, and there is nothing built to interpret them. Storm damage repeatedly closes the route.

Nearby

Layou River is below, and Pont Cassé is east.