Morne Diablotin

Morne Diablotin rises to 1,447 metres, the highest point on the island and the second highest in the Lesser Antilles, and the climb from the Syndicate side takes five to seven hours return through rainforest that gives way to elfin woodland and then to a summit usually inside cloud. The upper half is a scramble over roots and boulders rather than a path. The name comes from the black-capped petrel, the diablotin, which once nested on the mountain.

History

Morne Diablotins, the highest mountain on Dominica and the second highest in the Lesser Antilles at 1,447 m, is the island's largest volcano and last erupted about 30,000 years ago. It is named after the Creole word for the black-capped petrel, the diablotin or "little devil", and the first recorded ascent was made in the late 1860s by the Scottish physician John Imray (Wikipedia, Morne Diablotins).

What you'll find

• The summit - 1,447 metres, the highest point on the island.
• The forest zones - rainforest giving way to stunted elfin woodland with height.
• The scramble - roots and boulders rather than a path on the upper half.
• The diablotin - the petrel that gave the mountain its name.

When to go

December to April is the drier season and the safest window. Rain makes the upper scramble genuinely dangerous. Start at first light to be down before afternoon cloud.

Before you go

The summit is in cloud on most days and the view is often nothing. The upper section is a hard scramble, not a walk, and takes far longer than the distance suggests. A guide is strongly advised.

Nearby

Syndicate Nature Trail is below, and Portsmouth is north.

Key facts