Bordeaux Mountain

Bordeaux Mountain rises to 392 metres above the middle of St John, one of only three places where the endangered Thomas' lidflower grows, the highest ground on St John - the territory's high point is Crown Mountain over on St Thomas, and because the island is only a few kilometres wide the view from it takes in both coasts, Coral Bay below, and a scatter of British Virgin Islands across the channel including Tortola and Jost Van Dyke. A roadside overlook gives most of it without effort. The Bordeaux Mountain trail drops steeply from near the summit down to Lameshur Bay on the south shore, about two and a half kilometres and three hundred metres of descent through moist forest that is noticeably greener than the coast.

The landscape

• The overlook - both coasts and the British Virgin Islands across the channel.
• The moist forest - greener and cooler than the dry coastal scrub.
• The trail to Lameshur - a steep descent to the south shore.
• Coral Bay below - the harbour and its moored boats from above.

When to go

December to April is the dry season and clearest for the view. Mornings are best before haze builds. The trail is best walked downhill to Lameshur with a lift arranged at the bottom, since the return climb is hard work in the heat.

Good to know

The road up is steep and narrow with sharp bends and poor surface in places. The trail is a serious descent and the return climb is three hundred metres in tropical heat; most people arrange transport at the bottom. There is no water on the route. Hurricane damage opened up the canopy and parts remain scrubby.

Nearby

Coral Bay is below to the east; Lameshur Bay is at the foot of the trail.

Key facts