Gros Piton Hike, St. Lucia
Petit Piton and Gros Piton, as seen from Treetop restaurant in Soufrière, St. Lucia
When I booked my trip to St. Lucia, I knew I wanted to hike one of the iconic twin peaks I’d seen in every photo of the island. Gros Piton and Petit Piton are those two famous mountains and I chose Gros Piton because it’s the easier of the two.
I’d heard Gros Piton was HARD, but after hiking Acatenango near Antigua, Guatemala last year, I felt pretty invincible… like I could hike anything.
I REALLY enjoyed this hike, especially the third and fourth quarters, which felt almost like bouldering. It reminded me of the Christoffel Mountain hike in Curaçao, just twice as long.
How To Book the Gros Piton Hike
I stayed at Green Fig in Soufrière and arranged a taxi through them. They prepared a breakfast for me to grab from the fridge before heading out (CUTE). I left the hotel at 6:45 AM and arrived at the trailhead around 7:15 AM, where I met my guide, Errol.
The entrance fee is $50 USD per person (credit cards accepted), which includes the cost of a mandatory guide. The price was a little steep, but I treated it like the price of a normal tourist excursion, plus a buddy. Like an escort! But socially acceptable. I’d read mixed reviews about the guides, but Errol was super helpful and very chill.
You can rent a walking stick for $5 (cash or PayPal). I was glad I had it on the way up, but it was pretty useless on the way down. Errol kindly offered to carry it for me — THANKS, ERROL!
What It’s Like to Hike Gros Piton
Before you head out with your guide, there’s a short orientation with a diorama of the mountain where they explain the various parts of the hike. Most of the hike is shaded, which helps make the heat more bearable, but it’s still best to start earlier in the day when it’s cooler.
The hike is divided into four sections, with rest stops after each section:
First quarter is a gentle climb uphill
Second quarter is steeper than the first and takes you to the best view of the hike
Third quarter is the longest section and involves stairs and boulders
Fourth quarter is the steepest and most difficult section (though it’s the shortest!)
1st Quarter
The first quarter was the easiest and took about 30 minutes. It was a gradual walk uphill, so it served as a good warm-up. The rest stop has some benches, a beautiful view of the Caribbean Sea, and some cat friends if you’re lucky!
2nd Quarter
The second quarter is a bit longer than the first quarter (~40 minutes), and a bit steeper and rockier, but still pretty doable. It brings you to the halfway point, which has arguably the best view of the hike. You can see Petit Piton in the distance and there’s a St. Lucian flag blowing in the breeze to really enhance those photo ops. You might also meet some friendly cats here who will happily help you eat your snacks.
Many people stop at this point and head back, and TBH that would be a beautiful (albeit expensive) hike on its own.
3rd Quarter
The climb gets more intense (and fun!) at this point as there’s more climbing/ bouldering action. Thankfully, there are a bunch of handrails and I made good use of them! The last rest stop before the final push has some benches under a beautiful mango tree. This area is covered by vegetation, so no real views here, but I was thankful for any rest at this point in the hike.
4th Quarter
The fourth and final quarter is the steepest but shortest (only around 20 minutes). This was actually my favorite part because it gave me Jurassic Park vibes! So many moss-covered rocks! It felt like climbing an incredibly steep staircase through the jungle.
Summit
At around 2,600 feet (800 meters), you reach the summit, a small clearing with views of the Caribbean Sea and Mount Gimie. TBH the halfway point had better views, but the summit makes for a nice rest stop before starting the ~2 hour descent. I was glad I did the full hike to the top, because I really enjoyed the second half.
The Descent
The descent required some focus and there were several times I almost wiped out. It was easier for me to descend quickly, almost tripping my way down, and I definitely did the crab walk on several occasions. Whatever works!
Post-Hike Treat
At the base of the trailhead is a small gift shop and snack bar in Au PoYe Park. They sell delicious homemade ice cream ($6 for two scoops), beer, and souvenirs. I got coconut and peanut — the peanut was unreal. Plus, there were some cute cats wandering around which made my final sweet treat even sweeter.
What to Bring for the Gros Piton Hike
1.5-2 liters of water - they will make you buy water if you don’t have at least 1.5L
Electrolytes - I drank mine early on and didn’t need a bathroom break until the end. You can buy some at the trailhead (near the walking sticks) or at your hotel.
High-protein snacks like trail mix, nuts, and granola bars
Small backpack or hydration pack
Cash for tip, walking stick, and ice cream
Sunscreen and bug spray
Shoes with good grip - I wore these Adidas Terryx Anylander so I didn’t have to drag my hiking boots to St. Lucia just for this hike
Am I Fit Enough to Hike Gros Piton?
That’s a tough call. If you can walk uphill for 30–60 minutes and handle stairs without issue, you’re probably fine. Good knees and decent lung capacity are probably the most important assets. You can stop at the halfway point if needed (many people do), and your guide should pace it to your comfort level.
Gros Piton vs. Petit Piton: Which Should You Hike?
Gros Piton
~4 hours roundtrip (2 hours up, 2 hours down)
Steady incline with stone steps and handrails
Mandatory local guide included in entrance fee
Best for moderately fit hikers with good knees and good lungs
Petit Piton
~2.5 hours roundtrip, but much steeper than Gros Piton
Requires scrambling and pulling yourself up with fixed ropes
Must arrange a local guide as guides not available at the trailhead
Best for experienced hikers, who are not afraid of heights
Hike Summary
Distance: ~3.2 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: ~2,000 feet
Duration: 3-5 hours, though most people do it in 4 hours (I did it in 3.5 hours magically)
Guide: Mandatory, and included in the entrance fee
Difficulty: Hard — it’s a 2 hour hike uphill and tough on the knees
Cost: $50 per person, plus guide tip
Bring: 2L water, snacks, electrolytes, hiking shoes, cash
Check out some of my other favorite hikes:
