06/17/2026
The Blue Mountains are the longest mountain range in Jamaica and contain the island’s highest point, Blue Mountain Peak, which rises to 2,256 meters (7,402 feet). From the summit, which can be reached by a hiking trail, visitors can view both the northern and southern coasts of Jamaica. On especially clear days, it is even possible to see the outline of Cuba, located about 210 kilometers (130 miles) away.
This mountain range extends across four parishes: Portland, St. Thomas, St. Mary, and St. Andrew. Because of the area’s varied climate, the Blue Mountains support rich and diverse vegetation, including large forest trees and more than 500 species of flowering plants.
The mountains are also home to remarkable wildlife, including the Homerus swallowtail, which is the second-largest butterfly in the world and the largest in the Americas. During the period when Jamaica’s economy relied heavily on plantation slavery, some enslaved people escaped into the mountains and established independent communities. These people became known as the Jamaican Maroons. Present-day Windward Maroon communities include Charles Town on the Buff Bay River in central Portland, Moore Town in eastern Portland, and Scott’s Hall in St. Mary.
Today, the Blue Mountains are also internationally recognized for producing Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, one of the world’s most famous and expensive coffees. This coffee is grown at elevations between about 0.6 kilometers (0.37 miles) and 1.5 kilometers (0.93 miles) above sea level, while the higher slopes remain protected as forest.
Photo Link:
By Wolmadrian - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4124962
