BLUE MOUNTAIN PEAK

The steep faced mountains rise north-east of Kingston and soar in green pleats to a knife- edged backbone - the Grand Ridge - extending west-north-west and east-south-east for about 48 km.

The mountain is 20 km wide on average. The chain is flanked to the east by the lower John Crow Mountains and to the west by the less distinct Port Royal Mountains.

The Blue Mountains dominate the eastern parishes of St. Andrew, St. Thomas, Portland and St. Mary, rising swiftly from the coast to a series of rounded peaks they are culminating in Blue Mountain Peak (2.407 m), the highest point in Jamaica. The Blue Mountains are much more humid and cooler than the rest of Jamaica, so you find a quite different climate. Because of this more than 500 flowering plant species can be found in this area, about 240 of which are indigenous to the island, including 65 species of orchids.

Here you can see the high tree fern, eucalyptus, rhododendron, azalea, etc. Often you can see the doctor bird, a species of humming bird, the Jamaican national bird.