Sage Mountain National Park

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

As the first National Park in the BVI, Sage Mountain represents the beginning of conservation in the territory. Through a generous donation from Laurance Rockefeller, the land at Sage Mountain was purchased from farmers and given to the BVI Government as a national park. The farmland was reforested with white cedar (Tabebuia heterophylla), West Indian (Swietenia mahogoni) and Honduran (Swietania macrophylla) mahogany trees which have thrived along with other naturally regenerated secondary vegetation. An entire mahogany trail has been established at Sage Mountain and named after the founder and first Chairman of the National Parks Trust, Joseph Reynold O’Neal.

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Sage Mountain is the highest point in the British and US Virgin Islands at 1,710 feet, with panoramic views of all the islands. The mountain itself creates rain as warm moist air rises from the east and south, then cools as it crosses the mountain. This falls as rain on the northern side of the Park, which is reflected in the different types of vegetation that are found on the north and south sides of the ridge. Although rainfall is low in these islands, the old growth forest on the northwestern side of the Park is typical of Caribbean moist forests. Large boulders and old growth forest on the north side are a stark contrast to the old pastures and remnant dry tropical forest on the south.

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The main entrance to the Park is a 10-minute walk from the car park. There are fourteen trails through the forest with loops creating a circular route. A trail is available in the RESOURCES section of our Project highlights blog.