Catherine’s Peak: St. Andrew’s Highest Point

Catherine’s Peak, located in the Jamaican Blue Mountains, is the highest point in the parish of St. Andrew. This peak is named after Catherine Long, the wife of Sir Henry Moore who served as the Governor of Jamaica in the mid-1700s, as she is believed to be the first white woman to climb the 5,050-foot-high peak in 1760. Catherine’s Peak is an easy trail– perfect for beginner hikers, and starts at Newcastle, the JDF military base nestled in the Blue Mountains. Here’s everything you need to know about hiking to Catherine’s Peak.

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Where to Find Catherine’s Peak

Newcastle with Catherine’s Peak visible, but shrouded in mist

Catherine’s Peak is located in the parish of St. Andrew. The Catherine’s Peak trailhead begins at Newcastle, a JDF military base which is located just above the Red Light district and Irish Town. Newcastle is a 50-minute drive from Papine, the gateway town to the Blue Mountains. Newcastle was built in 1841 after British Major General Sir William Maynard Gomm observed that deaths from yellow fever were much fewer in the mountains than at Up Park Camp, an army barracks on the Liguanea plains. Parking is free at the Newcastle parade ground, and you may be fortunate enough to witness a military drill. If not, feast your eyes on the defunct canon and colourful military badges instead. Catherine’s Peak is visible to the right of Newcastle, easily distinguished by the cluster of communication antenna towers located at the summit, but is sometimes shrouded by mist.

Trail to Catherine’s Peak

The trail to Catherine’s Peak is steadily uphill on a concrete road that gets slippery when wet, and it rains almost daily there. The trail is beautifully lined by pine trees, ferns, palms and bromeliads, but is still very sunny and hot for the most part. It’s a straightforward trail even with no markers as there are no detours, so no guide is required. If you accidentally veer off course, the only places you may end up are deeper within Newcastle, or at the Clifton Mount coffee estate. The trail to Catherine’s Peak is also accessible by 4×4 vehicle. Other things to note:

• Cost: FREE
• Parking: FREE
• Slope: Moderate
• Estimated Distance: Roughly 3km (each way)
• Time: 45 minutes (each way)
• Difficulty Rating: 3-4/10
• What to Bring: rain gear, waterproof bag, snacks and water
• What to Wear: sturdy shoes with good traction, cap or hat, light loose-fitting clothes

Summiting Catherine’s Peak

Your efforts will be rewarded with Catherine’s Peak, the tallest mountain peak in St. Andrew. There isn’t a lot to do or see here, and if there was ever a trig station at Catherine’s Peak the way one exists for Clarendon’s tallest mountain, it is long gone. The communication antenna towers and a small building with graffiti will have to make do as signs that you’ve reached Catherine’s Peak. We enjoyed being enveloped by the mist which is perceived from afar off as clouds. The view from Catherine’s Peak is delightful! We could see Newcastle (our starting point), as well as New Kingston, Downtown, the Kingston Harbour, Portmore Causeway and Portmore.

We were happy to reach our destination but it didn’t quite satiate our hiking appetite. As such, we intentionally made the 20-minute detour to the Clifton Mount Estate on our descent. I’d seen it on previous hikes to the Cinchona Botanical Garden, Clydesdale Forest Park and St. Peters’ Waterfall but it was worth seeing again. It was also precious sharing this hike with my teenage brother as it was his first hike and he did really well.

The Clifton Mount Estate

Wrap Up

Well, there you have it: Catherine’s Peak– a quick half-day trip and challenge from Kingston. If you’d like to make it a full day trip, add in Holywell, a lovely family-friendly mountain park located 10 minutes further from Newcastle. If you visit Holywell on the weekend, check out the Blue Brews Bistro for delicious breakfast, coffee, tea, burgers, steaks and a great wine selection. Have you ever visited Catherine’s Peak or would you like to? Sound off in the comments section below! Note: Since the passage of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica on October 28, 2025, access to Catherine’s Peak and surrounding communities has been affected.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like:

• Blue Mountains Guide
• Blue Mountain Peak (Part 1)
• Jamaica’s Best Hiking Trails
• Everything to Know About Blue Mountain Coffee
• Cinchona Botanical Garden (highest botanical garden in the Western Hemisphere)

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