Overlooking Mount Saint Benedict Monastery on the Northern Range of the island, Mount Tabor is approximately 600 feet above sea level and boasts breathing taking views of the island.
By the 1920s, Mt. Tabor contained fifteen rooms, a chapel, a large hall and two towers 40 feet high for monks that were studying theology. It was eventually abandoned as the terrain made it difficult to bring in supplies. These days, it is one of the more popular sites for hiking and sightseeing.
Getting there is simple; turn onto St Johns Road in St. Augustine and continue until you’ve reached the Monastery where parking is available. From there you’re on foot so make sure to stretch those legs!
Walk back down to the where the road makes a Y. You’ll see a St. Bennet Hall sign that points uphill. Follow it! A series of twists and turns and a couple abandoned buildings later, you’ll reach the drug and rehabilitation center. Shortly after, you’ll reach the start of the trail.
The hike is not too challenging apart from the occasional steep incline and takes roughly 25 minutes to get to the summit. Pine trees are littered on either side of the trail, towering in their humble grandeur and peeking through are glimpses of the island hundreds of feet below. The surrounding area has been victim to forest fire over the years so in an attempt to preserve the forest, the pine trees were planted by the forestry division.
Nestled in the flora about halfway up stands the fire tower, juxtaposed with it’s metallic and angular nature. It provides an almost bird’s eye view of not only the pines but the East West corridor and the Caroni plains as well. It is nothing short of breathtaking.
The trail from here gets a bit more challenging as the incline becomes steeper but there are benches along the way to take much needed breaks. It almost feels like nature is making it harder to get to her mountain’s prized summit. The further you go, the cooler and quieter it gets. At the top there is an amazing view of the St. Joseph/Maracas valley.
I suggest you do this hike in the cool evening so you can watch the sunset from the summit. It is almost a spiritual experience; the wind playfully wafting through the pine trees, the seemingly detached nature of the mountain, the satisfaction of pushing yourself to make it to the top. I implore you to take a moment at the end to appreciate the simple splendor of it all.
Be safe, until next time!
Works Cited:
Berkeley, Dewayne. “Mount St. Benedict/ Mt Tabor.” 20 Oct. 2017, http://www.dewayneberkeley.com/2017/10/20/mount-st-benedict-mt-tabor/.
“The Monks of Saint Benedict.” The Trinidad Guardian, 1918, pp. 43–47, nebula.wsimg.com/941c1e31c88f5114f6b23d7df6cb1992?AccessKeyId=2198493294F8F5078821&disposition=0&alloworigin=1.
“Mount Tabor.” SummitPost.org, http://www.summitpost.org/mount-tabor/884202.
“Mount Tabor.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Apr. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tabor.
Knock About Trini 