Hike· La Desirade· Leeward Islands
La Desirade Geological Reserve Hike
16° 20.3′ N · 61° 0.5′ W
The national nature reserve at La Desirade's eastern end protects rocks and fossils that record the birth of the Lesser Antilles from the Upper Jurassic onward - on a dry, windswept coast of cactus and iguanas.
Practical
Position: Reserve naturelle de la Desirade in OpenStreetMap (relation 14306551), at the Pointe Mancenillier side of the island. Created by decree 2011-853 of 19 July 2011: no collecting of rocks, minerals or fossils, no camping, no motor vehicles, no litter, no hunting, no loud music. Guided visits must be booked with the reserve managers (Association Tite, asso.tite@gmail.com, +590 690 50 35 63). The Pointe Double lighthouse (OSM way 57746366) and the ruins of the leprosy colony at Baie-Mahault, which closed in 1952, are nearby. Roughly 7-8 km from the village - a cycle shop (Desirade Cycles) is mapped in the village.
Best for
Geology walk and the island's wild east end
Nearby
- Pointe Double Lighthouse (La Desirade)0.4 NM away
- Baie-Mahault Leprosarium Ruins (La Desirade)0.7 NM away
- La Desirade Village Provisions4.3 NM away
- La Desirade Anchorage (Grande Anse)4.5 NM away
- Pointe des Chateaux11.3 NM away
- Petite Terre Lagoon Snorkel11.5 NM away
- Petite Terre Moorings11.5 NM away
- Grandes Salines (Pointe des Chateaux)11.6 NM away