On
our Mangrove Tour we take you through two of the wetland eco-systems
on the flat south-western tip of the island.
On the Caribbean coast, the Bon Accord trail system offers a great glimpse of the Bon Accord Lagoon. The track is covered overheard by mangrove trees, so no matter what time of day the ride is always cool. The trail is used mainly by crab hunters, fishermen and of course us, however, it is not always in it’s entirety as it can be flooded in the rainy season. It is great for bird watching and beautiful sunsets but notorious for killer mosquitoes if you stop for too long.
On the Atlantic coast, the Kilgwyn trail system takes us through a number of old coconut estates and some of the oldest undisturbed mangrove forest in Tobago. This entire area was the site of one of the earliest Amerindian settlements in Tobago and is littered with old single track, there are even a couple restored sugar mills from the colonial era. Today the well sheltered bay is used by only a few fishermen and the surrounding estates virtually abandoned with the exception of an organic farm and riding stable. Efforts are also underway to convert the area directly surrounding the wetlands into a nature reserve. This area is well worth protecting and could be used as a model national park and recreational area, which is at this time, non-existent in Tobago.
We incorporate both of these trail systems into most of our beginner rides, however, there are also more technically challenging detours through the mangrove roots that can be used by the more advanced rider. The connecting routes and trails that we use are all incredible in their own right but too short and too numerous to mention. These connectors allow us to move from the Caribbean side of the island to the Atlantic side without having to deal with the busy roads in the vicinity of Crown Point International Airport however, many of them are on private land and are always at risk of becoming non- existent due to development accessibility varies as development increases. So lets enjoy them while we can!
Intermediate Trails - The Mt. Pleasant
/ Plymouth Tour
The trails in this area all involve a bit of climbing to get to or from the trail. None of them are longer than a mile so we link them up one after the other, legs and lungs permitting of course.
Chako’s trail is one the best short distance trails we have on the island. It’s a trail created by villagers to gain access to their homes via single track .It can be entered either by a short jeep road climb or a road climb on top. Either way fun is guaranteed.
A minute from Mad Dog’s is Tabacancas. This trail is a fast, slalom type single-track that twists and weaves through the village and offers a great view of Trinidad on the Atlantic horizon just before the last descent.
Above Black Rock village is a jeep trail linking the hillside villages of Whim and Bethel. This is a very scenic route that allows views of both the Windward and Leeward side of the island. The descent into Whim is a fast and flowing, abruptly ending at the Bad Hill Road.
Both the villages of Black Rock and Plymouth have lots of short fun backtracks running through them. Most of these are on private property connecting homes, churches and parlors.
The Courland Estate, which sits between Black Rock and Plymouth has a few trails running through it but most of them are completely overgrown. This area is slated for major development and is cleared up from time to time. The only trail we have been using there lately is a little piece of single track that borders the property, it’s just right with a little flow to it, some roots and a little bushwhacking to return to the main road.
They all involve long road, jeep and single-track climbs and when we say extreme trails we these trails require you to drop your saddles on the descent and body amour is suggested for some.
We begin with Elvis Goats’. This trail sits atop a ridge above Culloden at 575 feet and involves technical single track ascents and descents. We do a couple more trails before and after Elvis Goats’ depending on the route we choose, trails with names like Gru-Gru Beaf, Chubbies, and Greedy’s.
Changing location now to Castara, where there is an epic rainforest trail at about 1700 feet above sea level. This trail is hidden in the rainforest and has a very steep ascent to the top followed by 20 – 30 minutes descending through jungle single track then a lightning fast grassy jeep trail high above the village at about 800 feet. This trail has only been ridden a couple of times before and is a very exciting addition to our already wide knowledge of off road trails in Tobago.
Lastly, Chocolate Cake. What else can we say about this trail that hasn't been said. First body protection is highly recommend since the later part off the trail consists drops and chutes through rocks and trees. It’s all single track from the trail head at plus 900 feet and the ride can take anywhere from five to twenty minutes. At the bottom of the trail is Big Bay beach a.k.a. Cotton Bay, which is undoubtedly one of the best beaches in Tobago. Access to Big Bay is very difficult by land so there’s hardly anyone there.
