Cabrits National Park
Cabrits National Park
4.5
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4.5
47 reviews
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Very good
18
Average
5
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Sworn2Fun
Los Angeles147 contributions
Dec 2019
This is a pretty national park with a few different easy hikes. We took the main "hike" (more like a semi-steep walk) up to the peak. Fort Shirley is mostly restored, so nothing to write home about from a historical perspective, but beautiful walk through dense greenery showing off Dominica's abundance of plant and bird life.
If you have limited time in Dominica I would recommend going further into the interior for an adventure or, for something easy, seeing the waterfalls in the south instead.
If you have limited time in Dominica I would recommend going further into the interior for an adventure or, for something easy, seeing the waterfalls in the south instead.
Written 15 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony C
Hendersonville, NC16 contributions
Feb 2019
Visited Fort Shirley on a sunny afternoon. The view of the town of Portsmouth and the surrounding mountains is great. There was a cooling breeze at the top and the tour (self guided) of the fort is easy to navigate. The museum is close to the entry and one can gain a new appreciation for the way of life during the British colonial period. The walk up to the fort entry is rather steep, and can be slippery if there has been a recent rain. Along that line be sure to take rain gear and wear shoes that you don't mind getting muddy, as rain showers do move through the area frequently.
Written 2 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patricia D
Houston, TX17 contributions
May 2022
Interesting historical site. Recommend you stop by for a couple of hours to see the restored fort and building constructed by the English when they occupied the island. The views are amazing. The information is a bit lacking but I think they are trying to improve on that. Definitely go if you can spare of couple of hours.
Written 16 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ItchyFeet
Camarillo, CA11,472 contributions
Feb 2024 • Solo
I was on Star Flyer with Star Clippers and the boat docked immediately next to the park.
They said it was 15 minutes to the fort but it was 100 yards! It costs $5US to go into the park. The walk to the peak was maybe 15 minutes but signage was not great but the views were great to the other islands.
The fort was interesting and the walk was nice. No one was around since it is not near any towns or major cruise ship. It was nice to be in an area that was very low-key and quiet.
They said it was 15 minutes to the fort but it was 100 yards! It costs $5US to go into the park. The walk to the peak was maybe 15 minutes but signage was not great but the views were great to the other islands.
The fort was interesting and the walk was nice. No one was around since it is not near any towns or major cruise ship. It was nice to be in an area that was very low-key and quiet.
Written 6 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bakerofgoods
Massachusetts83 contributions
Jan 2022 • Couples
Just wrote my review for Fort Shirley but now I see these are listed separately. Not sure why. We found this visit to be not worth the time. Perhaps because we ended up on the wrong trail the West Trail). Definitely skip that one. Perhaps the other trails offer better views, but there is much better hiking on the island. I suppose if you can’t manage much hiking, this could offer the spectacular views you can find on Dominica.
Written 21 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GRZ
Chicago, IL11,708 contributions
Jan 2020
Visiting Fort Shirley was our first attraction during first leg of Dominica vacation. If you stay on the west coast it's an absolutely no brainer but if you are coming from either south/Roseau or east/Marigot you may want to combine this stop with something else; preferably Indian River as you will be lazy on the river and actually have energy for walking around the Cabrits... as there plenty to walk around and/or hike.
The fort is beautifully preserved/renovated; the multiple cannons of different kinds are probably the most numerous I have experienced around Caribbeans islands for the fort this size, super nice vista from where the cannons stand with all of them aligned! Also the museum at the entrance is pretty cool with lots of 3D displays - very nice quality for such a modest spot considering everybody passes through it and focuses on the fort and what's up the hill rather than at the entrance.
Now there are couple things you can do; roam around the fort or take one of the two hiking trails;
a. Yellow Trail = West Cabrit battery is a pretty steep and uneven terrain with a lovely bench to relax about half way through; it's somewhat challenging - the views at the end are nice although don't expect a treasure chest; it's just a cannon and beautiful blue seas as far as you can see... well and maybe the neighboring islands of Guadeloupe in sight :) closed comfy shoes are an absolute must here, I would not dare taking this one with flip flops as it's too easy even in regular shoes to twist your ankle
b. Blue Trail = this one much flatter and easier, it can lead you to different places - it's not super accurate on the map so having google maps with gps helped at times making decisions - we made here to the point #26 on the map "view point" and decided we are satisfied (the yellow trail definitely cost us more energy than we thought we would leave at the fort:P)
Enjoy the vegetation and nice windy air, there are numerous benches around the grounds and even sitting on them for a while is a super treat considering the views you have in front of you.
TIP: part of the national system the park of course is included in your weekly pass
TIP: parking lot is before the main gate, from here you have to walk up a bit - I would say flips flops/sandals for the fort itself are generally fine but shoes are better. The hills can be challenging at times so take "your time" and do it on the island time :)
The fort is beautifully preserved/renovated; the multiple cannons of different kinds are probably the most numerous I have experienced around Caribbeans islands for the fort this size, super nice vista from where the cannons stand with all of them aligned! Also the museum at the entrance is pretty cool with lots of 3D displays - very nice quality for such a modest spot considering everybody passes through it and focuses on the fort and what's up the hill rather than at the entrance.
Now there are couple things you can do; roam around the fort or take one of the two hiking trails;
a. Yellow Trail = West Cabrit battery is a pretty steep and uneven terrain with a lovely bench to relax about half way through; it's somewhat challenging - the views at the end are nice although don't expect a treasure chest; it's just a cannon and beautiful blue seas as far as you can see... well and maybe the neighboring islands of Guadeloupe in sight :) closed comfy shoes are an absolute must here, I would not dare taking this one with flip flops as it's too easy even in regular shoes to twist your ankle
b. Blue Trail = this one much flatter and easier, it can lead you to different places - it's not super accurate on the map so having google maps with gps helped at times making decisions - we made here to the point #26 on the map "view point" and decided we are satisfied (the yellow trail definitely cost us more energy than we thought we would leave at the fort:P)
Enjoy the vegetation and nice windy air, there are numerous benches around the grounds and even sitting on them for a while is a super treat considering the views you have in front of you.
TIP: part of the national system the park of course is included in your weekly pass
TIP: parking lot is before the main gate, from here you have to walk up a bit - I would say flips flops/sandals for the fort itself are generally fine but shoes are better. The hills can be challenging at times so take "your time" and do it on the island time :)
Written 8 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mzchine
7 contributions
Sept 2018 • Friends
This place is a must to visit and take lots of pictures... A beautiful walk in the park and beautiful hostoric views.....
Written 1 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robin S
Silver Spring, MD99 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
My husband and I hiked the trails at Cabrits after several days of strenuous hiking in the interior of the island. These trails were well maintained and are much less taxing than the mountain trails. I recommend visiting this park for the different habitat and the spectacular views of Portsmouth, to the south, and Douglas Bay/ Toucari to the north. Fort Shirley was restored and is interesting to visit. Bring plenty of water because there is less shade on this trail than most of the interior hikes. Many of the larger canopy trees are currently bare. Locals offered various explanations for this- could be Maria damage, the time of year (some trees are deciduous) or the recent dry weather (maybe all three?). The visitor center has restrooms and a restaurant with typical Dominican lunch and beverages. It’s a relatively short walk up to Fort Shirley on a paved stone road (park staff use this road for vehicles). Fort Shirley offers excellent views of Portsmouth and the harbor. It is worth mentioning that there is a restroom facility and water at the fort since the trail network branches out from just below this point. We first hiked up to the west view trail. This trail is wide with no obstacles but somewhat rocky. We saw hundreds of lizards up to 10 inches long, some camouflaged brown while others of the same species were bright blue. We also spotted one iguana and a typical assortment of birds. There is a bench partway up where you can sit and enjoy a view of Douglas Bay/Toucari. At the end you reach a dizzyingly steep cliff where you have views across the Caribbean. Though much of this walk is not shaded there was a steady breeze that offered relief from the heat. We took the east trail as well. This trail had no obstacles and was less steep and rocky than the west trail. It appears as though several large trees around the former commander’s quarters were lost during Maria and have been removed. There is evidence along all of the trails of the incredible effort parks workers have made clearing downed trees from these trails. I highly recommend hiking the trails if you are in the area.
Written 2 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bruggadung
Carleton Place, Canada78 contributions
Jul 2012 • Solo
A wonderful blend of restored buildings in Fort Shirley and tree covered ruins. The climb is steady and I was relieved I began first thing in the morning - the estimate is 20 minutes one way for East Cabrits but I'd budget more for the climb if you want to stop for pictures - watch for the ubiquitous hermit crabs and the Dominican racer snakes... both are harmless. The view from the top is worth it and you'll see the commandant's quarters so if you climb only one, do the East climb. Because I had a taxi returning I shelved the West Cabrits but would try it if I ever returned - it is a more strenuous climb, though. Well worth a morning's exploration at the reasonable admittance; you can also purchase the week Eco-pass here that will allow entry to the key sites on Dominica.
Written 20 July 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bianca9574
22 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We found the main buildings too nicely rebuilt. Once on the trails we found some ruins, which we like better. We were almost alone on the site which made it enjoyable
Written 1 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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