|
To Concord Falls From Mt. Qua Qua Part 1 |
This hike includes a stop at Fedon's Camp, HQ for a slave rebellion. |
|||
|
Concord Falls via Mt. Qua Qua Hike Length: about 10 miles. Time: 4-1/2 hours, one way, including 1 hour on the Mt. Qua Qua trail. There is no need to make the return to Grand Etang Park. Difficulty: 3-4, depending on how wet the conditions. A walking stick is advisable. Trailhead: Accessed from the Mt. Qua Qua Trail. You have several ways to visit the falls, one easy (so easy you don't even have to get out of your vehicle), and one quite challenging. Since one of the reasons you're in Grenada is to walk, let's look at the more difficult option first. It involves taking the first hour of the Mt. Qua Qua trail, then branching off left, to the falls, for the climb down. The Concord Falls Trail wanders under rain forest canopy, over hilltop vistas and across clear streams in the heart of Grenada 's countryside, where you are apt to see most of the 85 different species of Grenada's trees. In many places you will see trailing vines, including the familiar philodendron, hanging from many large trees. These vines could prove useful if you run short of liquid: local hunters cut them to obtain clean drinking water. Hunters have a particular use for the damarin tree which is of less value to hikers. They grind part of the root, then blow it into their dogs' faces to make them sneeze violently. This cleans the dog's sinus passages and readies the animal to follow a new scent, kind of like clearing your palate with sorbet between courses of a gourmet meal. If there's someone hiking with you that you really want to annoy... The Concord Falls Trail has a limited number of interpretive markers. Branching off from the Mt. Qua Qua path and going down, C1 indicates numerous trees at the beginning of the descent, mostly handsome small-leafed santai (Slonea caribea). Despite its appearance, the wood is not durable and so not widely used. C2 marks the bois rouge tree (Guavea macrophylloides), known for its attractive red grain, popular in furniture making. Grisly as it might sound, if you fall off the mountain you'll probably be shipped home in a relative of C3 . The bois lait tree (Neoxythece pallida) is used primarily in making coffin boards, since the white timber is very tolerant of wet ground. The tree produces tiny red blossoms in September. Symbolically, opposite the coffin board marker and off to the right is a steep, 30-minute climb to Fedon's Camp, a site associated with some of Grenada 's greatest bloodletting. Next Page (Concord Falls from Mt. Qua Qua Part 2) To Grand Etang National Park Home
|
|||||
