By far, one of my favorite spots on island is Peace Hill. There is something about this spot – a beautiful grassy knoll located between Hawksnest and Denis bays – that just makes me feel at ease, or at peace like the name implies. It’s a place I like to visit early in the morning, when I can enjoy a quiet cup of coffee. It’s also a place I love to bring my island tour guests.
Peace Hill is located on St. John’s North Shore and is roughly a 10 minute ride from Cruz Bay. There is a small parking lot on your left hand side (if coming from Cruz Bay), which is located past the Oppenheimer gate. If you’ve reached Jumbie, you’ve gone too far.
The hike to Peace Hill isn’t actually much of a hike. The trail is just one-tenth of a mile, but it does have a moderate grade. It’s definitely doable in flip flops, but I suggest wearing sneakers due to the loose rock along the trail (particulalry if you feel uneasy on your feet). From the parking lot to the top, it is just a short, five-minute walk.
When you reach the top of Peace Hill, you will see one of the island’s remaining sugar mill ruins. The sugar mill was actually a windmill which was used during sugar production for the nearby Denis Bay Plantation. Denis Bay beach is to the east of Peace Hill (right if you are looking toward the ocean). There is a small trail that leads down to the beach off of the trail taken up to Peace Hill.
Tip: You can take a beautiful photo of Trunk Bay through the window of the sugar mill.
You will notice a tree toward the center of Peace Hill. If you give it a closer look, you can see the remnants of the Christ of the Caribbean statue that once stood there.
Julius and Cleome Wadsworth purchased Denis Bay in 1939 and used it as a vacation getaway. They subsequently donated a large parcel to the National Park Service with the deed of gift stating, “The grantors have for some year’s maintained the Wadsworth’s Peace Hill as a place where the public is invited to enjoy great beauty and quiet. It is their wish that Wadsworth’s Peace Hill be perpetually dedicated as a place where people might meditate and find inner peace, in the hope that someday this might contribute to world peace.”
Colonel Wadsworth raised the Christ of the Caribbean statue in 1953. The statue stood tall and helped aid passing ships until 1995 when it fell during Hurricane Marilyn. It was never rebuilt.
Now check out the view!
So as you can see, it’s a beautiful spot. Be sure to check it out on your next trip to the island. Or better yet, let us take you there! Learn more about our island tours at www.ExploreSTJ.com
In the meantime, have a wonderful weekend everyone! And please don’t forget to enter our raffle! It ends tomorrow night at 11:59 p.m. EST. Learn more and enter at www.newsofstjohn.com/raffle
One of my favorite places to go
Me too. I love Peach Hill. I visited St. John as a cruise ship port of call in Jan. 1996 after Hurricane Marilyn hit in Sept. ’95.