All activities / Trekking / Hiking / Middle Caicos
Trekking / Hiking in Middle Caicos
The largest and most dramatic of the Turks and Caicos islands, and one of the least developed, a wild expanse of limestone cliffs, secret beaches and dry forest reached by causeway from North Caicos. It holds Mudjin Harbour's cliff-backed cove, the coastal Crossing Place Trail, and Conch Bar Caves, the largest cave system in the archipelago.
Why here
Middle Caicos is where the flat, beachy Turks and Caicos turns rugged and wild. The island's north shore rises into limestone cliffs cut with blowholes, sea caves and hidden coves, and the Crossing Place Trail runs along it for miles, retracing the old footpath islanders once used to cross between settlements. The walk links Mudjin Harbour, a cliff-ringed beach that is one of the most striking spots in the country, to secret beaches and rolling green headlands, with the open Atlantic crashing below. Inland lies Conch Bar Caves, the largest cave system in the Turks and Caicos and one of the largest in the region, a mile and a half of dark passages hung with stalactites and columns, home to four species of bat and tidal pools, once mined for bat guano and used by the Lucayans before that. A national park managed by the National Trust, the caves can only be entered with a guide. Between the cliff trail and the caves, Middle Caicos offers the country's best walking and a rare, quiet look at its natural and human history, far from the resorts of Provo.
Best months
Walking is possible year-round but most comfortable in the cooler, drier months from about November to April; summer is hot and humid with strong sun and little shade on the exposed cliff trail. The Crossing Place Trail runs several miles along rock and packed-sand paths above the sea, refurbished with signage by the National Trust and local volunteers, and can be walked in sections. Conch Bar Caves stay cool inside; the guided route takes under an hour over uneven, sometimes slippery ground, with tidal pools that rise and fall. Bring water, sturdy shoes and sun protection.
Getting there & around
Middle Caicos is reached by a passenger ferry from Providenciales to North Caicos, then the causeway that links the two islands, so a rental car on North and Middle Caicos is effectively essential; the islands are quiet with few services, so bring supplies. Conch Bar Caves are gated and require a guide, arranged through the National Trust or the Middle Caicos Co-op in Conch Bar village for a small cash fee, so call ahead, especially at weekends. The Crossing Place Trail is free and self-guided, with Dragon Cay Resort at Mudjin Harbour sitting right on it as a base.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate
Schools & guides (2)
Dragon Cay Resort
OutfitterDragon Cay Resort is a small collection of cottages and villas at Mudjin Harbour on Middle Caicos, sitting immediately adjacent to the Crossing Place Trail, which it calls one of the world's most striking coastal hikes. Its on-site manager arranges hiking, caving, kayaking, biking, snorkelling and fishing, making the resort the natural trailhead and base for exploring the island's cliffs, beaches and Conch Bar Caves, in one of the most remote and scenic corners of the Turks and Caicos.
Turks and Caicos National Trust
OrganizerThe Turks and Caicos National Trust is the territory's non-profit heritage and conservation body. On Middle Caicos it manages Conch Bar Caves, the largest cave system in the Turks and Caicos at about a mile and a half of passages, running the required guided tours of the gated national park, and it helped refurbish and sign the coastal Crossing Place Trail. It also runs education and species-protection programmes country-wide.