Pic Macaya National Park

Pic Macaya National Park is a protected area in southwestern Haiti covering highland terrain and cloud forest in the Massif de la Hotte. The park includes Pic Macaya, one of the country’s highest peaks, and is a core site for Haiti’s remaining intact montane forests.

The park’s primary attractions are its high-elevation cloud forests, steep ridges and endemic flora and fauna, including rare amphibians and plants found only in Haiti. Trails through the reserve are remote and rugged, offering ecological encounters rather than developed visitor services. Scientific interest and conservation research are significant reasons people visit the park.

The area was set aside for protection in the early 1980s to conserve remaining montane forest and endemic species; conservation efforts have continued since amid pressure from regional deforestation. Management and research initiatives have involved local and international conservation organisations.

Pic Macaya National Park sits in Haiti’s Sud department within the Massif de la Hotte range, inland from the southern coast and some distance northwest of the city of Les Cayes. The park covers steep interior terrain rather than coastal areas.

• Endemic biodiversity: The park protects one of Haiti's most important highland cloud forest ecosystems and is a key refuge for endemic species threatened by deforestation.
• Trekking and access: Access is difficult; trails are steep and remote, and visits typically require local guides and preparation for limited facilities on-site.

What to See #

• Pic Macaya peak: The park includes Pic Macaya, one of Haiti's highest peaks, which rises above extensive cloud forest and steep ridges within the protected area.
• Cloud forest and endemic habitats: High-elevation cloud forest tracts that host many of Haiti's endemic plant and amphibian species; these areas form the park's conservation core.