Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HIKING THE BLACK RIVER GORGES
The main trails are as follows. If you only have time to make one trek, choose between the Macchabée Trail,
Macchabée Loop and the Parakeet Trail.
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Macchabée Trail (10km one-way, strenuous, four hours) Begin at the Pétrin Information Centre, hiking along
the plateau to the stunning Macchabée Viewpoint, then down to the Black River Gorges Visitor Centre.
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Macchabée Forest Trail (14km return, moderate, three hours) Begin at the Pétrin Information Centre but remain
on the plateau with a loop through some lovely tropical forest.
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Macchabée Loop (8km return, moderate, three hours) Hike along the plateau to the Macchabée Viewpoint then
return along the same path to the Pétrin Information Centre.
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Parakeet Trail (8km one-way, strenuous, three hours) Begin at the Plaine Champagne Police Post (halfway
between the Gorges Viewpoint and Alexandra Falls along the tarred road from Chamarel), following a ridge
down into the gorge and then along the river to the Black River Gorges Visitor Centre.
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Mare Longue Reservoir (12km return, moderate, four hours) Begins and ends at the Pétrin Information Centre,
taking in a dwarf native forest and a large reservoir at the little-visited northern tip of the park.
Information
Staff at both of the visitors centres can offer advice on the different trails, brief you about
the area's wildlife through captioned displays, and hand out fairly sketchy maps.
Black River Gorges Visitors Centre
( 258 0057; 7am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat & Sun)
At the park's
western entrance, about 7.5km southeast of Black River's Trois Bras Junction.
8am-3.15pm Mon-Fri)
At the eastern entrance to
Pétrin Information Centre
(
471 1128, 507 0128;
the park.
