El Cerro del Aripo, Mountain summit in Northern Range, Trinidad and Tobago.
El Cerro del Aripo is a mountain summit in Trinidad and Tobago's Northern Range that reaches 940 meters in elevation. Its flat peak remains shrouded in dense fog and cloud forest throughout the year.
The summit forms part of the Aripo Massif, which creates the headwaters for several major tributaries of the Caroni River through numerous mountain springs. Its geological structure has sustained water sources for the island for millennia.
The mountain area contains the Aripo Cave system, where colonies of oilbirds nest among extensive stalactite and stalagmite formations.
Hiking trails to the summit begin from La Laha Road near Arima town, with a three-hour ascent through subtropical forest terrain. The fog and moisture at the peak require weatherproof gear and sturdy footwear due to wet ground conditions.
The nearby Aripo Cave system hosts colonies of oilbirds nesting among extensive stalactite and stalagmite formations. The mountain area is also home to the endemic golden treefrog and luminous lizard Riama shrevei inhabiting water-collecting bromeliads at high elevations.
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