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Garden and river trail · Ocho Rios

Cranbrook Flower Forest, Laughlands, St Ann: a local's guide

Researched by Michael RainfordPrices & hours checked Sources

Status unconfirmed. I couldn't confirm it's open right now. Check before you go; the guide below has open alternatives.

No car?

There is no simple public transport up to Laughlands. Hire a licensed driver from Runaway Bay or Ocho Rios, and confirm the place is open before you set off.

On this page
  1. My local take
  2. How to get there
  3. What to expect
  4. Local tips
  5. Before you go
  6. FAQ
  7. Sources

My local take

Cranbrook Flower Forest is a private garden and nature park in the cool hills of Laughlands, St Ann. The Jamaica Information Service describes a property of about 130 acres, opened to the public in the late 1990s, with landscaped gardens, lawns, a royal palm walk and a trail along the Little River to the river head, where the river rises from a pool at the foot of the rocks. It was always a quiet place, more picnic and wedding photos than adventure park.

We could not confirm that Cranbrook is operating now. Its official website, cranbrookff.com, would not load when we checked. Cranbrook is not on the Jamaica Tourist Board’s reopenings list, last updated February 9, 2026, and we found no report from the operator or the Jamaican press since Hurricane Melissa. Until that changes, treat it as closed for planning. My take: if you love gardens and you are already in the area, ask a local driver to check for you, but build your day around one of the open places nearby.

Open nearby: Green Grotto Caves on the coast road at Discovery Bay, and Seville Heritage Park at St Ann’s Bay, a heritage park with open grounds to walk. On the coast below is Puerto Seco Beach, though its status is also unconfirmed. For the wider area, see our Ocho Rios guide.

How to get there

Cranbrook is inland in the Laughlands hills, off the main north coast road. The Jamaica Information Service puts it about 29 km (18 miles) west of Ocho Rios. From Runaway Bay, including Franklyn D. Resort and Bahia Principe Escape Runaway Bay, it is a short drive east and then up into the hills. From Montego Bay it is a long day trip; allow well over an hour each way.

What to expect

When it was operating normally, the Jamaica Information Service described the River Head Adventure Trail as the main draw. It starts on the lawns by the entrance, runs through the gardens and along the Little River under bamboo, and climbs gently into rain forest to the river head. The JIS put the walk at about an hour to an hour and a half there and back, and said swimming was possible in a pond at the river head.

The same reports describe gingers, heliconias, orchids, bromeliads and palms, lawns for picnics and games, a gazebo used for weddings, and bird watching early in the morning. The JIS also mentioned horseback riding, pond fishing and a petting zoo. None of this is confirmed for today, so ask what is open before you pay.

Local tips

  • Don't make Cranbrook the only stop of your day. Pair it with Green Grotto Caves or Seville so the trip is not wasted if the gate is closed.
  • Ask a driver from the Runaway Bay or St Ann's Bay area to check before you go; local drivers usually know whether a place is running.
  • If it is open, wear shoes with grip. A river trail in the hills is often wet and muddy.
  • Bring insect repellent and cash, since a small rural attraction may not take cards.

Before you go

  • Status is unconfirmed: the official website did not load and we found no reopening report since Hurricane Melissa.
  • Opening hours and prices published elsewhere are old. Don’t rely on them.
  • It is inland on country roads, so you need a car, a driver or a tour.
  • The river trail can be slippery after rain.

Questions people ask

Is Cranbrook Flower Forest open?

We couldn’t confirm it. The official website did not load when we checked, it is not on the Jamaica Tourist Board’s reopenings list, and we found no reopening report since Hurricane Melissa. Check locally before you go.

Where is Cranbrook Flower Forest?

It is at Laughlands in St Ann, in the hills inland from the coast road between Runaway Bay and St Ann’s Bay. The Jamaica Information Service puts it about 29 km (18 miles) west of Ocho Rios.

What is there to do at Cranbrook Flower Forest?

The best-known feature is the River Head trail, which follows the Little River through gardens and rain forest to the pool where the river rises. Earlier reports also describe gardens, lawns, a royal palm walk and bird watching.

What can I do nearby instead?

Green Grotto Caves at Discovery Bay and Seville Heritage Park at St Ann’s Bay are both open and close by. Konoko Falls in Ocho Rios is another garden and waterfall option.

Sources & updates

Update log

  • — New status page; current operation could not be confirmed with the operator, the Tourist Board or Jamaican media.
  • — Moved source citations out of the text

Spotted something out of date? Tell me and I’ll check it.

Where to stay nearby

Where to stay in Ocho Rios