When early Spanish sailors spotted this island, they thought the cloud-covered peak looked like a snow-capped mountain, so they named it 'Nuestra Señora de las Nieves' — which means 'Our Lady of the Snows'. Over time that was shortened to Nevis. Of course there is no snow — the island is tropical and warm all year round — but the fluffy white clouds do sit on the peak almost every day.
The rainforest that covers Nevis Peak is home to an extraordinary variety of plants and animals. Tree ferns, orchids, and bromeliads cling to the branches in the mist zone near the top. Hummingbirds dart between flowers, and the rare black-tailed trainbearer bird has been spotted in the forest. Vervet monkeys roam freely up and down the slopes.
Hiking up Nevis Peak is one of the most popular adventures on the island. The trail winds through farmland and then enters thick jungle, where the air becomes cool and damp. Near the top, hikers sometimes disappear inside a cloud. The view from the summit — when the cloud lifts — shows the whole island laid out below like a green jewel in the sea.
Geologists — scientists who study the Earth — say that Nevis Peak is a dormant volcano, meaning it is sleeping and not erupting right now. The rich soil around its base has made Nevis famous for growing some of the best fruit and vegetables in the Caribbean for hundreds of years.