The Massif du Nord, Haiti's Northern Mountain Range, is a system of mountains that extends west from the Dominican Republic's Cordillera Central. It rises over the Northern and Artibonite Departments. The altitude varies from 600 to 1,210 meters (1,970 to 4,000 feet). This chain extends northwest as the Haut-Piton chain. To the north of this massif extends the narrow coastal North Plain. To the south of the Massif du Nord flows the Guayamouc River. The Massif du Nord separates the city of Cap-Haïtien from the Central Plateau.
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The Massif du Nord dominates the Northern Department. Oriented in a Northwest/Southeast direction, it is about 125 km (77 mi.) long and 30 to 35 km (20.mi) wide and it extends to the Dominican Republic. In the part of North Department, its topography is characterized by steep slopes and steep-sided valleys in the shape of a V. There are the valleys of the Grande Rivière du Nord, Trois Rivieres (Plaisance, Pilate), Grande Ravine (Limbé), Borgne and a multitude of smaller hills. There are various altitudes on the course of these basin slopes:
| Trois Rivières | In the Plaisance range:
Morne Vieux Dépôt 1055m |
|---|---|
| Pilate | Morne Bobére 1210m (the highest peak in the department) Morlant 982 meters above sea level |
| Limbe | Morne Gerard, 1115m Morne Lafleur, 956m Morne Deux Têtes 638m |
| Cap-Haitien | Morne Cabane, 813m Morne Gris Mango, 1028m Bonnet à l’Évêque Range, 875m above sea level |
| Port-Margot | Morne Tibo, 1165m |
| Grande Rivière du Nord | Morne Salnave 1170m Morne Robinet 818m Black Mountains 1034m |
| Bouyaha | Morne Fort-Rivière 1128m Morne Bois Neuf 1089m |
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The Massif du Nord is made up of two mountainous regions separated by the Grande Rivière du Nord alluvial plain. In its western part, the massif has mainly calcareous soils although presenting some deeper and less rocky soils. In the Plaisance area, the soils that spread out along the Plaisance Valley offer, when the topography and the rocky nature of the soil allows it, excellent possibilities for various cash crops. The soils of the area are made up of alluvium and limestone laminates. Some hilly areas of the Central part offer good characteristics for cultivation and breeding. The intra-mountainous valleys are of variable productivity.
In addition to the valleys, the soils of the mountainous areas of the communes of Plaisance, Pilate, Borgne, Port-Margot, Limbé, Acul du Nord, Milot, Grande Rivière du Nord and Bahon are of variable thickness and slopes between 30-60% and more, but allowing in certain cases a limited agriculture. The soils of the Massif du Nord offer a suitable terrain and climate for the production of coffee, cocoa and for fruit growing.