Compare Coastal and Mountain Hiking in Gros Morne National Park by Road Scholar

Day 1 Arrival and Check In/Welcome Dinner/Orientation Deer Lake, NL

Arrivals and transfers to the hotel in Deer Lake.. Meet your group leader between 4:00 - 5:00 to pick up your packet. If you arrive later, please ask the front desk for your packet.

Program orientation and introductions after dinner. You are embarking on an adventure in one of Canada's most celebrated National Parks - Gros Morne National Park. We will be staying in two small towns, Cow Head and Rocky Harbour, located right in the park, giving us easy access to many of the attractions, historically and culturally, that this World Heritage Site has to offer.

Welcome dinner at the hotel restaurant at 6:30 p.m.

Day 2 Geology of Gros Morne, Hiking the Tablelands, Woody Point Cow Head, NL

Hiking approximate 4.5 miles (7 km), easy terrain; 270 ft elevation gain; about 3 - 4 hours.

In a presentation with a Parks expert, we’ll learn why Gros Morne has been called the "Galapagos of Geology" and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987. The park is a grand scale illustration of plate tectonics, and we will be walking on and touching evidence of the collision and separation of continent-sized plates of the earth's crust over millennia,, including the 1.5 billion year-old rock that forms the cliffs at Western Brooks Pond. After the presentation, we'll hike on the internationally known Tablelands, a rare outcrop of the Earth’s mantle pushed skyward half a billion years ago. The landscape here, with its peridotite and serpentinite rock, is similar that of Mars and what looks like a barren landscape is actually home to plants normally found in the Arctic. The trail ends in the glacially-carved Winterhouse Brook Canyon.

This afternoon we will be hiking on Woody Point community trail and through the historic community on the shores of Bonne Bay. Woody Point is a Registered Heritage District and has many heritage buildings. The trail provides spectacular vistas as it meanders through the hills of Woody Point, past the iconic Woody Point Lighthouse, and ending on the tranquil beaches of Woody Point. Many wild plants are featured on this walk including fields of pitcher plants. We will then transfer back to the hotel.

At leisure.

Breakfast at hotel

Lunch at a local Restaurant

Dinner at the motel

Day 3 Western Brook Pond, Fjord Cruise, Coastal Newfoundland Cow Head, NL

Hiking approximately 6 miles (9.5 km), on a flat terrain with little elevation gain; about 3 - 4 hours. The trail to Western Brook Pond is 2 miles (3 km) each way. The trail is boardwalk and gravel with some slight grades. Driving 60 miles over 1 hour.

Follow the trail to the shores of Western Brook Pond and its impressive backdrop of spectacular cliffs, fjords and the Long Range Mountains. Along the way you’ll cross the bogs and forested ridges of the parks’ coastal lowlands, once located below sea level. Then embark on a boat excursion on Western Brook Pond. The "pond" is the largest lake in the park. On board the boat, we will see the spectacular, land-locked Western Brook Pond fjord. The fjord is just one of numerous glacially carved fjords in the Long Range Mountains, the northernmost extent of the Appalachian Mountains. Waterfalls cascade from a height of 3,000 feet (900 meters), and we may spot some of the local wildlife. The lake is home to an unusual colony of cliff-nesting gulls.

Hike the limestone coastline near Cow Head. Enjoy spectacular coastal views, look for fossils buried in this ancient rock and learn of a journey from hundreds of metres below the ocean to its present day location. The trail winds through a thick medieval looking forest with tunnels of tuckamore lining the sides in between open areas. There are a couple of viewing platforms built along the way offering views of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the expanse of the inland coastal lowlands and the Long Range Mountains. After the trail crests the top of the head it turns back towards the ocean and the lighthouse.

At leisure, option to attend a performance at the Gros Morne Theatre which is adjacent to the motel.

At the motel.

At the dockside at Western Brook Pond there is a sheltered waiting area, indoor washroom facilities, canteen services and a gift shop as well as several beautiful picnic areas where we will enjoy our boxed lunches.

At the motel

Day 4 Hiking Gros Morne Mountain - Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse Cow Head, NL

Hiking Gros Morne Mountain for approximately 5 - 7 miles (8-11 km) return on mountainous terrain with up to 1000 feet (305 meters) in elevation gain. About 3-4 hours. Moderate rating (rocky terrain in places). Hiking to Lobster Cove Lighthouse approximately 1 mile (1.5 km) on a paved trail.

Hike to the base of Gros Morne Mountain. It dominates the skyline and stands apart from the Long Range Mountains. Hikers are rewarded with spectacular views of Bonne Bay and the Long Range Mountains. Listen for songbirds and look for moose along the trail. The first 2.5 miles of trail wind through forest to a viewing platform at the mountain base. There are frequent stairs and a boardwalk from which we will enjoy amazing vistas.

After lunch we head for the Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse - an historic lighthouse and one of the best places in Gros Morne National Park to spot whales! We’ll learn how local residents fought to have these lighthouses built in order to protect loved ones out at sea fishing, see the lighthouse keepers’ tidal clock, and then hike the coastal trail.

At leisure.

Breakfast at motel.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant

Dinner at the motel.

Day 5 Hiking Philips Garden Trail, Hawkes Bay Cow Head, NL

Hiking 5 - 6 miles (8-9.5 km), Phillips Garden trail has hilly terrain with some steep sections; hike at Hawkes Bay on flat ground; minimal elevation gain..

North of Gros Morne National Park is the fishing community of Port au Choix. The rich fishing grounds made this area and important source of food for Maritime Archaic Indian, Dorset and Groswater Paleoeskimo groups and other, more recent, Indigenous peoples. The Dorset people also hunted seals on passing ice flows for food, clothing and shelter. Walk in their footsteps along the trail and see a full-scale replica of one of their subterranean dwellings at the Port Au Choix National Historic Site. Explore the limestone barrens looking for rare plants and fossils. Keep an eye out for sculptures offering glimpses into ancient Indigenous ways of life.

We head to Hawke's Bay to hike the John Hogan Trail. The trail was built to commemorate the remarkable courage of Newfoundland Ranger John Hogan, who for over 50 days, survived in the wilderness and cared for a totally incapacitated companion. The boardwalk meanders along the Torrent River and ends in a spectacular waterfall. Visit the Torrent River Salmon Ladder and hear about Newfoundland and Labrador's most successful salmon- enhancement project.

At leisure.

At the motel.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant

Dinner at the motel.

Day 6 Hiking Bakers Brook Falls Trail, Burnt Hills Trail Rocky Harbour, NL

Hiking Baker's Brook Falls Trail for approximately 5 - 7 miles (8-11 km) on flat terrain with little elevation gain. About 4 - 5 hours. Hiking Burnt Hills trail for approximately 2 miles (3.5 km) with an elevation gain of 750 feet (235 meters).

Hike across the coastal lowlands to an impressive waterfall at Bakers Brook. The trail offers great views of the Long Range Mountains and leads through balsam fir forest to the falls, a series of cascades over limestone ridges. This boreal forest is in several stages of regeneration, recovering from the natural effects of winds and insects. Heavy moose browsing has limited its regrowth in many places.

After lunch we hike Burnt Hills Trail, which is located on the waterfront of Norris Point. This trail will lead us to scenic views of Norris Point, The Tablelands and the eastern arm of Bonne Bay. A popular spot for photographers.

At leisure.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant

Dinner on own.

Day 7 Hiking Trout River, Green Gardens Rocky Harbour, NL

Hiking approximately 6 miles (9.5 km), some steep sections, elevation gain 900 ft; about 4 hours.

Today we hike in the Trout River area. Follow the trail to a spectacular coastline of cliffs, sea stacks, and the meadows of Green Gardens. Cross serpentine barrens, descend through forest, and reach the shore at Old Man Cove.

Hiking continues at the Tablelands with great panoramic views. Transfer to Rocky Harbour in time to freshen up for dinner.

There is no party like a Newfoundland Kitchen Party! Join a local musician for our own interpretation of this lively local tradition. Sing along, and even grab your own traditional NL instrument to play along with the band. And don’t forget to get Screeched in. No trip to our shores can be complete without partaking in this unique ceremony that will get your tongue in a twist and make you an honorary Newfoundlander in the process.

Breakfast in hotel dining room.

Box lunch.

Farewell dinner at the hotel.

Day 8 Program Concludes, Departures Rocky Harbour, NL

Group transfer to Deer Lake Airport after breakfast; approximate arrival at airport is 9:00 a.m. Check-out is 11:00 a.m. for those staying on independently. This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please be in touch via the Road Scholar Social Network, where you can share memories, pictures and comments. Best wishes for all your journeys.

Final breakfast at 8:00 a.m. and goodbyes.