Gros Morne National Park of Canada

Hiking

Visitor Safety Information

The forests of Gros Morne National Park are failing, largely as a result of moose over-browsing. In an effort to restore forest health, a multi-year moose reduction program was initiated in 2011. Qualified hunters are therefore once again assisting Parks Canada to reduce the unnaturally high moose populations in the national park.

Visitors planning to come to Gros Morne this fall and winter are encouraged to read the following safety information, and call Gros Morne National Park at (709) 458-2417 prior to your visit if you have any questions. Maps of the Moose Management Area, as well as of the hiking trails that are excluded from it, are available on this web site. Please pay particular attention to signage indicating areas where hunting is taking place once you arrive.

Know when the hunting season is: Visitors should take note that an active moose hunt will be underway in Gros Morne National Park from Oct. 9, 2012–Jan. 27, 2013. During this time, hunting can take place starting one half hour before sunrise until one half hour after sunset.

Find out the extent of the hunting area: Gros Morne’s one single Moose Management Area (2E) encompasses 740 km², or 40 per cent of the park. It includes much of the national park’s lowland areas. (See map (PDF, 0.98 MB).)

Find out which trails are outside the hunting area: Some hiking trails in Gros Morne are excluded from the Moose Management Area—that is, no hunting may take place there. Visitors will find the trails listed below will give them a representative spectrum to suit all levels of interest and ability. (Numbers correspond with trail map (PDF, 0.98 MB).)

• The Old Mail Road (Shallow Bay) (1)
• Steve’s Trail (2)
• Western Brook Pond Trail (3)
• Coastal Trail (5)
• Berry Head Pond (6)
• Bakers Brook Falls (7)
• Berry Hill (8)
• Berry Hill Pond (9)
• Gros Morne Mountain (10)
• Tablelands (17)
• Green Gardens (Short hike) (19)

Be visible: It’s important to be easily seen in the woods. Therefore, avoid wearing blacks, browns, earth-toned greens and animal-coloured clothing. It is recommended that hunters and hikers alike wear a blaze-orange hat and jacket. Inexpensive orange vinyl vests are easy to come by in outdoors shops or department stores.

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Gros Morne National Park protects some of the most spectacular scenery and wildlife in eastern Canada. There are more than 100 km of trails in the park, ranging from half-hour strolls to strenuous day hikes. Hikers that are interested in our backpacking trails should refer to wilderness hiking.

The following descriptions will help you choose a trail suitable to your interest, physical ability, and available time. Consult the park map for the locations of each hiking trail in the park.

The trails are rated according to their difficulty:

• Easy trails are short and level, and can be hiked by almost anyone.
• Moderate trails are of medium length (5-10 km), or are shorter trails with a major hill. Most people should have little difficulty. You should take a snack and be prepared for changing weather.
• Strenuous trails are long, with steep sections. You should have a map, a first-aid kit, extra clothing, drinking water, and food.

Developed trails are clearly marked throughout their length, and have boardwalks, bridges, and stairs where necessary (with the exception of the gully up Gros Morne Mountain and fords along the Green Gardens Trail).

Trail	Length	Hiking Time	Rating
1. Trout River Pond	14 km return	4-5 hours	moderate
2. Green Gardens short hike	9 km return	3-4 hours	moderate-strenuous
2. Green Gardens long hike	14.5 km or 16 km loop	6-8 hours	strenuous
3. Tablelands	4 km return	2 hours	moderate
4. Lookout	5 km return	2.5 hours	moderate-strenuous
5. Stanleyville	4 km return	2 hours	moderate
6. Stuckless Pond	9.5 km return	3-4 hours	moderate
7. Lomond River	6 km one-way	2 hours	moderate
8. Southeast Brook Falls	1 km return	0.5 hours	moderate-easy
9. Mattie Mitchell	0.5 km loop	0.25 hrs	easy
10. Gros Morne Mountain/James Callaghan	16 km return	7-8 hours	strenuous
11. Lobster Cove Head	2 km loop	0.5 hours	moderate-easy
12. Berry Hill	1.5 km return	1 hour	moderate-easy
13. Berry Hill Pond	2 km loop	0.5-1 hour	easy
14. Baker’s Brook Falls	10 km return	2-3 hours	moderate
15. Berry Head Pond	2 km loop	0.5-1 hour	easy
16. Green Point (Coastal)	3 km one way	0.5-1 hour	easy
17. Western Brook Pond	3 km one-way	0.5-1 hour	moderate-easy
18. Snug Harbour	8 km one way	2.5 hours	moderate
19. Broom Point	1 km return	0.5 hour	easy
20. Old Mail Road	2 km one-way	1 hour	easy

 

1. Trout River Pond

• The trail begins in the Trout River day-use area.
• The trail follows the north shore of Trout River Small Pond.
• First half is through shaded boreal forest, but then the vegetation dwindles to larch scrub and serpentine barrens. Arctic-alpine plants grow here, in the midst of patterned ground, erosion fans, and calcium springs.
• This trail provides magnificent views of the Narrows where two ponds meet, and of the glacial-carved valley of Trout River Big Pond.

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2. Green Gardens

• This trail provides access to a coast of sea stacks, volcanic rocks, a sea cave accessible at low tide, and a secluded cove with sparkling waterfalls.
• More information on the Green Gardens trail.

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3. Tablelands

• 4 km west of Discovery Centre in Woody Point on route 431.
• Geology here marks a time when the continents of Africa and North America collided, pushing these rocks, originally beneath the ocean, to their present position on land.
• The trail follows an old road from the parking lot to the entrance of Winterhouse Brook Canyon.
• Please stay on the trail as much as possible to avoid walking on the tiny rare plants that grow on this alien landscape.

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4. Lookout

• The trailhead starts in the Discovery Centre parking lot located in Woody Point on route 431.
• This trail rises steeply up the forested hillside to the wet meadow and barrens of the plateau.
• The boardwalk leads to the summit of Partridgeberry Hill and has the best panoramic view in the park.

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5. Stanleyville

• This trail begins at the day-use area playground in Lomond campground.
• The trail climbs over a ridge and down to a cove at Stanleyville.
• Stanleyville was a small community that was active in the early 1900s. Although, abandoned for 80 years, garden plants still grow at Stanleyville.
• The trail follows the old road through a second-growth forest and past a present-day domestic cutting area.

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6. Lomond River

• Located 16km from Wiltondale, west on route 431. The start of this trail begins in the parking lot of Stuckless Pond.
• The trail leads a walk through forest and fen, with spur trails that lead to the Lomond River.

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7. Stuckless Pond

• Located 16km from Wiltondale, west on route 431.
• A boardwalk carries the first part of this trail across a fen.
• A suspension bridge crosses the Lomond River, and the trail then heads uphill to Stuckless Pond.
• The trail circles the pond set between prominent hills, where signs of past logging operations persist.

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8. Southeast Brook Falls

• Located 9 km north of Wiltondale on route 430.
• A short, fairly easy hike through the woods.
• The trail will bring you to Southeast Brook Falls, which are most impressive during spring run-off, or after a heavy rain.
• Please stay on the safe side of the barricade. It’s a long drop down.

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9. Mattie Mitchell

This short interpretive trail tells the story of Mattie Mitchell and the Mi’kmaq in Newfoundland. Mattie Mitchell was a renowned Mi’kmaw hunter, guide and prospector and has been recognized as a person of national historic significance. He made an exceptional contribution to the exploration and mapping of the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland and to the development of the emerging Newfoundland economy of forestry and mining in the 20th century.

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10. Gros Morne Mountain (James Callaghan) Trail

• It is very important to be well-prepared before undertaking this hike.
• The view from the top is renowned, as is the exhausting climb up the gully.
• The trail on top of the mountain is often closed until the beginning of July because of late snow, wet soils, and animals raising young.
• Be prepared, this is not an easy hike. No dogs are allowed.
• More information on the Gros Morne Mountain trail.

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11. Lobster Cove Head

• Located 1 km west of Rocky Harbour on route 430.
• A sign by the parking lot illustrates the paths down to the shoreline and along coastal cliffs.
• The rocky beach with its tidal pools is excellent for exploring at low tide.
• The lightkeeper’s house is open to visitors from mid May to mid October and contains an exhibit about the history of the area.

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12. Berry Hill

• Located in Berry Hill campground.
• Berry Hill is a low rock knob that was an island during higher sea-levels just after the last ice age. Rocks polished by waves 10,000 years ago are still visible on its flanks.
• The climb is steep (stairs and rest benches are provided), but the view from the top is lovely.

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13. Berry Hill Pond

• Located in Berry Hill campground.
• This trail is fine for an after-dinner stroll, or you can walk it before breakfast when the birds are in song.

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14. Baker’s Brook Falls

• Located in Berry Hill campground.
• The falls are the main attraction of this trail, rivalled by a profusion of spring and summer wildflowers in the bog and forest.
• Much of this trail is through forest, sheltered from the wind, so be prepared for biting insects.
• At the riverside, follow the trail downstream to a viewpoint over a wide step-like water falls.

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15. Berry Head Pond

• 6 km north of Rocky Harbour on route 430.
• The use of boardwalk on the first portion of this trail allows people with limited mobility to enjoy the pond.
• This trail encircles the pond, passing through habitats such as forest and bog.
• This is a good trail for windy days.

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16. Green Point (Coastal)

• You can start this trail from the Green Point campground or from a small parking area north of the Baker’s Brook bridge.
• This trail follows the old winter mail road along the coast between Baker’s Brook and Green Point.
• The long cobble beach, small ponds, and coastal tuckamore provide a pleasant variety of habitats.

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17. Western Brook Pond

• 27 km north of Rocky Harbour on route 430.
• Leads to the Western Brook Pond boat tour.
• The trail crosses coastal bogs and low forested limestone ridges over gentle terrain and boardwalks.
• The view alone is worth the hike, even if you are not able to take the boat tour.

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18. Snug Harbour

• This trail is a spur off Western Brook Pond trail, and leads to a campsite at the foot of the Long Range Mountains.
• Be prepared to ford Western Brook. The water in the brook can be very deep after a rainfall. It is advisable to take extra footwear (e.g. sandals).
• Expect muddy conditions.

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19. Broom Point

• 34 km north of Rocky Harbour on route 430.
• The trail starts beside the toilet building at the Broom Point parking lot and leads to the mouth of Western Brook through tuckamore forest.
• The gravel road leads to the restored summer fishing premises at Broom Point, and to a small cove, site of a cemetery from the 1800s.

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20. Old Mail Road

• 3 km north of the community Cow Head.
• This trail starts at the Shallow Bay day-use area and follows the old winter mail road along the edge of the campground, and north to the Slants River.
• The mail road parallels the shoreline in the shelter of dense coastal forest.
• For a short loop, you can cross the dunes on the boardwalk at the campground and then return along the beach.

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