This past weekend my best mate and I loaded up the car and headed out west to Gros Morne National Park. Before I begin to tell you about my adventures there this past weekend, just trust me when I say GO THERE!! DO IT NOW. Believe me when I say you haven't seen anything quite like it. The diversity in just the geology alone is more than enough reason to go, not to mention the wildlife and scenery- Oh and the food, Can't forget the food. Trout River is fish & chip heaven!
This wasn't my first trip to Gros Morne. In 2011 I spent three months wandering the park as a field research assistant in search of the different frog and toad species found here on the island. Since that year I have made it a point to visit there every summer. From Conception Bay its quite the haul but when you have some good tunes and great company what does that matter. In all seriousness its approximately 8 hours from CBS, 8.5 From St. Johns but well worth the drive.
We arrived at our campground around 2:30 only to discover that the park was pretty much full. I was really hoping that my "usual" or go to site was free but right before my eyes she was taken. So I did another loop or two around the park trying to find another one that was suitable, options we limited. I have pretty big tent so finding a site big enough was also an issue. After a few runs around the park we found one that we felt was best for us. It really does take a lot of consideration if you know what you're doing. You don't want a site that has too much coverage from the trees because it blocks out the sun and if it rains your tent will stay wet twice as long, you need to think about the wind and where the closest bathroom is. So, anxious to explore and start some activities we set up our site like bandits stealing from a grocery store and took of for the Coastal Trail Hike which leaves right from Green Point Campground.
We arrived at our campground around 2:30 only to discover that the park was pretty much full. I was really hoping that my "usual" or go to site was free but right before my eyes she was taken. So I did another loop or two around the park trying to find another one that was suitable, options we limited. I have pretty big tent so finding a site big enough was also an issue. After a few runs around the park we found one that we felt was best for us. It really does take a lot of consideration if you know what you're doing. You don't want a site that has too much coverage from the trees because it blocks out the sun and if it rains your tent will stay wet twice as long, you need to think about the wind and where the closest bathroom is. So, anxious to explore and start some activities we set up our site like bandits stealing from a grocery store and took of for the Coastal Trail Hike which leaves right from Green Point Campground.
On a beautiful sunny day it is one of my favourites to hike or mountain bike ride. Now, the flies aren't usually that bad at Green Point which is another reason why I LOVE camping there, but for some reason this weekend they were atrocious. Within 5 minutes of arriving at the park my neck had at least 2-3 fly bites- Our fly spray got a good workout that weekend. The coastal trail hike is approximately a 6km return hike and takes about 1-2 hours to complete walking. On this particular hike you can see anything from whales, tuckamore, various species of flower, geese, gulls & turns, frogs, moose and so much more. It is a great way to get your morning started OR to end your evening, not to mention the absolutely BEAUTIFUL sunsets that you can witness from this trail.
That evening we headed up to Cow Head-Shallow Bay so we could walk the beach in shallow bay. This beach is full of awesomeness when the tide is out. The treasures you will find here are wonderful. Shells and sand dollars are plenty, & you may find crabs of all colors. If you are lucky you may even see a Northern Gannet fly overhead amongst the various other species of seabirds that inhabit this beach and surrounding forest. Shallow Bay Campground backs with the beach which is also great for those couples with little kiddies or those who want to watch the sunset in the evenings. Shallow Bay is a fully serviced campground in a great location but the flies are BRUTAL.
Cow Head is home to the Gros Morne Theatre Festival which is very popular among tourists in the summer. They have shows of all kinds which play 7 days a week, they also offer dinner specials and student discounts. The theatre is located in the same building as Shallow Bay Motel & Cabins. The beautiful thing about Gros Morne is that there is something for everyone whether it is a beautiful sunny day or pouring out the heavens. I've been to Gros Morne a handful of times myself and as I mentioned above- I lived in Norris Point for some time and each time I find myself wandering through the park I learn something new or discover a new hiking trail I never knew about before, a new place to eat or some other type of activity that I’d love to try.
Cow Head is home to the Gros Morne Theatre Festival which is very popular among tourists in the summer. They have shows of all kinds which play 7 days a week, they also offer dinner specials and student discounts. The theatre is located in the same building as Shallow Bay Motel & Cabins. The beautiful thing about Gros Morne is that there is something for everyone whether it is a beautiful sunny day or pouring out the heavens. I've been to Gros Morne a handful of times myself and as I mentioned above- I lived in Norris Point for some time and each time I find myself wandering through the park I learn something new or discover a new hiking trail I never knew about before, a new place to eat or some other type of activity that I’d love to try.
Sunday morning when we woke it was an overcast morning and we knew rain was coming. We decided that we would hike into Western Brook and depending on how we felt we might go on the boat tour into the gorge or just hike in and head out to Java Jacks for lunch. When we had gotten into the boat launch it started to rain a little so we decided that we would explore the area a little and head into Rocky Harbour and get some lunch. I have not taken the boat tour into the gorge myself yet but it is on my list of things to do. I have seen photos and it is incredible. You can also camp in there on the beach or do a four day backpacking adventure through the mountains (life goals).
I mentioned Java Jacks above, now if you've never been to Rocky Harbour ya can't miss it. It’s the little yellow two story right in the heart of Rocky Harbour, just past the orange house. This place has been one of my favorite things to look forward to when I know I’m heading to the west coast of the island, it is perfectly described on their own website as, “A Little Yellow House with a Big Appetite". It is locally owned and operated, the food there is delicious (vegetarian friendly) and they have their own bled of coffee & a gallery upstairs for your viewing pleasure. If you've never been, you need to. There are so many great things about this little yellow house.
Being true Newfies we managed to keep ourselves occupied even though we had monsoon rains and I wasn't exactly sure if our tent was still in one piece and even on our campsite, so we took our chances and headed to Trout River & Woody Point anyway. I had never been to the Discovery Centre so we made a quick stop there and took in some science & art education. This place is gigantic, also yellow resting on a hill as you head into woody point. It’s located about 50 meters off the main road on the highway to Trout River. There is a gift shop, an art gallery, all the information you could ever want to know about Gros Morne & the geological lay out of Newfoundland. There are also lovely employees of Parks Canada there to help you will anything you may need. There are picnic areas and some small hiking trails located just off of the parking lot as well. We didn't stay long as we were anxious to get some more adventuring in, however we did play in the art gallery...... it told us to.
We were hoping for a break in the rain to hike up the Tablelands, there was some snow left in the bowl and it was just too tempting to not climb up there and see just how much was left. I mean snow in July?? Does it get any better? Sadly it kept pouring so I gave my mate the grand tour of Trout River and we headed back to woody point. We were fortunate enough to be able to get out of the car to snap a few shots and head into an ice-cream shop for a few scoops of blueberry ice-cream (My Favorite). We had decided we would walk the main drag in woody point and visit a few gift shops or maybe look into a restaurant but as trusty as Newfoundland’s weather always is, it started to pour again.
We did stop into one little shop called the Hunky Dory! It is a neat little spot, coincidentally also yellow. It has all kinds of great Newfoundland folk art and crafts. The gentlemen who was working at the time (I believe is also the owner) was the friendliest kind of fellow. Us Newfies are known for our hospitality and kindness, & I can honestly say wherever I go here on this island I experience the same kindness. As you can tell from the photos below it wasn't exactly the sunniest of days but we had to make the best of our trip, so we got out & did our best to enjoy the weather.
We did stop into one little shop called the Hunky Dory! It is a neat little spot, coincidentally also yellow. It has all kinds of great Newfoundland folk art and crafts. The gentlemen who was working at the time (I believe is also the owner) was the friendliest kind of fellow. Us Newfies are known for our hospitality and kindness, & I can honestly say wherever I go here on this island I experience the same kindness. As you can tell from the photos below it wasn't exactly the sunniest of days but we had to make the best of our trip, so we got out & did our best to enjoy the weather.
We had to cook inside that night, luckily for us when we arrived back at our campsite our tent was in one piece & dry on the inside. The front of my tent has a screen house so we used that for cooking supper that night so we could stay out of the rain. We spent a quiet evening inside with a deck of cards and a propane heater to take the dampness out of the air. Sleep was not far, hoping for better weather the next day we climbed into our sleeping bags and dreamt of sunshine.
Tuesday brought us more overcast skies but there was no rain. The original plan was to hike Gros Morne Mountain this morning but when you can't see the top of the mountain it’s just not safe, and on top of that you can't see anything when you are on-top so we decided to head up the coast and see what we could get ourselves into. Just to talk a little more about hiking the mountain- The whole point of climbing the mountain is to embrace the challenge and take in the incredible sights once you reach the top. You can see for miles, and if you’re lucky you may see a caribou, moose, bear or snowshoe hare. There is also ten mile lake which provided fabulous photo opportunities and when its foggy or the ceiling is low you are less likely to see these things and there is a great chance of injury. I myself have hiked the mountain four times, and another we went as far as the base because the mountain itself was closed, it is a beautiful hike. I will say make sure you take a long sleeve or a slight jacket. It doesn't matter how hot it is at that base, when you get to the top it doesn't take long to cool down.
Just up the coast from Gros Morne National Park is The Arches Provincial Park. It’s located near Parsons Pond- Portland Creek and it is quite the treat. Another Must!!
The Arches are a giant rock formation made of limestone. Years and years of pounding surf against this rock formation has carved arches in the rock which look something like this.
We had stopped at the park on our way up the coast. It wasn't the most beautiful day, but at-least it wasn't raining. There is a lovely picnic area here which is great for those who are driving north and would like to stop for a snack. There is also a washroom in the park which happens to be very convenient.
I've visited The Arches a few times now, and every time my inner child comes out and I just have to climb them. Yes, you are allowed :0) so embrace it, just do it.
The Arches are a giant rock formation made of limestone. Years and years of pounding surf against this rock formation has carved arches in the rock which look something like this.
We had stopped at the park on our way up the coast. It wasn't the most beautiful day, but at-least it wasn't raining. There is a lovely picnic area here which is great for those who are driving north and would like to stop for a snack. There is also a washroom in the park which happens to be very convenient.
I've visited The Arches a few times now, and every time my inner child comes out and I just have to climb them. Yes, you are allowed :0) so embrace it, just do it.
We ended our adventure in Hawks Bay at the Torrent River Fishway, This place is awesome! A little history lesson, Hawkes Bay was named by explorer James Cook. The fishway itself was constructed in the early 1960's, the reason for this is the torrent river falls is too high for the salmon to jump- 10 meters high. In their efforts to clear the falls they ended up injuring themselves. At the top of the falls sits the Torrent River interpretation Centre. Inside the centre there is all kinds of information and history on the Torrent River & Atlantic salmon as well as the town of Hawkes Bay. There is also a viewing chamber that the Interpreters have access to where you can see the salmon that have made it up the fishway and are waiting to head upstream to spawn. Fisheries and Oceans actually uses this Chamber for studies. It is here that the salmon are counted, measured, and body condition checked before they head upstream.
The interpreters are great, they know their stuff to say the least. Any questions I had were answered and we were able to view the salmon for as long as we wanted.
Recently constructed are a series of walking trails that will take you up or down the riverside, one of which is called the John Hogan Trail. This trail is a 3km boardwalk trail that was constructed but the Town of Hawkes Bay in memorial of Ranger John Hogan who cared for an incapacitated companion in the wild for 50 days.
The interpreters are great, they know their stuff to say the least. Any questions I had were answered and we were able to view the salmon for as long as we wanted.
Recently constructed are a series of walking trails that will take you up or down the riverside, one of which is called the John Hogan Trail. This trail is a 3km boardwalk trail that was constructed but the Town of Hawkes Bay in memorial of Ranger John Hogan who cared for an incapacitated companion in the wild for 50 days.
It was so cool to go down in the viewing chamber and hang out for a half hour or so with the salmon. It has a very calming effect to just watch these fish swim around. Not to mention some of them are MASSIVE. We were also lucky enough to see a few trying to jump the falls when we were making our way to the John Hogan Trail. The sun had also come out and it was shaping up to be a a beautiful afternoon. Along the trail there were many signs indicating the name of each pool which is great for the fisherman who use this river, both those on a regular basis and the visitors we get here on the island. On this particular day the river was FULL of salmon fishermen. It is so nice to see others getting out to enjoy nature and everything that this Province has to offer us.
For more information on the Torrent River Fishway, Please visit http://torrentriver.ca/home/
We were coming up on our last day on the West Coast and just our luck it would be the most beautiful day we had all summer. What are the chances?? Well if you are me, it happens all the time. In saying that we decided we would take our time heading back to conception bay and spent the morning and most of the afternoon at The Tablelands. It was time to climb and find snow. It was so hot, the bay was calm and I mean not a ripple in sight. We had made on last stop at Java Jacks before heading out, as you do and one last drive through Norris Point. With the day being so hot it was refreshing to be able to see snow, It was about 27 degrees and 32 with the humidity! The Bowl is what I call the area where the last bit of snow on the Tablelands resides. There is a lovely waterfall there as well which you can cool off in if you get too warm scaling the side of the lands. The Tablelands hike is one of the easiest in my opinion but also one of the most beautiful. The Tablelands is part of the earth’s mantle- half a billion years in the making. Serpentine rock is one of the many interesting finds you will come across while hiking around. This rock looks like it has a snake skin covering- cool right? Like many other things in Gros Morne National Park and nearby areas, if you get the chance, GO!
There are so many other things I could write about. We also explored some of the hiking trails in Cow Head as well as a beautiful beach on our way down the coast. There is so much to do here, like I said before there is literally something for everyone. I feel that Gros Morne is one of the most beautiful and versatile places on this island and it is worth the trip no matter how far away you live.
Moral of the story is; if you haven't been, GO! Stop wasting time, treat yourself.
Until next time;
-E
Moral of the story is; if you haven't been, GO! Stop wasting time, treat yourself.
Until next time;
-E