Thoughts on Newfoundland hiking

[dreamstream]

Have not been able to do much NE hiking this year, been saving the money and vacation time for a 3 week trip to Newfoundland. Going to hike some sections of the East Coast Trail, some trails in Terra Nova and Gros More, then do some river paddling and maybe a couple days sea kayaking.

Any tip on hiking Newfoundland, any must see places?

Thanks

 

[dug]

You will have a great time, that I am sure of. A few years back, we did a car-camping trip and drove up and down the western peninsula. We ferried to Port Au Basques, and drove up to the tip and turned around again. Unfortunately, I didn't get much hiking in.

Our favorite spots:

-Trout River & the Tablelands/Green Gardens
-Western Pond
-Shallow Bay

Bring food. After you get through Corner Brook, there really isn't a lot of places to pick up food. Everything is flash frozen. I expected some fresh seafood, but wasn't much of it. There are small towns and villages to get the staples, and the occasional diner, but getting some good grub on this side of the island was tough.

You can drive for miles on the highway and not see anyone. If you are into touristy things, the Viking village is pretty cool. Lots of places for pictures of scenery & wildlife. The people are absolutely outstanding. So nice and accomodating, it's unreal.

We didn't have the time to get to the eastern part. Next time.....

 

[dentonfabrics]

Ditto to everything Dug said. Good people, lousy food. We spent a week in Gros Morne N.P. and it was gorgeous. Green Gardens was especially nice; 11 miles of up and down hiking over mellow terrain, hiking among herds of sheep.
Wildlife abounds, esp moose. Newfoundland has the densest moose population in the world.

You'll have a great time. I cant wait to get back there!


bob

 

[charlos]

Blomidon mtns(see avatar)....Blomidon Provincial Campground.......wonderful, no crowds and on the water, about an hour or so west of Corner Brook. See Keith Nichols book "Best Hiking Trails in Western Newfoundland".
Also St Anthony on the Northern Peninsula is outta this world!!!!!!!!
Some other places to look up

Brigus and the Bartlett house. Bob Bartlett captained first expedition to north pole and befriended Rockwell Kent American artist who was kicked out of Newfoundland See "The Big Why" by Micheal Winter. beautiful town on east coast is where i saw my first iceberg!
Dildo Run Provincial Park, thousands of islands, paddlers dream!

i could keep going forever.....your not gonna want to leave as long as you bring good rain gear!!!

provincial park campgrounds are cheapest!

 

[dreamstream]

Thanks for the ideas, will look more into some of these places.

Thinking seriously on the Long Range Traverse. Sounds like a tough 22 miles (35k). The presidential traverse can be pulled off in a day, but they talk of 4-6 days for the Long Range Traverse.

No trails, No markers, No crowds!

 

[Paul_Bear]

Cape St. Marys is an easy hour or so hike along the top of huge sea cliffs to a large seabird nesting area. Views are great and the number of birds is beyond belief. Highly recommended. I think you can also extend the hike by following the cliff tops.

 

[rhihn]

Thanks for the ideas, will look more into some of these places.

Thinking seriously on the Long Range Traverse. Sounds like a tough 22 miles (35k). The presidential traverse can be pulled off in a day, but they talk of 4-6 days for the Long Range Traverse.

No trails, No markers, No crowds!

Memory has faded somewhat, as I think it was over ten years ago, but we did the Long Range Traverse. Essentially you take the commercial boat ride to the far end of Western Brook Pond (very nice ride!), they let you off, and you're on your own. First day essentially is spent climbing out of the fjord and finding a place to camp. We were required to meet with the ranger beforehand, show him our maps, watch a movie, give them tent colors, next-of-kin, etc., and we were shown how to best avoid the tuckamore. Lots of caribou, some moose, bear signs, etc. I think you're now required to bring a radio collar of some sort. Very boggy in spots. We ended at a place called Ferry Gulch, climbed Gros Morne Mt., then hiked out via a trail.
If memory serves we came out on the afternoon of the 4th day, I believe. Near perfect weather, with one morning of fog. I think we ran into two other hiking parties the whole trip. Incredible scenery all along!

 

[charlos]

forgot to mention, best fish & chips and mussels i had anywhere even beats London! strangest cheeseburger i have ever had in lomond

 

[timmus]

Does anyone have pictures

I always wanted to visit Gros-Morne. I heard it's always cold and rainy.

 

[J&J]

We went to Newfoundland eight years ago. I (John) actually lived there for a year way back when my Dad was in the Air Force and the US had a base in Stephenville, Newfoundland.

I loved Newfoundland as a kid and I love it even more now. I consider Newfoundland an unknown treasure. The mountains aren't big but it's still one big, beautiful rock. We're anxious to go back and spend more time there because there's so much to see and do.

Some of the areas we hiked were: Green Gardens, Gros Morne, Tablelands and Lookout Hills. We hiked to the ocean. We saw rocks that are sisters to rocks in Africa when the lands were joined together. Mellow trails, steep and rocky trails, the island has it all.

We saw icebergs and whales in St. Anthony's. We saw thousands of Northern Gannet's at Cape St. Marys. We saw humpback whales on a boat tour at Bay Bulls in addition to one of the largest colonies of nesting Atlantic Puffins in the world. They estimate the total bird population on the islands off Bay Bulls at 2 million birds!

The ferry ride was fun in itself. Lots of orchids in Newfoundland. Lots of bogs. Lots of bog bridges, and stairs and stepping stones. We did the boat tour of Western Brook Pond, the largest landlocked fijord in the world. Incredible!

We climbed up the talus slope to Gros Morne where all the cairns are topped with an orange painted stone to make them easier to spot in the frequent fog. The summit is a big, broad area where the summit sign says, (and I kid you not) "You have reached the summit." We saw an Arctic Hare on Gros Morne which was the largest hare we have ever seen.

We saw lots of lighthouses. We visited the first Viking settlement in North America at Lanse Aux Meadows. We went to a couple of local suppers and breakfasts where the locals played island music and recited poetry. We enjoyed mug-ups! We ate the reddest rasberries, strawberries and cherries we have ever seen.

We learned about gravel pit campers and crown land. We saw gardens planted on the sides of the roads everywhere. We saw quaint fishing villages that would put the quaintest Maine fishing village to shame. We saw brightly colored houses everywhere in Newfoundland. We breathed in the fresh ocean air all day long.

We met some of the friendliest people in the world. We ate cloudberry pie. We had the requisite two scoops of potatoes with every dinner. We ate a lot of cod including cod cheeks. There is a strict cod fishing law in effect now. A local told us that he never thought he would see the day when he would have to pay for a cod. Unemployment is high up there because the fishing industry is dead. We missed out on the seal flipper pie in St. Johns but we enjoyed scrunchions several times.

Newfoundland is working on building up tourism. Every town had a new motel, even though it might have only five rooms. The people in Newfoundland are so incredibly friendly and helpful and every part of the island has its own accent.

Thinking about going? Don't hesitate for a minute. Sign up for the ferry today and head on up. You won't regret it.

 

[Toe Cozy]

John,

Have you ever considered working for the Newfoundland Tourist Dept????

I can't wait to look into this a little more. I know almost nothing about that area, except for what I just read.

 

[Jasper]

Gros Morne and the Long Range Mountains

I agree with everything said. Great people. Be prepared slow down and definantely spend time talking with the locals. Weather is very changeable; look for cool and wet conditions. Wild life is very abundent on the Long Range Mountains. Navigition can be challenging, so brush up on your map and compass. You will need a reservation if you intend to hike the Long Range Mountains.

 

[KayakDan]

I love Newfoundland,and it's been too long since my last trip "home". My family on my fathers side are true Newfies,and my great uncle Herb kept the family home and a bit of farming till he was 86. It's a hard place to live,but the Newfies are a sturdy lot ,and they love where they live.

If your going,the best way to get there is the ferry from Sydney NS. It's a real experience,and the last time I went,it was on the tail end of an Atlantic storm-273 miles of open water-awesome!
I haven't seen a lot of the island,but your kayaking destination is Trinity Bay,on the north side of the Avalon. There are several good outfitters there.

And you haven't had a real Newfie experience until you have "brewis n' scrunchions" for breakfast!

Home for our clan:The Docks,at Bareneed,Conception Bay,Nfld.

 

[dreamstream]

Everything is booked, thanks all for the tips.

Grear is packed, house sitter arranged and heading off soon.

We got a booking to do the Longe Range Traverse, sounds like it will be a good challenge, esp when the word is to figgure about 1km/h or .5 mph for progress. Brushed up on map and compass work, think I still got it from being on a search and rescue team a few years back.

Can't wait, got a real taste for some fresh seafood!

 

[dug]

Everything is booked, thanks all for the tips.

Grear is packed, house sitter arranged and heading off soon.

We got a booking to do the Longe Range Traverse, sounds like it will be a good challenge, esp when the word is to figgure about 1km/h or .5 mph for progress. Brushed up on map and compass work, think I still got it from being on a search and rescue team a few years back.

Can't wait, got a real taste for some fresh seafood!

Good luck! You won't find much there. The only seafood we found was fried.

 

[dreamstream]

Your kidding right, no sea food in Newfoundland?

Best is going down to the boats and getting it freash, back to the campsite to cook it up ourselves.

Now, I don't expect much seafood hiking the Long Range, but think I have some freezdried shimp left over from last year to go with the shrimp flavored Ramien.

 

[dug]

Your kidding right, no sea food in Newfoundland?

Best is going down to the boats and getting it freash, back to the campsite to cook it up ourselves.

Now, I don't expect much seafood hiking the Long Range, but think I have some freezdried shimp left over from last year to go with the shrimp flavored Ramien.

Tried that. Most of the boats in the area we were at were commercial boats, and it came off the boat already frozen. I craved it, and seriously we struck out. Weird.

 

[dreamstream]

Will let you know how we make out will post some photos ect when I get back, counting the hours right now. Car is 90% packed.

 

[Chip]

Your kidding right, no sea food in Newfoundland?

Best is going down to the boats and getting it freash, back to the campsite to cook it up ourselves.

Wall Street Journal just had a nice article about Newfoundland, all very upbeat about the people and sights, except for the fishing industry. Cod moratoriums have been called due to over-fishing, resulting in huge job losses. Asking for fresh fish may be a sore spot for the normally friendly locals .
Shellfish should be very good, however.
Best of luck with your trip. That area is on my To-Do list !

 

[dreamstream]

They have certainly shut down the cod fishing, but that is only one spiecies. Still lots of crab and lobster fishing, Sea Trout, Flounder, Ocean Bass, Kusk, Mackerel, Herring, salmon... I think most of the lobster seasons are closed by mid Aug except maybe in the north west tip.

Actually you can still sport fish for cod within game fishing limits, just the comercial industry that has realy been hit. We went out on a fishing charter last year in Mane, it was a day well spent, great fishing, nice people, lots of wildlife and came home with more than enough fresh fish, crab legs and lobster.

Ok, got to go!

Hope everyone has a great rest of summer, thanks!