Day 1: Arrival & Orientation

Meet 5:30pm at Gros Morne Adventures waterfront office in Norris Point for an evening orientation followed by a welcome dinner. Accommodations in Norris Point. The same accommodation is used each night.

Please note: Gros Morne Adventures provides a free shuttle from Deer Lake Airport between 2:00-3:00pm*. If the free shuttle time is not convenient, taxi services are available from Deer Lake Airport. Contact our office for taxi company information. *Depending on 2024 flight schedule.

Day 2: Green Gardens | 10 km, moderate

Start the day on the ferry, arrive in Woody Point and drive a short distance to the Green Gardens hike which is touted as the most ecologically diverse trek in the park. The route crosses an ancient ocean floor, traverses an Arctic alpine rock garden and descends into a boreal forest valley of northern evergreens, songbirds, and moose. At the coast explore wide beaches with shallow rock pools, grassy meadows, rock pillars, ancient volcanic sea-stacks and rugged cliffs.

Lunch on the beach and if the tides permit seek out a sea cave and tidal pools. After lunch, hike to the second meadow to enjoy a spectacular view of the northern shore and return to the trailhead. Savour a seafood dinner in the evening and zip across the bay in our private zodiac to return to Norris Point.

Day 3: Gros Morne Mountain | 10-17km, challenging

Depart from Norris Point and drive to the Gros Morne Mountain trailhead. This rigorous hike leads to the Arctic alpine wilderness of the Long Range Mountains and the highest point in Gros Morne National Park. Despite the sparse vegetation that clings to this barren landscape, hardy inhabitants like the Woodland Caribou, Moose, and Rock Ptarmigan are quite at home in this environment.

Enjoy spectacular views overlooking the glacier-carved fjords of Bonne Bay and Ten Mile Pond. The summit is at 806m and the entire hike will take about 7-8 hours. Despite a long day on the trail, the natural beauty and unique flora and fauna of this area is well worth the effort.

Note: shorter hiking option to the base available.

Day 4: Sea Kayaking | 5-8km, easy. Western Brook Pond Fjord | 6km, easy

Meet at Gros Morne Adventures waterfront office in Norris Point for a sea kayaking adventure on Bonne Bay. The sheltered fjord of Bonne Bay extends over 20 km inland from the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Some of the best views of Gros Morne Mountain and the Tablelands are seen from the bay and its home to a host of wildlife and marine organisms including Minke whales, eagles, terns, jellyfish, and sea stars.

In the afternoon travel north by van and walk the coastal lowlands across bogs and limestone ridges to Western Brook Pond fjord, a spectacular freshwater lake hemmed in by 650m granite cliffs. Join a boat tour to explore its 16km length and to see the spectacular waterfalls that tumble from the alpine plateau.

Day 5: Lookout Hills | 12-16km, moderate to challenging

The day begins with a ferry ride across Bonne Bay. Arrive at the Woody Point dock, the start of the trek. Hike through town and on up a rugged hillside trail through thick Boreal forest. Within an hour, break out above tree line to reach the alpine fens. Cross the fens to a scree and rock ridge which leads to the summit peak. Seeing other hikers on this route is a rarity! In addition to spectacular views, moose are often seen.

Not only are hikers rewarded with the best panoramic view of Gros Morne National Park from the summit, all along this trek there are amazing views of the Tablelands, the coastal lowland, the Long Range Mountains and Bonne Bay’s picturesque villages of Norris Point and Woody Point.

Note: shorter hiking option available.

Day 6: The Tablelands | 10-14km, moderate 

The last day is an exploration of the Tablelands, an eerie landscape of mantle rock that once lay beneath the ancient Iapetus Ocean. From a geological and natural history perspective, it is one of the main reasons why Gros Morne National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will delve into the geological features on this walk and search for the variety of exotic plants specially adapted for life on the Tablelands. The day holds a couple options for hiking, either into Winterhouse Brook Canyon or Trout River Pond....either way it's like walking on another planet!

Day 7: Departure

Return to Deer Lake Airport. Shuttle available at 7:00 and 11:00 am. *Depending on 2024 flight schedule.

Includes:

• 6 nights accommodation
• 5 full days of activity
• all meals
• ground transportation
• airport (YDF) transfers
• boat tour
• sea kayaking
• park pass

Itinerary Changes
Please keep in mind that weather may require us to change the scheduled itinerary of this hiking adventure. If we encounter high winds, fog and/or rain, we may alter the intended route and schedule to improve the tour and your experience.

Trip Rating
Moderate to challenging; 8-17km of hiking per day. Please refer to the daily descriptions for more detail.

Travel Arrangements
Airfare is not included in the price of your trip. We encourage you to contact your local travel agent or the airlines directly for any air arrangements you may need.

Reservations
Please fill out the online application form. You will be required to confirm your reservation with a deposit of $300.00 CDN per person. Visa, MasterCard or American Express accepted. The balance of the tour cost is due 60 days prior to the tour departure.

Accommodations
Accommodations are comfortable, spacious 1 or 2 bedroom cottages and suites. The accommodations are based on double occupancy. For solo travellers, you have the option to try and share with another hiker, however if no one is available to share, the single supplement fee of $395 will apply.

Meals/Menu
Your cottage is stocked with breakfast items including juice, milk, tea, coffee, eggs, oatmeal, cereal, bread, and various spreads, fruit and yogurt. Lunch is an assortment of sandwiches, salads, fruit, vegetable snacks, granola bars and sweets. Evening meals are enjoyed at local restaurants and main course options are available. There’s plenty of food and our staff are always there to cater to your needs!

If you have any dietary restrictions it’s very important to inform us in advance in order to make the necessary arrangements.

• Small daypack – will need to carry your lunch, water, extra clothing, camera, binoculars and rain gear.
• Hiking boots – we recommend a light full leather hiking boot. If it rains your feet will get wet with the mesh style boots unless they have a waterproof barrier (ie. Gortex).
• Rain pants and jacket (Gore-Tex or equivalent) - it will very likely rain while you are here. Your experience will be so much more enjoyable with breathable, waterproof rain gear (ie. Gore-Tex). Choose pants with full length leg zippers, much easy to get on and off.
• Sun hat with wide brim
• Fleece hat & mitts (or gloves)
• Fleece sweater – combination of a 100 & 200 weight works better that one heavy fleece
• Long sleeve synthetic shirt – help prevents sunburn, roll-up sleeves if needed, & they dry quickly
• T-shirts (100% cotton doesn’t dry quickly)
• Hiking shorts – quick dry
• Wind pants – quick dry
• Hiking Socks (synthetic blend & polypropylene liners)
• Handkerchief
• Sunglasses
• Sun block & lip balm
• Insect repellent – generally isn’t a problem since we usually have a breeze. May want to take if you have any sensitivity to black flies and mosquitoes.
• Medications (medications that would not be part of our standard first aid kit)
• Blister Treatment – Moleskin, 2nd Skin, and Medicated Bandages (Compeed, Band Aid, etc.)
• Water Bottles or Bladder (2 litres minimum) with a holder for easy access

Optional Gear & Clothing

• Gaiters – nice to have on the Big Lookout hike (off-trail) but not necessary
• Small pad to sit on at lunch – the ground can be damp
• Camera & batteries
• Binoculars
• Pocket knife
• Swimsuit
• Hand Sanitizer
• Hiking poles

Coastal hiking – be prepared for rapid weather change!

• Cottons are cold when wet and take considerable time to dry. We strongly recommend wearing polyester blend garments that will dry quickly.
• Hikers will be expected to carry, at a minimum, in their daypack– a rain jacket and pants, fleece/wool top, lunch, and 2 litres of water. Water should be easily accessed (placed on the outside of your pack in a pocket or attachable pouch), hydration is extremely important!

Please do not hesitate to call our office if you have questions pertaining to clothing – the right cloth