4 minute read
Happy Trails
By Katherine Saunders
Summer is here
and while our vacations look a lot different in the year of the coronavirus, everyone deserves some time off to experience something new. A hike is an adventure you can go on while keeping a safe physical distance from others. Fortunately, in Newfoundland and Labrador, we don’t have to venture far to find a pretty path, and destinations range from ocean view to deep forest to mountain top. To inspire you and tempt you outside, we made a short list of hikes, each with a different reward. Some of the suggested trails here are perennial favourites, but they may still be closed to the public this summer. Check with a local source before you head out.
Cathy Tarrant photo
For a Mountain View
In Gros Morne National Park, check out Western Brook Pond trail. The first leg is a 3-km gravel trail from the roadside parking lot to the pond, at the entrance to a stunning fjord. From there, travellers have a couple of options: take the left fork to continue straight to the Snug Harbour Trail, or keep right and head down to the dock, where a boat tour into the fjord will have you craning your neck to see the clifftops. If you continue to Snug Harbour from the dock, be prepared to cross Western Brook. From there, it’s a 5-km hike that hugs the shoreline to Snug Harbour.
Snug Harbour
Jonathan Anstey photo
For a Waterfall
For a peaceful and easy hike to a beautiful waterfall, the White Water Falls Trail in Mary’s Harbour is the place to go. The 3-km loop begins by boardwalk from the Town Hall on Hillview Road. It follows St. Mary’s River to the falls and the airstrip. The river is a great spot for salmon fishing, and there are lots of places on the trail to sit and relax, enjoy a picnic and take photos.
Carter Spearing photo
How to Pack for a Hike
For a Short Walk
- Cellphone (fully charged)
- Drinking Water
- Appropriate Footwear (sturdy sneakers or hiking boots)
- Appropriate Clothing (dress in layers: cool to warm to waterproof)
- Basic First-Aid Kit
- Sunscreen
- Bug Repellant
- Camera
- Binoculars
For a Full-Day Hike
Everything for a short trek, plus:
- Flashlight and Batteries
- Lighter/Matches
- Fire Starter
- Pocketknife
- Whistle
- Food
For a Multi-Day Hike
Everything for a short and full-day hike, plus:
- Water Purification System
- Waterproof Shoes
- Change of Clothing
- Satellite Phone
- Portable Fully-Charged Cellphone Charger (power bank)
- Tent
- Sleeping Bag
- Sleeping Pad
- Tent Repair Kit
- Stove and Fuel
- Pots, Pans, Dishes and Utensils
- Dry Bag
- Rope and Carabiners
- Hiking Poles
- Toilet Paper
- Toiletries
Stephanie Robertson photo
For a Seascape
The Gravels is a 3.5-km trail network in Port au Port West that offers geology, history and a beautiful view of the coastline. The trail begins by Gravels Pond on the isthmus and proceeds through boreal forest to the shoreline. Hikers will see lots of limestone and some intricate geological formations. There is a lovely view of the Lewis Hills, and in many places, the water is so clear you can see the ocean floor. There are short offshoots that lead to the coast or back to the road. One such trail leads to Aguathuna, where hikers can see one of the oldest and largest wooden buildings in Newfoundland, Our Lady of Mercy Church, with its museum and tearoom.
To a Resettled Community
British Harbour was a community on the Bonavista Peninsula. Once home to 200 people, it was resettled in the 1970s. Today, hikers can visit what remains there via a 6-km linear trail (12 km return). The trail begins near New Bonaventure at the Random Passage film site (now a tourist attraction). There are rugged sections, including fallen trees and muddy areas, on this quiet hike beside backcountry ponds. Hikers will also pass Kerley’s Harbour, another resettled community, near the beginning of the trail.
Jane Hynes photo
For a Big Reward
At 23 km, the Spout Path is the longest segment of the East Coast Trail, but for the hardy hiker, the unique experience is worth the long trek. Hikers can begin at Shoal Bay Road in Goulds, pass Long Point and continue to the Spout, a geyser powered by ocean waves. Just past the Spout is a rough campsite with an outhouse. Next morning, hikers can continue southward, enjoying vistas of sea stacks, whales, eagles and old house foundations at the resettled community of Freshwater. At North Point Lighthouse, hikers turn westward to Bay Bulls, where there is a parking lot at the other trailhead.
Larry Mills photo
