While researching places to visit in Canada on its 150 year anniversary, we were attracted by the two parks for very different reasons: stunning natural beauty and unique geology at Gros Morne, and Kayaking with whale and close up look of iceberg at Terra Nova.
The following is our trip itinerary which is quite different from our original trip plan. It rains a lot at Newfoundland Island so we had to adjust to the weather. We also needed to adjust the daily activities according our physical conditions.
The following is our trip itinerary which is quite different from our original trip plan. It rains a lot at Newfoundland Island so we had to adjust to the weather. We also needed to adjust the daily activities according our physical conditions.
Day 0 leave for Gros Morne
leave DFW in the afternoon, arrive Deer Lake airport at 1:35am local time (11:05pm CDT)
Stay at Deer Lake Motel, which is 2 km from the airport, for the "night" - very good breakfast there.
Day 1 Gros Morne (cloudy to rain)
Visited Discovery Center and hiked on lookout trail.
Canceled afternoon plan due to weather and physical fatigue
Checked in at Rocky Barbour Cabins where we stayed during our visit at Gros Morne
Dinner at Earle's restaurant - Moose meat related food not good. No decent grocery shopping at Rocky Harbor.
Day 2 Gros Morne, The Tableland (Sunny)
The Tableland is the crown jewel of Gros More, an ember colored rocky mountain formed half billion years ago due to tectonic collision.
Hiked on off-trail to the top of tableland, where the landscape is featureless - every direction you look, it looks the same! but far away scenery is magnificent. We came down along the Wallace Brook near the Bowl of the tableland.
7 hour 10 mile loop ( A - E on the park's "off-trail" map for the tableland)
Dinner at Jungle Jim, great food, grocery shopping at foodland, both at Deer Lake.
Watch Sunset at Rocky Harbor
Day 3 Gross Morne (Cloudy)
Short hikes in the morning - Berry Hill, Berry Pond, Old Mail Road and West Brook
Boat tour at West brook pond in the afternoon - a 16 km fjord formed by glacier - amazing beauty in any weather!
Hiked Steve's trail after the boat tour
Cooked dinner at Cabin - delicious "home" cooked food
Day 4 Gross Morne (Sunny in early morning, Cloudy rest of the day)
Allan got up early to revisit some vistas along the shoreline.
Hiked on Green Gardens (9 km round trip), beautiful beach and sea stack - totally worth the hike!
dinner at Java Jack at Rocky Harbor - tried cod tongue as appetizer, good food but small serving
Day 5 Gross Morne and Terra Nova (Sunny)
Visited Lobster Head Light House and Norris point in the morning.
Norris point is a good place to visit - one can see the mountain of Gros Morne and the Tableland at the same time, a great place to kayak as well (we did not do it due to weather and time constraint)
left for St. John's in a 18-seater tiny plane, 1 hour flight. Drove from St. John's to Terra Nova
Arrived at Terra Nova Visitor center near its closing, visited Marine Exhibit
Stayed at d'Bay Cabin
Dinner at Uncle Li (a Chinese restaurant) - so-so food; grocery shopping at Wal-Mart both at Clareneville.
Day 6 Terra Nova (Cloudy) - Canada Day
Celebrated Canada day with Canadians at visitor center!
Hiked on Goowiddy trail in the morning (8km loop)
Guided sea kayaking in the afternoon from Happy Adventure (a place)
Cooked dinner at Cabin
Day 7 Terra Nova (Cloudy to Rainy)
Hiked at Sandy Lake, Climbed the tower at Orche Hill in the morning
lunch at visitor center
Hiked on coastal trail in the afternoon
Dinner at Clode Motel - food was OK.
Day 8 Terra Nova (Sunny)
Boat tour to see iceberg and puffin - awesome iceberg, skittish puffins and beautiful scenery
Drove to St. John's after a late lunch, arrived at St. John's ~ 6:30om
Dinner at Pitto Pizzeria - great pizza, nice setting, St. John downtown area
Stayed at Motel 8
left for home early next morning.
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