Adventures in Gros Morne and Western Newfoundland

Currently we are not offering this as a guided tour, though this write up can be used as a self guided itinerary.

Day 1: Captain Cook’s Bay of Islands

A Marble Inn & Suites team member will greet you at Deer Lake airport and escort you to the resort. After you settle into your suite your local guide will meet with you to go over your custom-made tour itinerary.

Your first stop will be Captain Cook's Lookout in Corner Brook. Capt. James Cook revolutionized map making methods and accuracy while mapping the Newfoundland coast in the mid-1700s. Numerous bays, coves, streams and headlands bear names he designated while others are his anglicized renderings of original French names.

You will proceed along winding roads and scenic villages along the southern shore of the Bay of Islands, passing under the Blow-me-Down Mtns, as far as Bottle Cove on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Be sure to keep your eye out for whales. Thirteen different whale species pass through the Gulf seasonally. We arrive at Lark Hr., where in 1776 Capt. Cook concluded his mapping expeditions of the island, as commemorated by the famous Trail End Monument located at Bottle Cove.

A few kilometers away, there are an array of hiking trails that offer enchanting views overlooking the Gulf. Each trail varies in difficulty and will be chosen with consideration for your experience and abilities. If hiking, please be sure to bring proper footwear.

Conclude the day by returning to the Marble Inn & Suites. Relax in your suite, or take advantage of the many amenities we offer, such as the heated salt-water pool, mineral bath and labradorite steam bath.

Day 2: Tablelands UNESCO World Heritage Site

Leaving Marble Inn at 8:30 am for the drive to Gros Morne National Park. There you will meet a Park's Canada tour guide at the base of the tablelands and be guided on a 2 km interpretive hike.

Gros Morne is Eastern Canada’s second largest national park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounded by forest mountains, lakes and rivers, the Tablelands are obviously a geological freak: tawny brown-to-orange, depending on the light, and almost completely devoid of vegetation. It is one of only three sites in the world (the other two are in Siberia and South Africa) where you can stand on exposed sub-ocean mantle. Hiking to the top of the Tablelands appears to be daunting, but there are great views to enjoy without such a strenuous undertaking.  Also, the Gros Morne Discovery Centre will provide you with all of the natural history and science of the Tablelands.

At the western base of the Tablelands, the fishing community of Trout River has supported a fishing population since 1815--with a single family until 1880. Its history is represented in a lovely fishing museum and house that was one of the first to be built in that long-ago time. You will leave Trout River with a lingering memory of dining at the Seafood Cafe or perhaps a walk along the beach.

On to Woody Point on the shores of Bonne Bay. Some of its older homes reveal a prosperity rare on the Great Northern Peninsula until the later 20th century. Its prosperity was due to the great forests that supplied mainland lumber demands and stout masts for maritime shipbuilding yards. At the same time, there were fishing families that grew their enterprises with substantial vessels and shore-based facilities. Today, Woody Pt. entrepreneurial energy turns as well to the increasing tourism trade that is due to worldwide recognition of Gros Morne National Park. Here offers the option of stopping at a café, restaurant or craft shop.

To end Day 2, you return to Marble Inn & Suites for the evening. You may enjoy a quiet dinner at Madison’s, regarded as one of the best restaurants in Newfoundland. Also, you can wade and swim in the heated pool or ease your muscles in our spa.

Day 3: Western Brook Pond

We return to Gros Morne National Park, first to visit Lobster Cove Head for a tour of the lighthouse and to view the twisted and crushed rocks called mélange, one of many features that distinguishes parks geological history.

Then we drive further north to Western Brook Pond, the Park’s largest freshwater lake. You will be dropped off at the trail head where you will hike through the coastal plain (30 – 45 minutes). Insect eating flora such as the pitcher plant, sundew and butterwort are plentiful on the bogs along with flowering heath shrubs.

At the head of the pond you have an option to purchase a boat pass (not included in the tour price) for the Western Brook Pond Tour. The tour will take you on a 2-hr. ride into the spectacular landlocked fjord with its soaring 600-meter (2000 ft) cliffs on both sides. The tour boat’s knowledgeable guide will provide live commentary on the history, geology and wildlife of this majestic park region where the coastal plain meets the soaring ramparts of the Long-Range Mountains.

Don't forget your camera--and a warm sweater.

Return to Marble Inn & Suites for the evening. You may enjoy a quiet dinner at Madison’s, regarded as one of the best restaurants in Newfoundland. Wade and swim in the heated pool or ease your muscles in our spa.

Multi-day tours of Gros Morne and Western Newfoundland

These group tours are designed to expose you to western Newfoundland’s natural, historical and cultural geography in a way that will make its memory, and your photo albums and journals much more precious.

What would it take: The rarest of geological formations on earth? Sub-arctic environments at 650 meters (2100 ft) above the sea? The cultural legacy of 400 years of French habitation? The magnificence of coastal and landlocked fjords? Rare yet flourishing flora of the coastal peat bogs? Possibly even a chance to see moose!

Depending on the tour, your ‘basecamp’ at Marble Inn & Suites, is within walking distance or scenic drives to points of interest or trailheads. 

General information

All tours begin on a Sunday. A Marble Inn & Suites team member will greet you at Deer Lake airport and escort you to the resort. After you settle into your suite your local guide will meet with everyone to go over the itinerary for your chosen tour.

Some tours include night accommodations at various locations. At end of tour days, our onsite restaurant is a great place to grab a bite to eat (not included in the tour prices). Our tour guides and reception staff are happy to help you choose alternative restaurants in the area.

What to bring

Bring clothing appropriate for the Newfoundland summer climate, including rain gear and light gloves. Adding and removing layers best meets the variable conditions.

Ocean breezes can be cooler than when winds are off the land. High altitudes are typically cooler than sea level temperatures. Tours that feature periods of walk/hiking require hiking boots with firm soles, good ankle support and high sidewalls to avoid ankle abrasions. Running shoes may not be appropriate. You may wish to bring a walking pole.