The Tablelands
Rock from deep in the earth.
Wallace Howe from Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wallace Howe from Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wallace Howe from Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Jim Sorbie — CC BY 2.0 · Patrick Mueller from apex, usa — CC BY 2.0
Gros Morne National Park lies on the west coast of Newfoundland, covering 1,805 square kilometres, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. It earned the title as a rare example of continental drift, with deep ocean crust and rocks of the earth's mantle laid bare. The park takes its name from Newfoundland's second highest peak, at 806 m, whose French name means «large mountain standing alone». It belongs to the Long Range Mountains, the eroded remains of a range formed 1.2 billion years ago along the island's west coast, an outlier of the Appalachians. Three scenes stand out. The Tablelands are a bare orange-yellow rock plateau that looks like another planet, because the rock comes from deep in the earth. Western Brook Pond is a freshwater fjord between high walls. The Green Gardens coast has meadows above cliffs, and nearby stands little Lobster Cove Head lighthouse. Quiet small villages sit between these places. It is 58 km in a straight line from the town of Deer Lake, and you need a car, as the sights are spread out. Allow at least two days if you can. Check ahead for the Western Brook Pond boat trip, which takes some arranging. The weather changes fast, so bring layers and a rain jacket. Animals can cross the roads, so drive with care, especially at dusk.
Rock from deep in the earth.
A fjord between high walls.
A lighthouse on the coast.
West coast of Newfoundland, Canada
It exposes ocean crust and mantle rock, a rare example of continental drift.
At least two if you can, as the sights are spread out.