Newsletter

Gros Morne National Park community newsletter: Winter 2024

A time to celebrate

Gros Morne is a special place: You hear it time and time again, and you can see it every time you look at its mountains and shorelines. In 2023, Gros Morne National Park celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Parks Canada, local residents, Indigenous partners, and visitors came together in ceremonies, picnics, and parties to joyfully celebrate not only the beauty of this place, but the people who come here, for any length of time, and are changed by it.

For the rocks and the trees, the water and the cliffs, 50 years is just a blip. They will continue to exist and evolve, as they have since the Earth was formed. But these 50 years have meant so much to the people who visit and call this place home. Gros Morne National Park is a special place because the people make it so.

As we prepare and plan for the next 50 years, I want to thank everyone for celebrating with us this year. I hope you have a wonderful season of skiing, snowshoeing, or however you enjoy our park during the winter months.

Geoffrey Hancock
Field Unit Superintendent, Western Newfoundland

Visitor centre

Parks Canada is excited to announce that we will be welcoming our staff and the public into the new Visitor Centre in early 2024. While the new exhibits won’t be installed until later in the year, the Visitor Centre will be the place for visitors and locals to get information on winter activities, programs and the upcoming season. We can’t wait to see you!

Snowmobiling

If you’re snowmobiling in Gros Morne National Park, you need a park pass and snowmobile permit with you at all times! Whether you’re a local community resident or live elsewhere in the province, you can get your pass and permit at park facilities and in select community businesses. For more information visit: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/nl/grosmorne/activ/experiences/motoneige-snowmobiling1.

Infrastructure update

Parks Canada appreciates your continuing patience as we continue to work hard to repair and renew roads, bridges, trails, and facilities throughout Gros Morne National Park. This work represents critical improvements for those who live, work and play here.

Here’s what we worked on in 2023 and what’s coming in 2024:

Roads

Trout River Gulch – Highway 431
After finishing the majority of the work, crews are taking a break for the winter and will complete the paving and line-painting in May.

Western Brook Pond Bridge
The temporary bypass bridge will stay in place until spring 2024, at which time it will be removed once the finishing touches on the permanent bridge are complete in June.

Trails

Tablelands Trail Parking Lot
The parking lot was reconfigured and repaved to include 50 spots for passenger vehicles and three spots for buses or RVs. The access road was also renovated and repaved. Line-painting and signage installation will be completed in the spring.

Tapper’s Lookout
This trail behind the Discovery Centre was rerouted and renovated and will be open again in spring 2024.

Southeast Falls Trail
A new experience awaits you! Interpretive panels along this trail guide you through mindfulness practices that promote healing and connection in the boreal forest. This practice of forest bathing originated in Japan and has proven health benefits.

Visitor facilities

Broom Point
After some much-needed work, Broom Point will be open to visitors in 2024. Unfortunately, the cabin still requires some repairs, so it will remain closed until further notice.

Campgrounds

Lomond and Trout River Pond Campgrounds
This is the first year for the rustic cabins in these campgrounds, building on the success of the cabins in Berry Hill. No need to bring a tent!

Forest Management

The Moose Management Program in Gros Morne National Park continues to have a positive effect on the health of the park’s boreal forest ecosystem. Since the reintroduction of moose hunting in Gros Morne in 2011, we now have a healthy moose population that can be sustained by the availability of their favourite foods, while also allowing for natural forest regeneration.

However, in areas that were impacted by prolonged over-browsing, Parks Canada has begun to plant trees to restore ecological integrity. This year, our staff and a crew of professional tree planters planted 120,000 balsam fir and black spruce seedlings in remote areas of the park. The goal is to plant more than 1 million trees in the park over the next six years. For more information on our Forest Health Program, go to https://parks.canada.ca/nature/science/conservation/forets-forests/grosmorne.

Did you know?

You can begin booking campsites starting on February 13. Visit: https://parks.canada.ca/voyage-travel/reserve or call toll-free 1-877-737-3783 to book your site.

Keep in touch!

Telephone: 709-458-2417

Email: grosmorne@pc.gc.ca

Facebook: @GrosMorneNL

Twitter: @ParksCanadaNL