Gros Morne National Park

Gros Morne National Park is a Canadian national park and World Heritage Site located on the west coast of Newfoundland. At 1,805 km² (697 sq mi), it is the second largest national park in Atlantic Canada after Torngat Mountains National Park, which has an area of 9,700 km² (3,700 sq mi).

The park takes its name from Newfoundland's second-highest mountain peak, standing at 806 m (2,644 ft). Its French meaning is "large mountain standing alone". Gros Morne is part of the Long Range Mountains, an outlying range of the Appalachian Mountains, stretching along the island's west coast. It is made from the eroded remnants of a mountain range formed 1.2 billion years ago.

In 1987, the park was awarded World Heritage Site status by UNESCO because it shows a rare example of continental drift, with deep ocean crust and rocks from the earth's mantle exposed. The Gros Morne National Park Reserve was established in 1973 and became a national park on October 1, 2005. In 2011, the park was featured in a short film as part of the National Parks Project.

Geology

Gros Morne National Park has very special rocks that tell a big story about Earth. Some of these rocks come from deep inside the planet, called the mantle, and were pushed up to the surface a very long time ago. There are also rocks that formed from water and ancient sediments. These rocks help scientists learn about how Earth changed over millions of years.

The park is found on the Great Northern Peninsula in western Newfoundland. One special place in the park is called the Tablelands. It looks like a dry desert because of the special rocks there, which are called ultramafic rocks. These rocks come from deep inside Earth and are not good for plants to grow. They also have a rusty brown color because they have a lot of iron.

Soils

The park has many different kinds of soil because it sits on many types of rock. In the northeast, the most common soil is called Silver Mountain. This soil is made of tiny rocks and sand and formed on old glacial dirt over granite and other hard rocks.

In the southeast, soils are found on sedimentary rocks like dolomitic limestone. These soils are also sandy and contain small rocks. Near the coast, there is a thin layer of soil made from shale, slate, limestone, and sandstone. North of Bonne Bay, the soils are rich in peat, while south of Bonne Bay, the soils are stony and poor in nutrients.

Western Brook Pond – Fjord

Western Brook Pond is a beautiful freshwater fjord shaped long ago by glaciers during the ice age. After the glaciers melted, the land rose up and blocked the fjord’s connection to the sea, leaving a long, narrow pond filled with very clear water.

The water in Western Brook Pond is so clean that it has the highest purity rating for natural water bodies. Pissing Mare Falls, the tallest waterfall in eastern North America, flows into this stunning pond. The rocks along its edges tell stories of Earth’s history, with different types of stone found in various parts of the shore.

Nature and wildlife

Gros Morne National Park is home to many animals, both on land and in the sea, across its different landscapes like coasts, forests, bogs, and mountains.

Moose are very common in the park. They were brought to Newfoundland from nearby areas around 1900 and are found in much higher numbers here than in other parts of Canada. Other large animals include a special type of caribou that only lives in Newfoundland, black bears, and Canada lynx.

Smaller animals you might see include Arctic foxes, beavers, red foxes, red squirrels, river otters, and snowshoe hares.

In the waters near the park, you can often spot harbour seals. During early summer, several types of whales and dolphins may visit the area, including Atlantic white-sided dolphins, fin whales, harbour porpoises, humpback whales, killer whales, minke whales, and pilot whales.

The park also has many bird species. Along the coast, you’ll find shorebirds, while bogs and forests have their own birds. In the alpine areas, you can see rock ptarmigan and willow ptarmigan.

World Heritage Site

In 1987, the park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its amazing scenery and important geological history. The rocks and landforms there help us learn about how the Earth’s plates move and change over time.

Because of its special role in learning about moving Earth plates, a group of scientists called the International Union of Geological Sciences chose the area around Gros Morne as one of 100 important geological places in the world in 2022. The Mohorovičić discontinuity at Gros Morne is part of this special list.

Trails

Hiking is a fun activity at Gros Morne National Park. There are about 20 marked trails for day trips, letting visitors explore both the coast and the inner parts of the park. One of the more challenging hikes is a 16 km trail over Gros Morne Mountain, called the James Callaghan Trail. This trail was named after a former British Prime Minister who visited the park in 1976 and helped with conservation efforts.

Arts and culture

Gros Morne National Park hosts many arts festivals. Some of these include the Gros Morne Theatre Festival, Writers at Woody Point, Gros Morne Summer Music, and Trails, Tales and Tunes.