Newfoundland: a Meditative hiking paradise

A shed in Bonavista

So Newfoundland might go down as my favorite place I’ve ever been to. No seriously. I knew I would love it there, as the older I get the more I realize I love rocky-forested-coastal terrains. But wow. The variety in landscapes, even a bit away from the coasts, was truly awesome. Our tour guide Garry said “Newfoundland is for geology what the Galapagos were for evolution”. And I believe it. Some of the most gorgeous land I’ve ever laid eyes on.

From the Earth’s Crust in the Tablelands that made one feel as though they were on Mars…to the marshes and wetlands on the way to Terra Nova National Park…to the lava flows creating steep sloping cliffs with lush green hills dropping into the North Atlantic in the Green Gardens (Gros Morne National Park)…Newfoundland was something to behold. In fact, the aforementioned variety and diversity in the terrain and landscapes kind of messed with my head a little bit (am I in the American West? Or in Maine?).

Northern Gannet at Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve

Now I don’t want to be one of those people who romanticizes living off the grid and quotes Thoreau…but…Newfoundland does make me wonder. Could I live a bit off the grid in a place like this? It’s a fun thought to entertain when it’s 65 degrees out and the entire week you’re there you’re blessed with good weather. Because when winter comes I would probably sing a different tune.

But with that being said, Newfoundland gave me that perfect balance of “off grid” mixed with hiking destinations that didn’t make me feel like I got in over my head. With trails being marked on every trail except 1, it’s pretty easy to feel comfortable hiking. As for the one trail that we did in fact pay for a guided tour on, that would be the famous Western Brook Pond day hike, with BonTours/OutEast Adventures.

The Western Brook Pond Day Hike - Gros Morne National Park

Pissing Mare Falls - Gros Morne National Park

I have a lot more I will/want to say about Newfoundland, and I intend to do so in a video breakdown about our trip. In the meantime…I made this video (below) that I wanted to kind of communicate that diverse and expansive landscape…that…it can’t be overstated, sometimes made me feel like I was on another planet.

Enjoy.