Why Newfoundland and Labrador is a Paradise for Hikers and Walkers
by Globe Content Studio
This article is part of a series about the unforgettable experiences and exceptional people that bring visitors back to Newfoundland and Labrador again and again. From stunning landscapes to playful whales to heartwarming entertainment, there’s a never-ending list of things to see and do. The people are warm, welcoming, and funny to the core. So have a read and plan your visit.
Kristen and Robbie Hickey, owners of Gros Morne Adventures. Credit: Dru Kennedy
Kristen Hickey found her calling on a trail in Newfoundland and Labrador.
A schoolteacher on summer break at the time, Hickey took a temporary job with a tour operator in Gros Morne National Park when one of their guides failed to show. She had grown up in nearby Rocky Harbour, hiking trails with her father as a kid, so she thought it might be a fun way to pass the time. The experience turned out to be much more than that, she says.
“On that first [multi-day] hike, I was within arm’s length of a moose, I saw minke whales, I walked underneath two baby black bears crawling up a tree to their mother, I saw a bald eagle,” Hickey says. “It was an exceptional experience, and I said, ‘I’m getting paid to do this?’” Now, Hickey and her husband, Robbie, own that tour company, Gros Morne Adventures. The couple and their team take visitors from around the world on walks and hikes along the wild west coast, an area containing some of the province’s most stunning and unique landscapes. The barren, orange-brown Tablelands are one of the few places where you can walk on the Earth’s mantle. The Green Gardens Trail is a lush, green coastline with dramatic cliffs and rocky “sea stacks.” Western Brook Pond and Bonne Bay are glacier-carved fjords with cascading waterfalls.
Hickey says that though their guests are often well-travelled, they’re always surprised at what they see when they start hiking. “Because you’re in locations with diverse geology, you then get an amazing amount of biodiversity in the flora and fauna,” Hickey says. “It’s rare to have a mountain landscape, an arctic tundra, and then go to the coast and see the ocean.”Newfoundland and Labrador is a dream for walkers and hikers, boasting 29,000 kilometres of pristine coastline and beaches. The province also has more than 300 hiking and walking trails to explore, from urban strolls to coastal hikes to backcountry expeditions. At certain times of year, you can encounter seabirds, whales, and icebergs – what locals call the “triple play.”
Kate Cushon is planning her third trip to the west coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. The librarian from Saskatchewan says she is fairly new to hiking, but she discovered on previous hikes with Gros Morne Adventures that experiencing the province on foot has a profound effect on her well-being.
“You can disconnect from technology, really lean into nature and [connect] with other people you encounter on the trail,” Cushon says. She points to a tour highlight last year when an artisan of Indigenous ancestry showed her group how to make traditional rattles and drums.
“It feels like being in a different world where life is more connected to the land and water, to the seasons, and more in touch with history.”
Another highlight was the food, she adds, like local, seasonal fish and seafood, moose and rabbit, partridgeberries and blueberries, “and even little wild strawberries that you can pick on the trails. Nothing tastes as sublime as food enjoyed at the top of a hike.”
Kate Cushon says that experiencing Newfoundland and Labrador on foot has a profound effect on her well-being. Credit: Kate Cushon
Al Dwyer hosts walking tours around his hometown of Tilting, which include a kitchen party on Thursdays. Credit: Al Dwyer
Across the province, just off the northeast coast on Fogo Island, Al Dwyer hosts walking tours that are perhaps less strenuous but just as rewarding. Dwyer runs Al’s Walking Tour of Tilting and Oliver’s Cove, bringing visitors into his world right from the very first step they take.
Born and raised in Tilting, a community perched on the eastern edge of Fogo Island, Dwyer became a community host and tour guide for the prestigious Fogo Island Inn in 2014, then brought his skills back to his hometown to run tours there.
“I start off by telling them about the local history,” Dwyer says of his signature walking tour. “Tilting was settled in the mid-1700s as a very rural fishing community. It was a very hard life, so I tell guests how people survived. I take them to a fishing stage and show them how the fish were dried, salted, cured.”
Weaving through the community before heading to the Oliver’s Cove trail, Dwyer describes his childhood in Tilting in the 1960s.
“We didn’t question our chores. Getting the wood and the water, cutting firewood, growing and harvesting vegetables, mowing grass in the summer. We had no electricity or running water.” Summertime featured picnics and swimming at Sandy Cove beach, he adds. In the wintertime darkness, when the chores were complete, he and his friends would play hockey on the same pond where their mothers washed clothes during the warmer months.
Dwyer’s guests also get to learn about the fairies, ghosts, and spirits that roam through a grassy field known as The Haunted Place.
“We really, really, really believed in fairies growing up,” he says. “We didn’t dare go there after dark. Some men wouldn’t dare go there because they feared the fairies would change the landscape and disorient them.” People have returned for Dwyer’s tour twice, sometimes three times. And if you happen to tour on a Thursday, you can meander into the kitchen party he hosts at the town hall and sing along with a few Irish ditties.
“It feels like being in a different world where life is more connected to the land and water.”
For visitors interested in exploring Newfoundland and Labrador on their own, there are plenty of self-guided trails throughout the province. The famous East Coast Trail is a vast network of interconnected paths stretching across 336 kilometres, offering some of the most spectacular ocean views in all of Atlantic Canada. It’s a trail suitable for seasoned hikers and casual walkers alike, with diverse features, including towering cliffs, dramatic sea stacks, and secluded beaches.
The Damnable Trail network (named after a colourful pirate tale) is located on the Eastport Peninsula and features trails of varying difficulty, from rugged terrain and cliff ledges to historic graveyards and peaceful beaches. The trails follow existing footpaths that connected coastal communities for generations before the development of roads.
The Twillingate Rockcut Trails, located on Twillingate Island off the northeast coast, invite visitors to trek along sweeping coastlines and rocky beaches. Twillingate is located along “Iceberg Alley,” so it’s a great place to spot icebergs along the way (between late May and early July), as well as seabirds and whales. This moderate-to-difficult trail network also offers backcountry camping platforms, so you can sleep under the stars while listening to the crashing waves. There are even artists’ easels on some of the trails to document the natural beauty all around you.
The Labrador Pioneer Footpath takes visitors through ruggedly beautiful landscapes near communities such as L’Anse-au-Claire and L’Anse Amour. Credit: Supplied
The Labrador Pioneer Footpath follows traditional walking routes dating back 9,000 years along the shores of the Labrador Straits. This trail, also located along Iceberg Alley, offers stunning, expansive views in a rugged environment and connects coastal communities that have existed for centuries. Experienced hikers can tackle the entire trail in a single journey, enjoying pristine coastline by day and camping by night. And don’t miss the imposing Point Amour Lighthouse, the tallest in the province, where you’ll hear tales of lighthouse keepers and historic shipwrecks.
Wherever you choose to roam in Newfoundland and Labrador, don’t be surprised if you find yourself craving another trip back when you return home.
Ready to lace up your hiking boots and hit the trail? Find out more about the diverse hiking and walking trails across Newfoundland and Labrador and plan your trip today.
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