Gros Morne National Park visit-planning guide for its Canadian landscape

A UNESCO World Heritage Site where ancient ocean crust and mantle rocks are exposed along Newfoundland's wild west coast

Gros Morne National Park

Gros Morne National Park represents one of Canada's most significant natural and geological treasures, protecting a remarkable landscape that tells the story of Earth's tectonic history. The park's location on the western edge of Newfoundland places it at the intersection of ancient continental formations and dynamic geological processes. The Long Range Mountains, though now eroded remnants of a massive Precambrian range, still rise dramatically from the coastal plain, their quartz-feldspar gneisses and granites among the oldest in North America. The park's coastline features rugged cliffs, sheltered bays, and the deep fjord of Western Brook Pond, which was carved by glacial action between 25,000 and 10,000 years ago. Beyond its geological importance, the park encompasses coastal ecosystems, extensive bogs, coniferous forests, and alpine zones, each supporting distinct communities of plants and animals. The park is administered by Parks Canada and receives visitors who come to hike its extensive trail network, explore its geological wonders, and experience the distinctive culture of Newfoundland's west coast communities.