8-Day Western Newfoundland Road Trip Through Corner Brook, Gros Morne and the Viking Trail

By Katie Broadhurst

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This eight-day western Newfoundland road trip starts and ends near Deer Lake. You’ll spend a day down the Bay of Islands, sleep in Trout River after walking the Tablelands, and take the Western Brook Pond boat tour before heading up the Viking Trail to St. Anthony. On the way south, take the French Shore detour to Conche for the tapestry and break up the return drive with a night in Daniel’s Harbour or Cow Head.

That last overnight makes a difference. Instead of driving from St. Anthony to Deer Lake in one go, you can stop for lunch and a short walk in Gros Morne before returning the car. If your flight is early, finish Day 8 at a Deer Lake hotel and fly out the next morning.

Western Newfoundland road trip at a glance

Jump to Before you book · Bay of Islands · Gros Morne · Viking Trail · Conche and Deer Lake

Before you book

• Flying in? Deer Lake is the airport for this route. Allow about 40 minutes to drive to Corner Brook after collecting your rental car. An evening arrival works fine if you move the first walk to the next morning. Corner Brook and Bay of Islands travel information
• Coming by ferry? Take Marine Atlantic from North Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Port aux Basques. Allow about 2½ hours from the terminal to Corner Brook after unloading. For a late arrival, stay near the ferry and start the itinerary the next morning. If you’re sailing back the same way, plan the southbound drive around your check-in time and consider a night near the terminal. Marine Atlantic sailing routes · Ferry and flight guide to Newfoundland
• What to book first. Line up your rental car and overnight bases, then reserve an afternoon Western Brook Pond sailing for Day 4 if the boat tour matters to you. Check Gros Morne park admission separately from the boat ticket and confirm historic-site hours. If you want to visit the Nurse Bennett Heritage House and see the French Shore Tapestry, check both schedules before locking in your dates. Gros Morne visitor information · BonTours boat reservations
• Choosing dates? Start with July and August if seasonal attractions are important to you, then check the actual overlap of the museum, café, campground and boat schedules. In June or September, build in a picnic or outdoor stop as a backup for a closure. Best time to visit Newfoundland

Days 1 and 2 in the Bay of Islands

Day 1 — Arrive, get groceries in Corner Brook and settle in

From Deer Lake Regional Airport (YDF), head to Corner Brook for groceries. Pick up breakfast supplies and a lunch you can pack for the next day, especially if you’re heading straight to camp. Follow Route 450 along the south shore of the Bay of Islands and stop at the Saltbox for dinner and an introduction to the Cabox Geopark. Make York Harbour or Lark Harbour your base. If your flight gets in late, you can stay in Corner Brook.

Where to sleep — Choose Captain Cook Cottages in York Harbour for a cottage stay, The Tilt in Lark Harbour, or book a campsite at Blow Me Down Provincial Park nearby. Stay two nights at whichever base you choose. If you’re in Corner Brook, we recommend the River’s End Motel or an Airbnb. See our Things to do in Corner Brook guide if you have some spare time.

Day 2 — Exploring Cabox Geopark

Choose a trail or two to explore today. These locally built and maintained trails are entirely community-led. I recommend starting at Bottle Cove in Lark Harbour to warm up and see the pillow lava and sea cave along the shoreline. Walk the boardwalk and pick a short branch of the trail network. With young kids, you can turn around before the cliff sections and spend more time by the shore.

If you want a 1/2 day hike, the Southhead Lighthouse Trail climbs about 330 m to a lookout over the former lighthouse site and epic views of Weeball Island and the mouth of the Bay of Islands. The trail is 3.3 km each way, so give it a good chunk of the morning.

Eat lunch at The Tilt in Lark Harbour, then leave the rest of the afternoon open or try out another hike like Cedar Cove or Tortoise Mountain. York Harbour Beach is a lovely stop if you want a little more time by the water without another hike. If the wind is up, make it a quick visit and give yourself time back at the cottage or campsite.

For a full day, 600 m mountain climb, you can opt to hike up to Cape Blow Me Down. This is the Cabox Geopark’s version of Gros Morne Mountain but with better ocean views!

Dinner tonight can be at the local Myrtles On The Bay in Lark Harbour or cooked at your accommodations.

Days 3 and 4 in Gros Morne

Day 3 — The Tablelands and an evening in Trout River

Leave early today. Head back through Corner Brook and Deer Lake, then take Route 430 to Wiltondale and Route 431 to the south side of Bonne Bay. The drive will be about 2.5 hours. Stop at the Discovery Centre for park passes, use the washroom and read alittle about the local area.

Hike the Tablelands

• Easy option: Walk the Tablelands Trail, about 4 km return on the main route. You can see the orange mantle rock early in the walk, which makes a shorter out-and-back worthwhile if you’re travelling with little kids or the wind picks up. Bring your day pack with water, layers and a hat/mitts. It’s ALWAYS windier here then you expect!
• Hard option: Climb the Tablelands , about a 12 km loop taking 6-8 hours and having an elevation gain of 540 m. Experience the ruggedness of the Tablelands first hand as you climb over boulders and rock-hop along the base of Winter House Brook Canyon. This is a challenging hike, even for experienced hikers and the route is unmarked.

Continue to Trout River for dinner at the Seaside Restaurant and a walk along the beach or boardwalk. Sleeping in Trout River means you can stay for the evening light and do the drive around Bonne Bay in the morning. More things to do in Gros Morne National Park

Where to sleep — Book a room or cottage in Trout River, or pitch your tent at Parks Canada’s Trout River Campground or Elephants Head RV Park near Trout River Pond.

Day 4 — Boat tour at Western Brook Pond

Leave Trout River early enough to drive around Bonne Bay. It’s about 1.5 hours to Norris Point. Follow Route 431 back to Wiltondale, then take Route 430 towards Norris Point. Stop for a mid-morning brunch at The Old Store Café. If the only available sailing is in the morning, go straight to Western Brook Pond and stop for lunch afterwards.

Book an afternoon Western Brook Pond sailing if you can (1pm or later). The parking lot is about 27 km north of Rocky Harbour, and the dock is roughly 3 km down a fairly flat gravel trail. Set aside about four hours for the outing. Allow roughly 45 minutes to walk each way at an adult pace, two hours on the boat and time for boarding. There are washrooms at the trailhead and dock. With small kids, bring snacks and plan to leave strollers/wagons at the dock.

If the boat is cancelled, you can skip ahead to Day 5 and head north, and do Western Brook Pond on the way back south on Day 8. Or you can take the day and explore the trails around Rocky Harbour and Norris Point. The boat is cancelled due to high winds, you will NOT want to be hiking Gros Morne Mountain. Head for Bakers Brook Falls, the Bonne Bay Marine Station, Burnt Hill trails or take the kids to the local pool.

Where to sleep — Book Shallow Bay Motel & Cabins in Cow Head, camp at Shallow Bay Campground, or drive farther north to Bennett Lodge in Daniel’s Harbour for a budget room and a head start on Day 5.

• Newfoundland tent camping guide
• Newfoundland and Labrador campground roundup

Days 5 and 6 on the Viking Trail

Day 5 — Nurse Myra Bennett, Port au Choix and the Flower’s Cove thrombolites

This is a driving day with three good reasons to get out of the car. Start early and check when the heritage house opens before you set off, especially if you slept in Cow Head and will be passing through Daniel’s Harbour in the morning.

1. Nurse Bennett Heritage House, Daniel’s Harbour. Start at the home that also served as Nurse Myra Bennett’s clinic. It’s a chance to learn how one nurse cared for people along this stretch of coast, travelling between communities to reach patients. Confirm that the house is open for visits on your date. Open July & August annually.
2. Port au Choix National Historic Site. Turn off Route 430 near Port Saunders. The site tells the story of Indigenous peoples who lived on this coast long before the Norse arrived. Parks Canada suggests about two hours for a visit. If you want time for all three stops, start with the visitor centre when it’s open and decide there how much of the coast to explore.
3. Thrombolite Trail, Flower’s Cove. Take a short shore walk from the Marjorie’s Bridge area to see the rounded rock formations built by microbes. It’s a good last stretch of the legs before St. Anthony. Pack a wind layer for the open shoreline.

Where to sleep — Book two nights in St. Anthony so you can head out to the Norse sites in the morning without packing up. If you’re timing the trip for icebergs, see The Ultimate Guide to Newfoundland Iceberg Season. St. Anthony is one of the BEST places to watch icebergs!

Day 6 — L’Anse aux Meadows, Norstead and a light hike

Start at L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site. Give yourself about three hours for the visitor centre, the archaeological site and the reconstructed sod buildings. If you’re travelling with kids, make the sod buildings the priority and see how much energy everyone has left afterwards for the hike and the visitors centre.

If you want to keep the Viking theme going after lunch, add the Norstead Viking Village, a separate living-history attraction that recreates a Norse trading port. It’s nearby and has its own hours and admission. Back in St. Anthony, take a short walk on Cartier’s View Trail at Fishing Point if the weather is clear. It’s a much shorter outing than the stair climb on the Dare Devil Trail and gives you a view over the harbour.

If you don’t want to hike. You can opt instead to do a boat tour with Northern Discovery Boat tours. Super tours for iceberg viewing, whale watching, and local interpretation.

Days 7 and 8 back to Deer Lake

Day 7 — Drive the French Shore loop and see the tapestry in Conche

Leave St. Anthony after breakfast and take Route 432 towards Main Brook. Follow Route 433 towards Roddickton, then take Route 434 into Conche. The French Shore Interpretation Centre is the main stop. The tapestry is roughly 68 metres long and was embroidered by local women. Give yourself time to follow its scenes through the region’s history. Check the centre’s hours before committing to the detour; however, Conche is a REAL local fishing village with cute houses, lots of boats, great hiking and in season, icebergs. This stop was always an unexpected highlight on group tours.

Get lunch and fuel in Roddickton before rejoining Route 432 and follow it west to Route 430 near Plum Point. Then turn south for Daniel’s Harbour or Cow Head. Put Plum Point into your map app so it takes you across the peninsula on the way back. This road is rough at first but then changes to newly paved about half-way. This is an excellent road to see moose or caribou, so drive carefully!!

Where to sleep — Stop in Daniel’s Harbour if you want a shorter drive and budget stay, or continue to Rocky Harbour/Norris Point if you want a head start on the final morning’s Gros Morne stops.

Day 8 — A little more Gros Morne, lunch in Rocky Harbour and back to Deer Lake

Pick one or two stops near Rocky Harbour, depending on your flight time.

• Green Point if the layers of rock along the shore catch your eye. Make this the main stop if you want to linger and learn about the geology. Parks Canada’s Green Point geological site
• Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse for a short headland walk close to Rocky Harbour. Check the lighthouse exhibit hours if you want to go inside. Gros Morne seasonal hours
• Browse the shops in Rocky Harbour for souvenirs
• Have lunch at Java Jack’s or Earle’s Restaurant. Check lunch hours for your dates.

From Rocky Harbour, allow about an hour for the drive towards Deer Lake, then add time for fuel, rental-car return and airline check-in. If you have an early departure the following day, end the day at a Deer Lake hotel.

If you want fewer hours in the car

Keep the Bay of Islands and Gros Morne, and save St. Anthony and Conche for another trip. Spend the extra nights in one north-side base and use the spare day for weather or a full hike. If the Gros Morne summit is the reason you’re coming, plan it as its own full day and check the seasonal closure and trail conditions.

Next read — Once you’ve picked your overnight bases, use the Gros Morne things-to-do guide to choose hikes and weather backups. If this route is part of a longer island trip, start with the Newfoundland vacation planning guide.

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