Gros Morne National Park  of Canada was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. The park is an area of great natural beauty with a rich variety of scenery, wildlife, and recreational activities.  The Landscape is like no other place I have seen. I visited last summer with Wild Women Expeditions, (A great tour company that offers travel for women who are looking for a little more adventure, including hiking and kayaking.)

The Western Brook Pond is a fjord or lake located in the park on the west coast of the province of Newfoundland. It is in the Long Range Mountains, the most northern section of the Appalachian Mountains.

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The wharf with the fjord in the background

A boat tour will take you the full length of the lake, offering amazing views and a great explanation of the creation of Western Brook Pond. The guide we had, tells wonderful and often funny stories from the history of Newfoundland and includes lots of fun facts and information.

 

The lake is surrounded by steep rock walls 600 m (2,000 ft) high. These cliffs were carved from the surrounding plateau by glaciers. After the glaciers melted, the land rebounded and the fjord was cut off from the sea.

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Steep Cliffs of the fjord

The salt water eventually was flushed from the fjord leaving it a fresh water lake. The waters feeding Western Brook Pond are low in nutrients and the lake is classified as ultraoligotrophic resulting in very clear water.

Can you find the Tin Man in the cliff wall?

Steep walls of the fjord
Can you find the Tin Man?
One of the highest falls in Canada
The wharf with the fjord in the background

It is fed by Stag Brook at the extreme eastern end of the lake and by numerous waterfalls cascading from the plateau above. One of these, Pissing Mare Falls at 350 m (1,150 ft), is one of the highest in eastern North America. The water cascades over the rock then cascades down into the lake. This waterfall, one of many along the way, is near the end of the long narrow fjord.

The only way to get to the lake is by hiking the moderate-easy 3 km (1.9 mi) hiking trail over coastal bogs and low limestone ridges which I found fascinating.

Most of the hike is over a wooden boardwalk over the bog. Very interesting flowers and plants can be seen including the Newfoundland Provincial flower, the Pitcher Plant.

The scenery on the hike in to Western Brook Pond alone is worth the walk. even if you choose to forgo the boat tour.

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View on the hike in to the Western Brook Pond
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Hiking in to the Fjord with Wild Women Adventures

As you can see, we were wearing coats, it was a very cold 10 degrees Celsius that day in early July. Visiting Newfoundland and Gros Morne National Park in the summer of 2015 was the fulfillment of one of my bucket list musts.