16: Gros Morne Reprise (9/28)

You know how most people in Maryland decorate their front door with a wreath?  Here’s the northern Newfie tradition.  We saw antlers on every possible post, even powerline poles.

Spent the stunning fall day traveling back to Gros Morne from the north.  Interesting odds and ends along the way included firewood tee-pees... 

All along the road would be pull-offs or even just a dent in the forest where lobster traps were stacked and awaiting the new season.  Again, just sitting there for the taking…but no one does.

We took a break in a small town right off the highway that turned out to be where a huge boat repair yard was located.   We loved the bright colors and jaunty look of the many shrimp boats there in various stages of storage and repair, spent quite a bit of time walking around.

Just another scenic driving day.

A 1912 shipwreck is now part of the national park.  Not much to see, but that fact that it’s been there for 100 years is impressive.

 Our last day in Gros Morne found Allen beginning his day as usual, coffee and iPad at hand.  We never imagined we could be waking up in any place so beautiful.

We dedicated the day to hiking, beginning with an easy one to tall waterfalls... 

...then proceeding to Lookout Point, one near Woody Point that would take us to one of the entire park’s most panoramic views. In the summer, a water taxi takes you from Norris Point, near our campground, to Woody Point in less than 15 minutes.  Because we were off-season, we had to drive around Bonne Bay to get there, about an hour’s time.  Scenery, yes, but it was such a long way.  The taxi absolutely makes sense.

Autumn colors really taking off now.

At the visitor’s center at our hike was this totally equipped van from Washington.  Someone was in it or I would have shamelessly gotten closer, but it looked like it had absolutely everything, from awning to beautiful ruddered wood kayaks.  These people really knew how to adventure!

So the interpretive sign for the Lookout Point trail describes it as a “steep but rewarding family hike.”  I didn't think I could make it to the top, but I did!  1,000 feet altitude gained over 1.5 miles.  Then we took a longer but slightly less steep way down.  

The green roof below is the visitor's center, where our hike began.

Our day ended with a cookout with our camp neighbor, Franck, probably the only other person in the entire camp.  A German traveling on his own, he was spending September hiking most of the day every day on many of Newfoundland's more famous trails.