Terra Nova National Park

Terra Nova was established in 1957 as Newfoundland's first national park, protecting about four hundred square kilometres where the long sheltered arms of Bonavista Bay cut into boreal forest of black spruce and balsam fir. The sounds are calm enough for open-boat paddling and sea kayaking without the exposure of the outer coast. Moose, introduced to Newfoundland in 1904 and now numbering in the tens of thousands, are common and a genuine road hazard. The park runs an ocean interpretation programme with touch tanks. Bald eagles nest along the arms and pilot whales enter the bay in summer.

Background

The park lies on the northeast coast of Newfoundland along several inlets of Bonavista Bay, and its name is the Latin name for Newfoundland, also the original Portuguese name for the region. Its coast of rocky fingers runs from just north of Port Blandford to near Glovertown, from cliffs and exposed headlands to sheltered coves, while inland lie forested hills, bare rock, bogs and ponds shaped by remnants of the Appalachians. The park also protects remains of the Beothuk and early European settlements. Newman Sound and Malady Head have the two front-country campgrounds, and the park counted 45,191 visits in 2022-23.

Source: Wikipedia, "Terra Nova National Park"

What's there

• The sheltered arms - fjord inlets calm enough for open-boat paddling.
• The boreal forest - spruce and fir running to the salt water edge.
• The moose - abundant, introduced in 1904 and now a road hazard.
• The ocean centre - touch tanks and marine interpretation at Salton's.

When to go

June to September for the full programme and paddling; the park is open in winter for skiing with limited services. Blackflies are heavy in June and July.

Practical notes

Moose on the highway are a serious collision risk at dawn and dusk. Insects in early summer are severe. Some campgrounds and services are seasonal.

Nearby

Trinity lies south; Twillingate is northwest.

Key facts