Viking Trail, Newfoundland

What should you know before visiting Viking Trail, Newfoundland?

• Route 430 is paved throughout and starts at Route 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) at Deer Lake. The provincial tourism site gives about 687 km for the Viking Trail as a whole, as an estimate.
• Moose are a real hazard: most collisions happen between dusk and dawn, over 70% from May to October, and June, July and August are the most critical months.
• Gros Morne has five Parks Canada campgrounds with 236 sites for tents, trailers and RVs. Most open in late May and close in late September; check dates beforehand.

The drive

From Deer Lake the road runs north through Gros Morne National Park (the Tablelands, Western Brook Pond, Rocky Harbour). Next come Port au Choix, reached by Route 430-28 from Port Saunders, Plum Point and St. Barbe, where a road branches off to the Labrador ferry terminal. Route 436 leads to L'Anse aux Meadows and nearby Norstead. The road ends at St. Anthony with the Grenfell Historic Properties.

Camping

The park has Berry Hill, Green Point, Lomond, Shallow Bay and Trout River. Dump stations are at Berry Hill, Green Point, Lomond and Shallow Bay, with electrical hookups at Berry Hill, Green Point and Shallow Bay. Book through the Parks Canada reservation service. Green Point is open unserviced by self-registration from October to May. Backcountry sites need a permit and reservation, and fires are not allowed there.

Getting around

Road conditions and closures are reported by 511NL; check before each leg. Avoid dusk and night driving where you can because of moose. Towns in and around Gros Morne have services and lodging; further north the sources list no fuel stops, so fill up early and carry supplies. Confirm the Labrador ferry timetable and booking with the operator beforehand.

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