Unforgettable Western Brook Pond Hike: How To Take A Day Trip

We know you have seen pictures of it: “The View”. That spectacular scene overlooking Western Brook Pond through the fjord at Gros Morne National Park. Do you think it’s easy to get to? Think again!

The Western Brook Pond hike is not for everyone. This intense and grueling day hike is 11 miles on foot with a 9-mile high-speed boat ride through the fjord. This is for sure a bucket list hike during a trip to Newfoundland!

Before You Venture Out

Reservations for a day trip are REQUIRED through Bontours.

• Hikes start at 7 or 8 am.
• Meet at Out East Adventures in Rocky Harbour, NL.
• The age limit for this hike is 10-68 years old. However, check with Out East Adventures if you have someone in your party outside this age group. They might make accommodations for them.
• This day hike will last the entire day, about 10-12 hours depending on the speed of your group.

Where to Stay Before Your Day Hike

🛏️ Stay at one of the best accommodations near Gros Morne National Park:

• The Candlelight Inn – (adults only) free breakfast served from 7:30-9 am, an onsite fire pit with modern and casual comforts. It’s top-rated too!
• Oceanview Hotel – entertainment 5 nights a week. Choose from a variety of room options and enjoy great meals featuring locally sourced ingredients on site.
• Alderbed Cottages – cottages available all year round with great views. A two minute walk from the ocean and walking distance of local entertainment.
• Bayside Cottages and Gros Morne Motel – cottages and motel units with ocean views all within walking distance of Rocky Harbour.

Weather and General Safety

• Hikers will be required to sign a waiver before departing.
• When meeting up at Out East Adventures, your guides for the day will go over proper gear, footwear, and safety issues that may occur.
  • There is no food, water, or shelter on the mountain.
• Be aware of the weather at all times. You might experience all four seasons in one day! Sun, rain, fog, wind, heat, cold, you name it. Long pants are recommended for this hike and you may get wet, having to cross multiple streams.
• Bring lunch and plenty of snacks with lots of water. Carry at least 1 liter of water per person for every 5 miles planned to hike. Get our favorite water bladder here!

Animal Safety in Newfoundland

• Newfoundland is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including iconic species like moose, caribou, black bears, lynx, and foxes. In addition, the island is a home to numerous bird and fish species. While encounters with predators are rare, there’s one creature you’re almost certain to meet: the infamous black fly!
• Newfoundland’s pristine natural environment provides the perfect habitat for black flies, which are active from spring through summer. If you’ve been here, you know just how persistent they can be. Count on some mosquitoes as well!
• Keep DEET bug spray handy, and a head net will become your best friend if you get swarmed.

Western Brook Pond Hike Day Trip – strenuous – 11+ miles, out and back, 1,500 ft. gain

This epic hike starts at the Out East Adventures Center in Rocky Harbour, NL. Begin by proceeding to this location 30 minutes before your hike begins. Guides will go over safety information and then you’ll follow them in your car (or ride with them!) to the parking lot at Western Brook Pond, which is about a 20-30 minute drive. Once you arrive there, hit the restrooms and get ready for one of the best days of your life!

Walk to the Dock

First, start the 1.9-mile walk from the parking lot to the dock at Western Brook Pond. This part of the hike is pretty easy, with rolling hills and great views of the area. The guides will talk with you about different animals, plants, and other facts along the way.

This is a great time to get to know the other hikers in your group. Once you reach the docks, there are restrooms here too – this is the last place that has actual toilets, so you better not miss it!

The Boat Ride

Second, your guides will help you board onto the boat for your very own personal ride, 10 miles through the fjord on Western Brook Pond. The views are outstanding! It might be bumpy, windy, and loud. When we took our ride back into the fjord, it was just starting to rain and was very cold and windy. You will definitely need a jacket here.

Along the way, your guides will stop at various locations to talk about Western Brook Pond. You’ll visit a waterfall along the way and will make a few stops to talk about the geology of the area.

🏞️ Looking for more epic hikes at Gros Morne National Park? Check out the Green Gardens and Tablelands!

Eventually, you will reach Pissing Mare Falls (what a name!) and then finally, you’ll arrive at the dock at the rear of Western Brook Pond. It was prime bug season during our trip, so this is when the black flies and mosquitos started their assault. A head net is a lifesaver for your sanity! Trust us!

Through the Forest & Meadow

Now, begin the 3.75-mile journey toward “The View”. This may seem like a somewhat short distance, but don’t let that fool you. This part of the hike is very demanding! Follow the guides into the forest along wildlife trails.

The trails are very narrow and some of the plants will be quite tall when walking though. While hiking, your guides will be on the lookout for moose in the area and it’s possible that you may come across one resting in the area. Eventually, you will reach the Jurassic Park-like area with amazing views all around!

The Rock Slide

Next up is the area known as the Rock Slide. This part of the hike is very stable, but you’ll have to engage in some rock hopping, stream crossing, and ducking in and around huge rocks in the area.

This is one of the coolest parts of the hike – figuratively and literally! On a warm day, you will feel a strange cooling sensation coming from the ground. This is from water flowing underground, coming from up in the mountains. It’s still cold because of the snowmelt and is a welcome relief on hot days.

Your guides will lead you to the “Beer Fridge”, which is an area in the rocks that has cold air literally pouring out of it. This is a great place for a quick cool-down! Continue the hike gaining steady elevation until you reach a waterfall. Now it’s break time before the most challenging section. Snack up and get ready for the climb!

The Climb

Finally, the most challenging section. This part of the hike is VERY steep but somewhat short. In some areas, use of all fours might be required as you hoist yourself up through the steep wooded trails. Guides are there to help you as needed. Use the nearby trees and branches to help you climb.

Then you’ll see it. One of the most amazing views! A stunning panorama of the winding cliffs of the fjord and Western Brook Pond. The thing you have worked so hard to see: “The View”! You have officially completed the Western Brook Pond hike. Or have you?

Now, sit back and relax while you enjoy your lunch overlooking the majestic Western Brook Pond. In the meantime, your guide is ready to be your photographer, so get as many shots as you can. Be goofy, be serious, be yourself! They will offer some great poses and angles.

Take in the view for a few more minutes and head back the way you came in following your guides. Just remember, you made it up but now you have to hike all the way back down!

Watch out for those flies!

Now, this trail is amazing, don’t get us wrong. However, this is one of those hikes where you just might need that head net. According to our guides, this was one of the worst times for black flies that they had seen in quite some time. The hike was humid, warm, and buggy.

As we reached the end of the trail at “The View”, we thought it would be a bit windier and that the flies wouldn’t be as bad. Wrong! Even our DEET bug spray was not working the greatest as there were so many flies.

That being said, those without bug protection were definitely in misery. Our guides mentioned that they are usually not bothered too much, but had to use our bug spray! Flies with a side of PB&J for lunch? Yum! 😂

Final Reflections

The Western Brook Pond hike was our absolute favorite hike of our entire trip to Newfoundland! Our guides on the tour were some of the nicest people we have met and the other couple that was in our group were so much fun.

This hike is one of the best we have done out of all of our travels, maybe even number one in our book. Where else in North America can you see fjords with breathtaking views like this? The Western Brook Pond hike better be on your bucket list!

Extra Information

• One of your guides will lead, and the other will stay at the rear to make sure no one is left behind.
• One of your guides will take lots of pictures! These are available for purchase.
• There are NO restrooms in the woods or on the mountain. If you need to go, just let your guide know.
  • Anything that you bring must be packed out – so if you need to use toilet paper, you must pack it out with you.
• Some stream locations allow for water refills but drink at your own risk.
• Ticks that transmit disease are somewhat rare in Newfoundland. After finishing this hike, do a tick check just in case! We did not have any ticks on us, and we did hike through plenty of foliage.
• You will spend about 45 minutes – 1 hour at “The View”.
• Please be sure to tip your guide at the end of the hike. They truly work hard and some of them complete this hike multiple times a week!