Tablelands Trail

Tablelands Trail is an easy out-and-back along an old roadbed at the foot of Gros Morne’s bare, orange Tablelands, ending at glacially carved Winter House Brook Canyon. The marked route is 4 km return from the Route 431 parking area, with 88 m of elevation gain; allow one to two hours. It’s a good choice for a close look at the unusual rocks and plants here, including rock that normally sits far below Earth’s crust. You stay at the mountain’s base; this is not the climb to its top.

From the parking area, the old roadbed runs east beside the mountain. The track rises gradually toward the canyon, so this is an easy grade rather than a steep climb. The unpaved surface can be rocky and rough underfoot, though, and the official “easy” rating doesn’t promise smooth walking. Short wooden boardwalk sections break up the roadbed. If you use a stroller or wheels, that rough surface may be the deciding factor.

The landscape opens across sparse vegetation and loose stone, with the bare orange-brown slopes close by. Parks Canada describes unusual plants along the trail; look for small growth as well as the mountain. The orange rock is mantle material, normally buried far beneath Earth’s crust. Ancient continents collided and pushed it upward; erosion has spent hundreds of millions of years exposing it. That is the point of this walk: you can follow a fairly easy track through geology most people only see in a diagram.

At the far end, the route reaches Winter House Brook Canyon, carved by glaciers. Pause there, then retrace the same corridor to the car. The full 4 km includes both directions, while the map shows the trail corridor once. For a photo, include some roadbed at the bottom and pull back to frame the orange rock against the green hills beyond; the contrast makes this landscape read better than a tight crop. A shorter Serpentine Loop branches from the main walk as a separate option; it isn’t part of this trail’s 4 km.

If you want a longer Tablelands climb, this easy marked track is not it. A separate off-trail route climbs the steep slopes without markers and calls for route-finding and navigation skills; check in with park staff before attempting it. For the lower Tablelands, stick with the roadbed to the canyon. Parks Canada also offers a free mobile tour for this walk. Download and open it before setting out; it works without cell signal.

Start at the Tablelands Trail parking area on Route 431, also called Bonne Bay Road; the path begins there. Use the upper end of the one-to-two-hour estimate if you want time to look at the rocks and canyon. No food or water service is listed for this trailhead, and I couldn’t confirm a drinking-water source. I couldn’t confirm the marked trail’s dog rule either, so check with Parks Canada before bringing one.