"Gros Morne" translates roughly from the French as "big gloomy," and if you arrive on a day when ghostly bits of fog blow across the road and scud clouds hover in the glacial valleys, you'll get a pretty good idea how this area got its name. Even on brilliantly sunny days, there's something imposing about the stark mountains, lonely fjords cut off from the ocean, and miles of tangled spruce forest.
That's not to say you shouldn't come, though. Gros Morne National Park is one of Canada's greatest natural treasures, and few who visit here fail to come away with a sense of awe. In fact, it's been officially designated as one of the world's greatest natural treasures: In 1987, the park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, largely due to the importance of a section of the park known as the Tablelands. This geological quirk formed eons ago, when a portion of the earth's mantle broke loose during continental drifting and was forced to the surface, creating an eerie, rust-colored tableau.
The park is divided into two sections, north and south, riven by the multiarmed Bonne Bay (locally pronounced like "Bombay"). Alas, a ferry connecting the two areas has not operated for years, so exploring both sections by car requires some backtracking. The park's visitor center and most tourist services are found in the village of Rocky Harbour in the north section -- but you'd be shortchanging yourself to miss a detour through the dramatic southern section, a place that looks to have had a rough birth, geologically speaking.
To do Gros Morne justice, plan on spending at least 3 days here. (A week would not be too much if you're an ardent hiker.) The dramatic terrain throughout the park is on a scale large enough to be appreciated even if you never get out of your car. But to really get a sense of the place, think about getting out to see the place on foot, by bike, or in a boat. Excellent hikes and awe-inspiring boat rides can take you right into the heart of the park's wildest places.
If you'd prefer to let someone else do the planning for you, contact Gros Morne Adventures (tel. 800/685-4624 or 709/458-2722; www.grosmorneadventures.com), which organizes guided sea kayaking and hiking excursions throughout the park.
