In The Southern Section

Camping -- The two drive-in campsites in the southern section of Gros Morne -- Trout River Pond and Lomond -- have showers and hiking trails. Of the two, Trout River Pond is more dramatic, located on a plateau overlooking the pond; a short stroll brings you to pond's edge with wonderful views up along the fjord. Lomond is near the site of an old lumbering town, and is more popular with anglers fishing the lake. Camping costs C$19 to C$26 per night at each site, depending on the level of services you require at your site.

Three exceptional backcountry campsites are located along the Green Gardens Trail; pre-registration at the park's visitor center is required before using these sites, and the fee is C$9.80 per night. The northernmost site in the trio is near the coast, in a ravine where Wallace Brook meets the ocean. The two southern sites are on grassy bluffs above pebble beaches, and have outstanding coastal views.

Reserving a site in advance is always a good idea. Do it through the national parks reservation website (www.pccamping.ca) or by calling tel. 877/737-3783.

In The Northern Section

Rocky Harbour has more tourist services than any other village in or around the park, yet it's still pretty small and has trouble handling the annual torrent of travelers in July and August. Two or three bus tours can pretty well fill up the town, as can droves of sudden overnight arrivals during a spell of exceptionally good weather. So it's unwise to arrive here without a reservation.

The biggest motel in town is the Ocean View Motel (tel. 800/563-9887 or 709/458-2730), on the harbor at 38 Main St. It has pretty basic rooms (some with small balconies and excellent bay views; ask for one on the sea side when booking). The place is popular with bus tours and often fills early in the day, so try to book ahead. This is also the place where you book BonTours boat tours. Rooms are about C$125 to C$155 for a double in high season, though the hotel is slowly trying to remake itself into a fancier place and they may change in future seasons.

There's also the motel-like Fisherman's Landing Inn (tel. 866/458-2711 or 709/458-2711), with 40 rooms and 2 suites -- all of them air-conditioned and equipped with amenities such as coffeemakers, ironing boards, and hair dryers. There's an outdoor hot tub and guest laundry, and a family restaurant of the same name attached, but few ocean views despite the name.

Camping -- The northern section has three campgrounds open to car campers. The main campground is at Berry Hill, a few kilometers north of Rocky Harbour. There are almost 150 drive-in sites, plus a handful more walk-in sites on the shores of the pond itself. This one is best for families: It's just 10 minutes' drive from the visitor center, where evening activities and presentations are held, and several easy-to-moderately difficult walks depart from the campground's parking lot.

The campground at Shallow Bay takes longer to reach, but is prettier: it's 48km (30 miles) past Rocky Harbour, just off Route 430 near the hamlet of Cow Head. It has 50 campsites near the park's northern border, beside an appealing, 3km (2-mile-long) sandy beach. Both these campgrounds have showers and flush toilets; sites cost C$19 to C$26 per night, depending on the time of year and level of services (electricity, water, and so forth) you require.

Finally, Green Point is a cheaper, more intimate, simpler campground with only 18 sites, about 11km (7 miles) north of Rocky Harbour on Route 430. This is a "primitive" campsite; there are showers, yes, but only pit toilets (no flush toilets). Nevertheless, it's incredibly popular. The campground is divided into two sections: an upper area (more open, with better views of the gulf) and a lower area set amid the evergreens (which offers more privacy and better shelter from the wind). Choose whichever style you prefer; sites in either section cost C$16 per night.

In midsummer, these three campgrounds fill up fast; it's best to arrive as soon after the daily 2pm checkout time as possible to snag a site. Of course, reservations are very helpful for all three during peak summer months. As usual, to reserve a campsite in advance go online to the national parks reservation service at www.pccamping.ca or call the service at tel. 877/737-3783.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.