Hiking Green Gardens Trail- Gros Morne National Park

There are so many fantastic outdoor activities in Newfoundland’s Gros Morne National Park, but one of my favourites was hiking Green Gardens Trail. 

During the Green Gardens hike, I got to experience the beauty of Gros Morne’s contrasting landscapes. From mineral-rich rocks of serpentine barrens to lush clifftop meadows and forest, the scenery was ever-changing during the pleasant hike to the sea.

About Green Gardens Trail in Gros Morne National Park

Green Gardens Trail is located in the southern area of Gros Morne National Park, between the Tablelands and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 

The trail makes its way from the edge of the barren orange landscape of the Tablelands to the towering cliffs along the coastline, passing through meadows and boreal forest along the way. 

At Old Man Cove, near the end of the trail, there are pillow basalts, volcanic rocks that were formed by lava erupting from the ocean floor 550 million years ago. There is also a pair of Parks Canada’s famous red chairs, perfect for admiring the coastline and watching for whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. A staircase gives access to a long, pebbly beach below the cliffs. 

The trail officially ends at Steve’s Cove, but I only went as far as the beach at Old Man Cove. In 2017, the section of Green Gardens Trail going from Steve’s Cove to Wallace Brook was permanently closed, turning what used to be a loop into an out and back hike. 

The Green Gardens hike is rated moderate by Parks Canada. The trail to Old Man Cove and back has an elevation gain of about 294 m/964 ft over a distance of 8.4 km/5.2 mi. The full round-trip hike to Steve’s Cove is approximately 9 km/5.6 mi.  Plan for 3- 4 hours to complete the hike with time for a break at the beach.

Hiking Green Gardens Trail- My Experience

The Green Gardens hike begins from a parking lot beside Highway 431. At the trailhead, there is a sign with some brief information about the hike, the landscape, and a simple trail map.

Heading out on my hike, my first impression was that the trail was misnamed. I didn’t see any green gardens, just a desolate field of rust-coloured rock. 

As the trail weaved across the serpentine barrens, I could see the landscape gradually transition from orange rocks to green grass and from flat to hilly. To the right, I could see Long Pond backed by hills. 

After gaining a bit of elevation, the sea came into view off in the distance. Now I saw why the trail was called Green Gardens- all around me were hills carpeted by meadows.

The path meandered across the hilltop among shrubs and wildflowers, showcasing a vast view of rolling green hills and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The scenery was so beautiful I couldn’t wait to explore more! 

Continuing my hike, the trail began to gradually descend toward the water, zigzagging into a more forested area. Instead of just shrubs, the trail was now lined with small trees. I liked that the trees weren’t tall, so I could still see the gulf and surrounding hills.

The scenery stayed the same for a while, except for the trees getting taller. Eventually, I came to a small wooden bridge in the open forest. 

After the bridge, the trail went uphill through the forest for a while, but it wasn’t steep. 

Now higher up and closer to the coast, I could again see the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It made for a nice view as the trail descended toward the shore. A short while later, I passed by a pretty waterfall in the forest.

After the waterfall, it wasn’t long until the trail reached the edge of the cliffs above Old Man Cove. Here I got my first glimpse of the sea stacks and pillow basalt that formed from volcanic activity millions of years ago. 

Now the trail turned right and proceeded along the forested clifftop. It was quite lush, but occasionally there were tree-framed views of the beach down below. 

Further ahead, a small meadow near the cliff’s edge offered unobstructed views of the stretch of beach and cliffs along the coastline. It was a great photo spot for both landscape pictures and selfies!

The trail continued along the clifftop with meadow on one side and trees on the other. I passed by an outhouse sheltered in the forest and soon arrived at my final destination- Old Man Cove.

At the viewpoint above the cove, there is a pair of Parks Canada’s red Adirondack chairs to sit and admire the scenery. This is where I spotted a whale swimming in the distance. It was far from shore, so I wasn’t sure if it was a whale at first, but then I saw it breach and was convinced! 

Next, I decided to head down the crooked staircase to the beach and found a spot to sit and enjoy my lunch. The soothing sound of the waves, fresh air, and beautiful cliffs provided the perfect atmosphere for a picnic. 

Once I was rejuvenated and ready to leave, I hiked back to the parking lot on the same trail. The return hike took more energy because it was uphill much of the way. 

Final Thoughts About My Green Gardens Hike

I’m really glad that I included the Green Gardens hike on my Gros Morne National Park itinerary because it was an enjoyable way to experience some of the park’s best scenery. I loved the cliffs, the forest, the meadows, the rocks, the waterfall, and the sea views. It was great to get so much scenic variety on a fairly short trail. 

While I loved the scenery along Green Gardens Trail, my favourite moment of the hike was spotting a whale and seeing it breach. Even though the whale was off in the distance, it was still exciting to see.

If you only have time for one hike in Gros Morne National Park, I would recommend Green Gardens Trail because it only takes a few hours, is good exercise without being overly difficult, and showcases a few of the park’s most notable features. 

Accommodations in Gros Morne National Park

For your convenience, here is a list of hotels in Gros Morne National Park. Please consider booking your Gros Morne accommodations through the included link. It costs nothing extra and helps support this website. Thank you!