Newfoundland - Hikes in the Central Region of the Island

A land of adventure, the central region of Newfoundland is a vast area of dense forests and rugged coastlines.

To the north, between April and June, icebergs from Greenland drift along the famous "Iceberg Alley."

Inland, forests, lakes, and rivers dominate—once precious resources for Indigenous peoples and European settlers.

To the east lies Terra-Nova National Park and its typical habitat, made up of islands, ponds, bogs, and forests.

Finally, the southern coast, dotted with spectacular fjords, is home to several isolated fishing villages as well as the Miawpukek First Nation of Conne River, the province’s only recognized reserve.

Source: https://www.exploretnl.ca/region-centre

Below is a list of the hikes we did in this region. Each hike has a link attached so you can quickly access more information about it.

Videos are embedded throughout the summary. Click on the image to start the video.

King's Point - Alexander Murray Trail Grand Falls-Windsor - Thunder Brook Falls Trail King's Point - Rattling Brook Falls Trail Harbour Breton - Gun Hill Lookout Trail Harbour Breton - Deadman's Cove Trail Harbour Breton - Rocky Point Lighthouse Trail Harbour Breton Community Dildo Run Provincial Park - Black Head Trail Twillingate - Lower Little Harbour Trail Twillingate - Rockcut Twillingate Trails Twillingate - Lower Head Loop Trail Twillingate - Cuckhold's Point Trail Twillingate - Top of Twillingate Trail Terra-Nova National Park - Mill Cove Lookout Trail Eastport - Sandy Cove Lookout Trail

KING'S POINT - ALEXANDER MURRAY TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 49.57922, -56.19568 Parking GPS Coordinates: 49.58470, -56.22000 Loop Junction GPS Coordinates: 49.59070, -56.22610 Haypook (summit)

The Alexander Murray Trail is located in King's Point (Green Bay). It’s named after a famous 19th-century Newfoundland geologist.

At 8.5 km (loop), it includes over 2,200 steps. It’s one of the most beautiful trails we’ve ever hiked.

It first passes through the forest, then the barrens, and culminates at the summit of Haypook Mountain, where a lookout offers stunning views of Green Bay and any icebergs that might be passing by, depending on the season. You’ll also get great views of the barrens, where you might spot wildlife like moose and bears.

As for us, we only saw birds and a ruffed grouse.

There are several lookouts along the trail, as well as three beautiful waterfalls.

The first waterfall is about 1 km from the summit. If you're up for descending 200 steps (and climbing back up) to reach the depths of the Corner Brook canyon, you won’t be disappointed.

Corner Brook Falls is a gorgeous waterfall that cascades into a pool nestled in the heart of the canyon. The spot is secluded, shaded, and perfect for a swim, which helped us cool off before continuing our climb to the summit, which peaks at over 335 meters (1,100 feet).

The summit offers an incredible 360° view of the entire region, which is stunning with its steep cliffs, numerous bodies of water, and lush green meadows.

We then began our descent. The two other waterfalls, Rowsell's Falls and Gull Brook Falls, are easy to spot since they’re visible from lookouts.

Back in the barrens, it was really hot. We hurried through this section to reach the forest, which allowed us to finish the hike in the shade.

This trail is very well maintained and clearly marked. There’s a box at the start of the trail for donations since access is free.

For safety reasons, hikers are also asked to sign in with their names and record their entry and exit times.

https://youtu.be/cTRW6iiqVJI

GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR - THUNDER BROOK FALLS TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 48.94458, -55.82767 Parking GPS Coordinates: 48.94831, -55.82829 First waterfall GPS Coordinates: 48.94944, -55.82689 Second waterfall

The Thunder Brook Falls Trail, also known as Leech Brook Falls, is located in Grand Falls-Windsor in central Newfoundland.

I don’t know the exact length of the trail, but it’s not very long to hike.

It wasn’t part of our itinerary, but since we were in the area and had some time to spare, we decided to check it out.

The trail quickly leads to the edge of a stream that forms a natural pool, making it an ideal swimming spot for families with young kids.

We continued our hike upstream along a forest trail until we reached the first waterfall. The ground is covered with lots of roots.

The trail first offers a stunning view of this beautiful waterfall, which cascades down multiple rocky ledges before ending in a crystal-clear pool.

We kept hiking along what seemed like an unmaintained trail. A steep descent using a rope took us to the base of the first waterfall, surrounded by impressive rock walls.

Since we couldn’t find the trail to the second waterfall, we climbed the rock face to reach the top and continued hiking upstream along the brook.

That’s how we arrived at the second waterfall, which is 13 meters high and flows into a gorgeous deep-water lagoon.

You can climb the rock walls of this waterfall to jump into the water or reach the hidden cave behind it. As for us, we didn’t do either...

Still, we went for a swim, even though the water was *really* cold.

On our way back, we met other hikers who knew the area well. They showed us an easier trail to get back to the parking lot.

https://youtu.be/EaDv80s3Ncc

KING'S POINT - RATTLING BROOK FALLS TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 49.62087, -56.17609 Parking and trailhead

Rattling Brook Falls is a 259-meter (850-foot) waterfall cascading down the side of a high cliff.

You can admire it by hiking this 500-meter round-trip forest trail, which is very well-maintained and easy to walk. However, it includes numerous stair steps.

The trail splits into two sections. The first, on the right, leads to an observation platform offering a distant view of the falls.

The second section, on the left, features boardwalks and stairs that take you to two upper levels.

The first level provides a view of the stream as the water weaves through large rocks and cascades into a pool perfect for swimming. In fact, someone was swimming there when we passed by.

The second level, much higher up, offers a better viewpoint of the falls. However, you only see part of it because the bottom of the falls is hidden by the treetops.

That’s why we climbed a pile of large rocks to get a full view of this stunning waterfall flowing into a narrow, long ravine formed by erosion.

The view was truly breathtaking. However, we took a risk doing that, so I’m definitely not encouraging you to do the same.

https://youtu.be/_GJmS-0CjvY

HARBOUR BRETON - GUN HILL LOOKOUT TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 47.48714, -55.80208

The Gun Hill Lookout Trail is located in Harbour Breton on the south coast of Newfoundland. It’s only 1 km round-trip in total, but don’t let that distance fool you.

Actually, this trail is entirely uphill. A series of long, steep staircases leads to the top of Gun Hill.

Throughout the climb, you’ll enjoy stunning views of Harbour Breton, Fortune Bay, and the massive fjords stretching inland.

What’s more, the views just keep getting better as you approach the summit.

An observation platform has been built at the top, offering a 360° view of the entire area. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking.

https://youtu.be/e13skjCcWIk

HARBOUR BRETON - DEADMAN'S COVE TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 47.47667, -55.85412 Trailhead (to the right) GPS Coordinates: 47.45985, -55.83586 Beach (Chappie Cove)

A 6.8 km round-trip trail of easy to moderate difficulty.

The gravel trail starts at a lookout offering a stunning view of Mile Pond. The beginning of the trail runs alongside this pond and is dotted with small rocks and very colorful little houses.

The gravel trail gives way to a long wooden boardwalk that leads to a second lookout. The pond is surrounded by lush green mountains. The scenery is truly breathtaking.

We quickly reach a fork. We turn right to head toward Deadman's Cove beach.

The trail crosses a long meadow and leads us to the edge of a high cliff overlooking the ocean.

A long staircase takes us down to a beautiful, long sandy beach in Western Cove. The turquoise water is spectacular.

Our time on this beach is short-lived since we have to climb another staircase that takes us to the top of the cliff to continue our hike.

The panoramic view from the top of this cliff over the beach we just left is stunning.

We return once again to a long boardwalk that crosses the meadow. The views of the surrounding mountains are absolutely breathtaking. The scenery is just incredible.

The trail comes back to the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean, allowing us to see a second beach that is also very pretty.

The trail then passes through a small coniferous forest and returns to the coastline, where we get a superb panoramic view of Black Island Cove beach, just as spectacular as the previous ones.

We have to descend another long, steep staircase leading to this beach and climb another one to continue our hike along the cliffside, as they are separated by sections.

Finally, we arrive at Chappie Cove, nicknamed Deadman's Cove. In fact, this nickname seems to come from a shipwreck involving some rather wicked men who allegedly haunted the area until a woman wandering on the beach was attacked, and God intervened to destroy all the evil spirits of the shipwrecked sailors.

There’s a picnic area that offers a stunning view of this beach, backed by high sand dunes.

While my partner rested on the beach, I went to explore the small piece of land connected by a tombolo (a sandbar). Erosion has created an amazing formation there.

Moreover, the overall view of the beaches and dunes is breathtaking.

We returned to this spot in the early evening to watch the sunset. There’s a road that leads there. We didn’t regret it—it was majestic.

https://youtu.be/glVI4eKJFyw

HARBOUR BRETON - ROCKY POINT LIGHTHOUSE TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 47.47756, -55.79589 Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 47.47962, -55.79291 Lighthouse

The gravel trail leading to Rocky Point Lighthouse is very short: just 760 meters round-trip.

This lighthouse, built in 1881, stands at the entrance of Harbour Breton Bay, a fjord with steep vertical cliffs. It’s the second lighthouse erected on this site and the oldest still standing on the southwest coast of Newfoundland.

It offers a breathtaking view of the bay as well as the communities of Harbour Breton, Jersey Harbour, and Gun Hill. The scenery is absolutely stunning.

We spotted a hare on the trail—it disappeared really quickly. I would’ve loved to get a photo of it.

https://youtu.be/EN0IfSuvpJU

HARBOUR BRETON COMMUNITY

GPS Coordinates: 47.47760, -55.80792 Hickey Landslide Memorial GPS Coordinates: 47.48090, -55.80918 Pierce's Point Lookout GPS Coordinates: 47.48057, -55.80136 Newman's Lookout

The historic town of Harbour Breton is located on the Connaigre Peninsula on the south coast of Newfoundland. Numerous bays and coves make up this stunning rugged coastline.

It has a beautiful harbor and is one of the oldest and largest fishing centers on Newfoundland’s south coast.

Fishing and aquaculture are the main pillars of this town’s economy. However, ecotourism is now also a sector that helps diversify the economy.

We spent two days in this lovely little town and went on a few hikes that truly amazed us with their landscapes. These hikes are actually the subject of various summaries.

Three lookouts offer breathtaking viewpoints: Pierce's Point Lookout, Newman's Lookout, and Hickey Landslide Memorial.

When we left Harbour Breton, a light fog was drifting over the bay, giving the landscape a rather dramatic feel.

https://youtu.be/oHAfDmxs-E8

DILDO RUN PROVINCIAL PARK - BLACK HEAD TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 49.52761, -54.74718 Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 49.52710, -54.72240 End of trail

The Black Head Trail is an easy 4.3 km round-trip hike. However, it does include quite a few stairs.

It’s located in Dildo Run Provincial Park, which offers around fifty campsites and a body of water perfect for kayaking and canoeing.

The trail starts near the parking lot by the washroom block. It winds through boreal forest and leads to the top of a headland, where an observation platform offers a breathtaking view of the park and the numerous islands in the area.

Beaches are also accessible along the route.

This seems to be the ideal spot for birdwatching—bald eagles, vultures, woodpeckers, and more. As for us, we only spotted one woodpecker.

https://youtu.be/9S5AV2JLm9Y

TWILLINGATE - LOWER LITTLE HARBOUR TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 49.6278, -54.7095 Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 49.6273, -54.6985 Jonas Cove

Distance: 4.5 km - Level: Moderate/Difficult - Time: 2h

The Lower Little Harbour Trail is located in Twillingate in central Newfoundland.

It starts with a gravel road leading to a small bay where remnants of an old community still exist today, such as root cellars, including the Keefe family’s, which dates back to 1930.

Wildflowers grow all over the meadow. The colorful landscape is truly stunning.

The trail then enters the forest and takes you to the edge of a coastline heavily eroded by the sea.

We took a small detour to see the natural arch, which is quite beautiful, and then continued our hike toward Jonas Cove beach.

The trail then leads to the top of hills, and the scenery changes dramatically. The path becomes rocky and more difficult to navigate.

However, it offers gorgeous panoramic views of the coastline, which is very photogenic. The natural arch appears from a different angle here.

The coastal landscapes are truly exceptional. Ocean waves gently crash against the cliffs or simply wash up on pebble beaches.

The trail re-enters a forest where the ground is completely covered in vegetation. Bright white flowers, nicknamed "ghost plants," cover the ground in some areas.

It then descends toward Jonas Cove, where you’ll find a beautiful, long, isolated pebble beach.

We continued our hike on the trail behind this beach to return to the parking lot.

https://youtu.be/wczlUpBRkaU

TWILLINGATE - ROCKCUT TRAILS TWILLINGATE

GPS Coordinates: 49.66876, -54.72660 Parking GPS Coordinates: 49.66846, -54.72848 Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 49.66961, -54.71632 Spiller's Cove GPS Coordinates: 49.65356, -54.71180 Codjacks Cove GPS Coordinates: 49.65493, -54.72224 Horwood Lane Junction

The Rockcut Trails in Twillingate currently offer about 25 km of interconnected coastal trails with a variety of stunning landscapes.

For our part, we started our hike at French Beach and passed through Spiller's Cove and Codjacks Cove to form a loop of +/- 10.4 km.

The trail begins at the top of a cliff and runs along the coastline, offering a superb panoramic view of French Beach, which is a very pretty pebble beach.

The trail then descends to the level of this beach, which we follow before taking the trail that climbs up the cliff on the opposite side.

A sign at the start of the climb informs us of the distances to reach French Head (1 km), Spiller's Cove (4 km), and Codjacks Cove (7.5 km).

The trail climbs to the top of the cliff, allowing us to admire French Beach from a different angle.

It then overlooks the coastline, letting us observe various rock formations, including one that resembles a dromedary.

The trail passes by French Head, a coastal promontory that is gradually collapsing due to erosion. It crosses a wooded area and emerges at the end of a promontory that offers a stunning panoramic view of the coastline and a steep valley.

The ground is covered with lush vegetation. Blueberries are abundant, and we spot several species of mushrooms, some with unusual shapes.

The trail becomes rockier and gradually climbs to the top of a cliff, from where we see French Beach once again.

We continue our hike toward Spiller's Cove. The trail has gained altitude, giving us a 360° view of the entire region. The scenery is postcard-perfect.

The landscapes are very diverse, allowing us to admire a rugged coastline, beaches, stunted trees, as well as ponds and peat bogs along the way.

In front of Spiller's Cove beach, we spent a long time watching birds of prey perched atop a narrow rock.

We continued our hike back to the parking lot via Codjacks Cove.

https://youtu.be/16sqKAkgF4k

TWILLINGATE - LOWER HEAD LOOP TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 49.68784, -54.80129 Parking GPS Coordinates: 49.68764, -54.80115 Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 49.68932, -54.80268 Nanny's Hole GPS Coordinates: 49.68457, -54.80651 Sleepy Cove

Distance: 2.6 km - Level: Moderate

The gravel trail starts to the left of the Long Point Lighthouse parking lot. It first crosses a wooded area, and long wooden staircases have been built to make the descent easier in steeper spots.

It then follows the coastline, offering stunning views of the ocean, rugged cliffs, and the meadow where you can see the trail you’ll be hiking.

In season, you can spot whales and icebergs here.

We continued our hike to Sleepy Cove, which has a beautiful pebble beach with crystal-clear turquoise waters.

An old copper mine once existed here, and some remnants are still visible.

There’s also a campground. Some sites are free (near the beach), while others are paid.

Some cute little cabins were under construction when we passed through. They offer an exceptional view of the ocean.

We returned via Route 340, which leads to the Long Point Lighthouse.

https://youtu.be/5XZgbjCj1xw

TWILLINGATE - CUCKHOLD'S POINT TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 49.68790, -54.79923 Trailhead

Distance: 5.4 km - Level: Intermediate

After admiring the scenery from the observation platform to the left of the parking lot, we headed toward the back of the Long Point Lighthouse where this hike begins.

This trail forms a 5.4 km loop passing through Devil's Cove and Horney Head Cove before bringing us back to the town of Crow Head and then to the lighthouse.

The views of the coastline and the inland areas are stunning throughout the journey. There are several steep climbs and descents that make some sections of the trail more challenging.

Devil's Cove is a perfect example of the coastal landscape often seen in this region. The cliff, worn away by erosion, is collapsing, and a small rocky beach forms at its base.

The trail constantly winds through wooded areas, climbs to the top of cliffs, and after a while, descends to the ocean’s edge, leading us to Horney Head Cove, which shelters a lovely isolated pebble beach.

The trail then takes us to a junction, and we continue toward Crow Head. The path remains just as winding, leading us to the opposite side of the island.

Many wild blueberries grow in this area, prompting us to take little breaks to enjoy these delicious berries.

The trail gradually climbs to the top of the cliff, offering us superb views of the town of Crow Head along the coastline, as well as distant views of Twillingate Harbour and the Long Point Lighthouse, which sits atop a cliff at the foot of which lies a beautiful pond.

We had to descend a very steep slope to return to the main road. That’s why a rope was installed to help with the descent.

We walked along the main road (Route 340) to return to the Long Point Lighthouse parking lot.

https://youtu.be/-u5CPJM_QCI

TWILLINGATE - TOP OF TWILLINGATE TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 49.61919, -54.75395

The Top of Twillingate Trail is a 2.6 km trail. The start of the trail is gravel and easy to walk. Later, it’s littered with rocks and roots, making it a bit trickier to navigate at times. It includes wooden boardwalks and stairs.

It gradually climbs through the boreal forest to the summit, which sits at about 100 meters above sea level.

Four lookout points and a tower at the top offer different views of the entire region.

The trail then descends and leads to a boardwalk that circles Low Mist Pond, which is really beautiful.

You’ll spot the purple pitcher plant, a carnivorous plant that’s Newfoundland’s provincial flower, as well as yellow water lilies, both adding to the scenery.

Once you’ve completed the loop around Low Mist Pond, the trail takes you back to the parking lot.

https://youtu.be/WCIyzVm5eEY

TERRA-NOVA NATIONAL PARK - MILL COVE LOOKOUT TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 48.64997, -53.94429 Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 48.65460, -53.93907 Lookout

The Mill Cove Lookout Trail is a moderate-level hike covering 1.5 km round-trip (total) located in Terra-Nova National Park.

It starts in a black spruce forest, crosses a heathland with numerous rocky outcrops, and then climbs to the top of a hill offering a stunning 360° view of the entire area, including bays, coves, and surrounding hills.

Along the way, small signs provide information about the different features around you:

- The grooves seen on the rocks were created by retreating glaciers

- 10,000 years ago, this spot was buried under 1,000 meters of ice

- These three-million-year-old rocks form the only granite hills in Terra-Nova National Park

https://youtu.be/7OOR1Ffpg9Q

EASTPORT - SANDY COVE LOOKOUT TRAIL

GPS Coordinates: 48.64149, -53.72913 Parking GPS Coordinates: 48.64134, -53.72911 Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 48.64030, -53.72110 Lookout

The Sandy Cove Lookout Trail is a 1.8 km round-trip hike of moderate difficulty located on the Eastport Peninsula.

It starts near the beautiful and long Sandy Cove Beach, which is backed by high sand dunes.

The trail climbs quickly to an observation platform 150 meters above the bay. There are several steps to climb and lots of roots covering the ground.

Fortunately, benches have been installed at certain spots along the trail to let us take a break.

At the top, a wooden boardwalk crosses an area with very lush vegetation. You can spot the purple pitcher plant, Newfoundland’s floral emblem, which is quite lovely.

It’s a carnivorous plant that traps its prey in its tubular leaves, which fill up with rainwater.

We continue our hike to a rocky promontory where a bench offers a chance to pause and enjoy the view of the bay and Terra Nova National Park. This is the first lookout.

However, there’s a second lookout. There’s no sign indicating it—some hikers we met at the top told us about it.

The path to get there isn’t marked, but you can see the trail continuing in that direction. Just follow it for about 200 meters. It leads to an observation platform next to which the Canadian flag has been raised on a flagpole.

This spot offers an exceptional view of Bonavista Bay, the Newman Sound, and the stunning Sandy Cove Beach.

https://youtu.be/q_j-Ny3jQn8

I invite you to read the fourth travel journal about Newfoundland. This one covers several hikes we did in the Avalon Peninsula. Here’s the link:

Newfoundland - Hikes in the Avalon Peninsula