Gros Morne National Park

08/31/2026

As the season begins to wind down, we’re saying a heartfelt thank you and farewell to the incredible students who joined the Gros Morne team this summer. 🏞️

From welcoming visitors and sharing stories, to supporting conservation, protecting our landscapes, and helping keep this special place thriving, your hard work, enthusiasm, and curiosity made a difference every day. 🌿

We hope your time in Gros Morne was filled with unforgettable views, new friendships, and plenty of moments that reminded you why this place is so special. 🌲

Thank you for being part of the team. We wish you all the best in your next adventures! 💚

08/30/2026

🏖️🌊 Happy National Beach Day!

Did you know Gros Morne National Park is home to beautiful sandy shores?

At Shallow Bay Beach, the Gulf of St. Lawrence meets a stunning coastal landscape, creating the perfect place to explore, relax, and take in the views. ✨

Pack a picnic, breathe in the ocean air, and enjoy a day by the sea at one of Gros Morne’s most beloved beaches. 🌅

📸 Dale Wilson

08/29/2026

🦇🌙 Tonight is International Bat Night!

Did you know bats are the only mammals capable of true flight? These amazing nocturnal animals navigate the night using echolocation, sending out high-frequency sounds that bounce off trees, insects, and other objects to help them "see" in the dark.

Here in Gros Morne National Park, we're home to three bat species:
🦇 Little Brown Bat
🦇 Northern Long-eared Bat
🦇 Hoary Bat

The Hoary Bat, Canada's largest bat, migrates south for the winter, while the two smaller species stay closer to home and hibernate. All three are insect-eating specialists, helping keep insect populations in balance. 🦟

Parks Canada researchers use special acoustic recorders to detect bat calls that are beyond the range of human hearing, helping us better understand where bats live and how they're doing.

Sadly, the Little Brown Bat and Northern Long-eared Bat are endangered in Canada due to White-nose Syndrome, a fungal disease that has caused devastating population declines.

Like all mammals, bats can also carry rabies, although this is rare. In Newfoundland and Labrador, there have been two confirmed cases of rabies in bats: one in Cartwright in 2004 and another earlier this year in the Trinity Bay area.

You may spot bat boxes throughout the park, providing important habitat for these incredible animals. If you do, please admire them from a distance and never touch or disturb bats or their homes. ❤️

https://ow.ly/vOjN50ZwEyE

📸 Ian Harte

08/28/2026

🐝 Oh look... a bumblebee! 🐝

Did we fool you? 👀 It might actually be a robber fly!

Some robber flies use mimicry to look like bees or wasps, helping them avoid becoming someone else's lunch. With their fuzzy bodies and impressive size, they're convincing look-alikes.

But don't let the disguise fool you. Robber flies are skilled aerial hunters! They use their long legs to sn**ch insects right out of the air and aren't fussy about what's on the menu. From flies and bees to wasps—and even other robber flies—almost any flying insect is fair game.

Robber flies begin life as larvae in soil or rotting wood before transforming into powerful predators. As adults, they can grow to nearly 8 cm (3 inches) long, making them some of the largest flies you're likely to encounter. 😮

Next time you think you've spotted a bumblebee, take a closer look—you might just be meeting one of nature's most impressive impersonators!

📸 Margie Wilkes

08/26/2026

🚧 Visitors travelling through Gros Morne National Park should be aware that bridge inspections will be taking place at several locations on September 3 and 4.

Inspections will take place at:
🌉 East Branch Bridge
🌉 Mill Brook Bridge
🌉 Vessel's Brook Bridge
🌉 Tucker's Brook Bridge

Each inspection is expected to take approximately 4 hours, during which time traffic will be reduced to one lane.

🚦 Traffic control and flagpersons will be in place at all times to help manage traffic safely through the inspection areas.

Please expect delays and plan your travel accordingly. 🚗⏱️

Thank you for your patience and cooperation while this important work is completed.

https://ow.ly/Nch450ZFyiL

Soaring fjords and moody mountains tower above a diverse panorama of beaches and bogs, forests and barren cliffs. Shaped by colliding continents and grinding glaciers, Gros Morne’s ancient landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

08/21/2026

⚠️🏊 Swimmer’s Itch Reported at Trout River Pond

Swimmer’s Itch has been reported at Trout River Pond. It is caused by a small parasite that can burrow into the skin and is a common, naturally occurring condition in freshwater across North America.

While there are no serious human health concerns, the itching can be uncomfortable. Here are some simple precautions to help reduce your risk:
🏊 Avoid swimming in areas where Swimmer’s Itch has been reported.
🌿 Avoid swimming for long periods in shallow water or near marshes.
🧴 Towel off immediately after leaving the water.

What to watch for:
🔴 Tingling sensations shortly after leaving the water.
🔴 Small red spots where the parasite has entered the skin.
🔴 Itching as the red spots become larger.
Symptoms and discomfort can vary from person to person.

If you develop symptoms, treatment may include topical medication or antihistamines. Consult a medical professional for advice on treatment.

📸 Sheldon Stone

08/19/2026

🌎📸 World Photography Day is all about seeing the world from a different perspective.

We'd love to see Gros Morne National Park through your eyes. Share a photo that captures what makes this place special to you, and inspire others to discover its beauty. ✨

Drop your photo in the comments below! 👇

📍 Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse

📸 Julia Endicott

08/18/2026

🌲 TREE PLANTING IN PROGRESS 🌲

From Tuesday, August 18 to Tuesday, August 25, 2026, Parks Canada staff and tree-planting contractors will plant 200,000 seedlings of native trees in remote areas in Gros Morne National Park. Helicopters will be working near Route 430 between 7 am and 6 pm daily.

During this time, some sites in Gros Morne National Park may be temporarily closed to visitors to ensure public safety while seedlings and crews are transported by helicopter, including the Viewpoint north of Cow Head along Route 430.

🚦 Traffic should be otherwise unaffected. Visitors are asked to respect closures and to obey all signage and posted speed limits.

🌳 Building on Parks Canada’s long-term forest health program, this work is being undertaken to restore the ecological integrity of areas of forest that were impacted by prolonged over-browsing by moose. The trees we plant will also remove thousands of tons of carbon from the atmosphere as they grow, serving as a nature-based solution to climate change.

08/16/2026

🌿📚 Parks Canada, in partnership with Writers at Woody Point Literary, is excited to bring you one of our favourite annual traditions: Writers in the Wild.

Join us for a guided walk through the forests and meadows of Lomond with acclaimed writers and musicians. Along the way, you'll experience the beauty of Gros Morne through storytelling, music, and nature. 🎶🌲

📅 Sunday, August 23
🕙 10 am to 12 pm
📍 Lomond Trail near Killdevil Camp

🚌 FREE transportation is available from the Heritage Theatre, departing at 9:20 am. Return is expected by 12:15 pm.

As this is an outdoor event, please come prepared for changing weather and insects. Wear comfortable clothing and sturdy footwear suitable for open fields and forest trails. 🥾🦟

We can't wait to share this special experience with you!💚

08/14/2026

🧛👻 Welcome to the spooky (and fascinating!) world of parasitic wasps!

Don't worry—they're completely harmless to humans.

Despite their name, parasitic wasps aren't actually parasites—they're parasitoids. The difference? Unlike parasites, parasitoids eventually kill their host as part of their life cycle.

These remarkable insects come in all shapes and sizes, from no bigger than a speck of pepper to nearly 8 cm (3 inches) long. In fact, the smallest known insect on Earth is a parasitic wasp that's only about one-tenth of a millimetre long!

Female parasitic wasps use a specialized egg-laying organ called an ovipositor to lay their eggs inside another insect or its larva. When the eggs hatch, the young develop by feeding on their host.

Here's the surprising twist: once they become adults, these tiny hunters trade insects for flowers! 🌼 Adult parasitic wasps feed mainly on nectar, pollen, and honeydew, making them important visitors to flowering plants.

Nature is full of creatures with incredible life stories—and parasitic wasps might just be among the most surprising! 🕷️✨

📸 Margie Wilkes