Q: I am looking for adventure in Canada — camping, hiking, wildlife — any suggestions?
Canada, on the rocks: a sunlit berg off the Newfoundland coast– Rosanne Clemente, Bay Shore, New York
ϳԹ Advisor:
A: News flash: It’s a big country up there, with more adventure possibilities than human inhabitants. To narrow down your options, I used the dart-toss method and landed on Newfoundland, which works out well for you because it’s a fairly easy trip from New York, and the weather is more moderate than, say, upper Saskatchewan. Newfoundland also happens to be home to Gros Morne National Park, which the United Nations designated a World Heritage site in 1987, placing it among the ranks of the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal. Not too shabby for an island whose previous claim to fame was an abundance of cod.
You can set up a home base at the woodsy Berry Hill Campground, which positions you for any number of day trips among the peat bogs, fjords, sandy beaches, hardwood foreststhere’s even a tundra if you’re so inclined (though it wouldn’t top my must-see list). The hike of choice is the James Callaghan Trail, a grueling ten-miler that leads to a peak where you can look out onto the rest of the park. You can expect to spot some arctic hares and weasels, and maybe even a caribou or moose. Osprey and bald eagles make regular appearances here as well.
If you’re open to other activities, I’d recommend signing up for a fjord cruise. It’s more a spectator event than an adventure, but looking up at those coastal cliffs from the water is an experience you just can’t get on land.