Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve

The Largest Protected Wilderness Area On The Island Of Newfoundland At About 2,895 Square Kilometres; A Canadian Heritage River System, Extensive Caribou Range And Country With No Roads, No Trails And No Facilities · Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador

Bay du Nord is THE LARGEST PROTECTED WILDERNESS AREA ON THE ISLAND OF NEWFOUNDLAND - about two thousand eight hundred and ninety-five square kilometres of the interior, a landscape of barrens, bog, low forest and water that most Newfoundlanders have never set foot in despite living within a few hours of it. THE BAY DU NORD RIVER IS A CANADIAN HERITAGE RIVER, running south through the reserve to Fortune Bay, and a descent of it is a serious multi-day wilderness trip. The reserve protects important CARIBOU RANGE for the Middle Ridge herd, one of the larger populations left on the island. There are NO ROADS, NO TRAILS, NO FACILITIES AND NO SIGNAGE, entry requires a permit, and the practical problems are the ones that catch people on all Newfoundland barrens: featureless ground, frequent fog, and weather that arrives with no warning and no shelter anywhere.

Interior of central-southern Newfoundland, Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

A WILDERNESS RESERVE, NOT A PARK - NO GATE, NO VISITOR CENTRE, NO TRAIL AND NO FACILITIES. A PERMIT IS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY from the provincial Parks and Natural Areas Division, and the permit system exists both for caribou management and so that somebody knows you are in there. THE PRACTICAL SEASON IS ROUGHLY LATE JUNE TO EARLY OCTOBER. ACCESS IS ON FOOT FROM THE EDGES, by float plane to the interior ponds, or by river. A BAY DU NORD RIVER DESCENT IS A MULTI-DAY WILDERNESS TRIP requiring whitewater experience and a plan for getting out at Fortune Bay. THERE ARE NO MARKED ROUTES - navigation is by map, compass and GPS across featureless barrens where FOG IS FREQUENT AND THOROUGHLY DISORIENTING. Hunting and snaring are restricted. Confirm current permit arrangements before travelling.

Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos