Photo courtesy of Justin Barbour
In Newfoundland and Labrador rivers and streams flow and interconnect, merge and diverge, carrying life to the land. There are literally hundreds of rivers to explore. The two provinces are home to two Canadian Heritage Rivers – the Main River, and the Bay du Nord River. The Main River flows through diverse landscapes from the Long Range Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, passing through softwood forests, grassland, floodplains and arctic-like barrens — diverse habitats critical for the survival of many species. Glacial valleys and a deep canyon showcase the geological bones of Newfoundland.
The Bay du Nord River flows through the pristine landscape of the Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve, in south-central Newfoundland. It sweeps paddlers past wide barrens where caribou roam, through whitewater “rattles” and quiet pools where countless brook trout, landlocked salmon, and Atlantic salmon swim, and finally enters the salt waters of Fortune Bay on Newfoundland’s south coast.
There are hundreds of rivers to discover in Newfoundland and Labrador. The interior of Newfoundland remains a largely uninhabited, remote wilderness. Here are a few packrafting trip reports from the provinces. Contact us @ packraftcanada@gmail.com if you have any trip reports to add; we’d love to add them to our growing list!
Avalon Wilderness Reserve Packrafting