An Adventurous Elopement in Gros Morne National Park
These two sweet outdoorsy folks met while working in Haida Gawaii, lived in Guelph, and decided to elope to the East Coast to make it a real cross-country story. Their Newfoundland elopement was such an adventure across Gros Morne National Park, starting with getting ready photos and ceremony at The Little Wild AirBnB in Norris Point overlooking The Tablelands, and heading out on an adventure that brought us to the sandy beaches of Broom Point, overlooking the fjord at Western Brook Pond, at sunset.
This was such a gorgeous day, and such a joy to share E+N’s Gros Morne Elopement adventure with them!
How to Elope in Gros Morne National Park
Gros Morne National Park is located on the west coast of Newfoundland, the easternmost province in Canada. This park is an amazing elopement destination for the sheer variety of dramatic landscapes, some incredibly unique landscapes (fjords, sandy beaches, mountains, and a mountain formed from a flipped over tectonic plate, to name a few!) charming small towns, and minimal crowds, if you know where to go.
HOW TO MAKE IT LEGAL:
Eloping in Newfoundland is much simpler than in a lot of other elopement destinations. Here are the steps:
- apply for a marriage license
- book an officiant
- after the ceremony, mail off your license to vital statistics (your officiant can guide you)
Marriage License: Apply to a marriage license issuer in person 4-30 days before your elopement date. This costs $100. Full info HERE, list of marriage license issuers HERE!
Book an officiant: Choose the person you want to perform your ceremony and handle the paperwork. A list of commissioners can be found HERE. When you reach out, be sure to tell them about your plans – do you want to hike to your ceremony spot? Make sure the officiant you book is up for that!
Best elopement locations in Gros Morne
This gorgeous park is geographically quite big, and split into the North and South shores of Bonne Bay. On the south side, the main attractions are Woody Point, The Tablelands and Trout River. Here you’ll find cute coffee shops in Woody Point and a lively arts scene in the summer, the amazing red Tablelands mountain which is actually a piece of the earth’s mantle exposed (take me here and I’ll nerd out about geology for hours), the gorgeous highlands and wild sheep of Trout River, some gorgeous woodland trails, waterfalls and lots of great campgrounds.
On the North side of Bonne Bay, Norris Point and Rocky Harbour are the main towns. Norris Point has more of a Nordic feel, with a gorgeous view over the Tablelands. Rocky Harbour has more amenities and restaurants, but is a bit busier feeling. On this side, you will find Gros Morne Mountain, the fjord at Western Brook Pond, beautiful sandy beaches at Broom Point with a view of the fjord in the distance, more rocky coastline, the best moose burgers, and the Long Range Traverse.
It’s important to note that Bonne Bay is huge, and the drive between Woody Point and Norris Point (with most hikes situated near these towns) is about 1.5 hours. There is a water taxi that takes foot passengers only in the summer, but it won’t drop you off close enough to walk to the really good views. So if you want to see both sides during your elopement, you’ll need to plan for that extra time. If you don’t want that drive in the middle of your day, it’s best to pick one side to really explore!
THE TABLELANDS
One of the most unique landscapes in the park, and even in the world! The tablelands are a mountain range comprised of a tectonic plate that flipped over, exposing the earth’s mantle. The rocks are rust red and otherworldly, and provide such a stunning place to explore. There is a gentle walk with little elevation gain that leads to a river in a beautiful valley in the rock, or a hike into the mountains with a stunning viewpoint.
Nearby Trout River has a nordic feel, with highlands and sheep reminiscent of the Faroe Islands.
GREEN GARDENS TRAIL
One of the most underrated hikes in all of Newfoundland. This is a strenuous 18 km round trip hike but the views are absolutely worth it. Highlands, wild sheep, huge coastal cliffs, and privacy in nature.
WESTERN BROOK POND
The inland fjord that made me fall absolutely in love with this park. There are many options here – a boat tour that takes you in to the fjord, a steep hike that takes you to the top, the short easy trail that takes you to the boat dock, or the 5 day trek from the fjord and across to Gros Morne Mountain!
NORRIS POINT
My favourite little town inside the park. It has a Nordic feel, a sweet hiking trail, and is a great base to explore the North side of the park. I love the views of the Tablelands across the bay from the beach!
Want to Know More?
Be sure to check out my Newfoundland elopement planning resources as well, like my blog post all about how to elope in Newfoundland, my big roundup of the best places to elope in Newfoundland, and some fun suggestions for where to stay in Newfoundland for your elopement.
Get in touch to find out more about how I can help you plan your dream Gros Morne Elopement!
























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