A scenic coastal landscape with a winding road leading through lush green hills. The blue ocean stretches alongside, bordered by distant mountains under a clear blue sky.

Captain Cook's Trail

Captain Cook’s Trail

Start: Corner Brook

Length: About 54 km

A map highlighting two regions in dark green, with the left region shaped like an inverted bird, and the right elongated region extending north-south. A white line connects two points on the map, indicating a route.

Walk the Corner Brook Stream Trail Network for unique views of the city.

Yes, the Captain James Cook. Before he became a famous South Seas explorer, Cook refined his surveying and cartographic skills along the coast of Newfoundland in the 1760s. His charts of the Bay of Islands are – remarkably – still accurate enough to be used today. A statue in his honour overlooks the bay from Corner Brook, the largest city on the west coast.
At the Corner Brook Historic Train Site, see the collection of narrow gauge rolling stock from the Newfoundland Railway, including a steam locomotive and a working diesel electric locomotive. Visit the Corner Brook Museum & Archives, celebrating the history and culture of the region, and the Rotary Arts Centre where two art galleries celebrate the work of both established and emerging artists. Spend some time on West Street, a hub of activity lined with restaurants, cafes, and even craft breweries. For unique views of the city, walk the Corner Brook Stream Trail Network starting in Margaret Bowater Park. You’ll travel uphill before dipping down into the gorge, where you’ll find a sweeping view of the Corner Brook area.

Tackle the Governor’s Staircase - a wooden staircase embedded into a 450-million-year-old wall of volcanic rock.

The scenic drive along the south shore of the Bay of Islands on Route 450 to Lark Harbour is a treat for the eyes. With its mountainous beauty, ocean vistas, and quaint little fishing villages, you’ll also find some of Newfoundland’s best hiking here. One such route is the popular Blow Me Down Mountain Trail, part of the International Appalachian Trail.
Blow Me Down Provincial Park has even more world-class hiking, including the scenic Lark Harbour Head Trail which travels over boardwalks and stairs to a lookout with endless views of the Bay of Islands, Lark Harbour, and York Harbour. On your descent, you'll tackle the Governor's Staircase – a wooden staircase embedded into a 450-million-year-old wall of volcanic rock.

Road Trip Tips:

Please check exact directions and road conditions before you start each road trip. Visit www.511nl.ca for current road conditions.
Distances are estimates and for guidance only. Routes can be taken as is, or in reverse order.