Newfoundland T'Railway

The Newfoundland T'Railway follows the bed of the old Newfoundland Railway — the narrow-gauge line nicknamed the Newfie Bullet that ran 883km across the island from St. John's to Port aux Basques until it was decommissioned in 1988. The converted trail is the longest rail trail in Canada and one of the longest in the world, crossing terrain that is unlike anything on the Canadian mainland.

Newfoundland is geologically distinct. The interior is a landscape of bogs, barrens, and boreal forest at an elevation of 100-400m, exposed to Atlantic weather systems that arrive without warning and leave you thoroughly wet before you've had time to find shelter. The rail grade sits on a raised bed above the bog level, which is essential — without it, you would sink to your knees in the Newfoundland wetlands. Even on the rail bed, sections of the trail are persistently damp, and the ballast surface alternates between good compact gravel and loose rock that is difficult for any kind of wheeled vehicle and unpleasant for running.

The wildlife is extraordinary. Newfoundland has a large moose population (introduced in 1878, now over 100,000) and encounters on the trail are constant. Woodland caribou roam the barrens sections of the interior. Black bears are present. The absence of grizzlies distinguishes the experience from western Canada, but the black bears here are larger on average due to the productive coastal habitat.

The interior sections of the trail pass through country that is genuinely remote. The mid-island section from Grand Falls-Windsor to Deer Lake is the most isolated — small towns at 30-50km intervals provide the only services, and the towns are small enough that provisions are limited. Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook, and Stephenville are the main resupply points.

The western end of the route near the Long Range Mountains is the most scenic: the Codroy Valley and the coastal approaches to Port aux Basques with the Gulf of St. Lawrence visible on clear days.

Most thru-runners take 14-20 days. The trail ends at the CN Marine ferry terminal at Port aux Basques — a satisfying conclusion to a point-to-point crossing of an entire island.