Taking a break on the Man in the Mountain trail in Corner Brook, Newfoundland (Canada).
So far the hikes in Corner Brook, Newfoundland have been short and sweet: the Corner Brook Stream Trail is completely flat, the Margaret Bowater trail not much steeper, and the Steady Brook Falls trail is only about 20-minutes. This morning (well, early afternoon…) we decided to hit the Man in the Mountain, an International Appalachian Trail built in the last couple of years.
From Route 440, the trail begins on an upward climb from the parking lot and, other than a few flat breaks, doesn’t quit climbing until you reach the top. This part of the trial is 2.5 km (1.5 mi) and ascends 300 m (985 ft) to the top of the mountain overlooking the Humber Valley.
I could feel my body getting weaker and my head begin to spin a bit just over half way to the top. What I thought would be a short hike had turned into a much longer trip than we anticipated and I was running out of breakfast fumes from many hours ago. We were so close to the top, though, that we pushed forward until the end.
View from the top of the Man in the Mountain Trail in Corner Brook, Newfoundland (Canada).
Supposedly there’s a man’s face in the mountain, hence the name, seen from lower down on the highway. I have yet to see any face in the mountain, either here or elsewhere in the world where such claims are made. It’s much more fun to climb the thing than stare at it from ground level anyways, don’t you think?
My favourite part of this hike is the beach. There are two lakes you pass and one you walk around on a little beach. After trekking up switchbacks for an hour, it’s a bit of a surprise to come upon a small bit of sand along the way.
Of course, the ridges near the top are also pretty awe-inspiring. Each ledge looks down on the city of Corner Brook and the Bay of Islands. At this time of the year, the trees are all decked out in their autumn colours and set quite the scene.
Another view from the top of the Man in the Mountain trail in Corner Brook, Newfoundland (Canada).
What I Liked:
- It was a gorgeous day, crisp and sunny, and the few others we met along the trail were rosy-cheeked and grinning from ear to ear.
- This is a great half-day hike and there’s plenty of room to picnic along the way.
- This trail keeps going and you can go backcountry from Corner Brook to Deer Lake (50 km or 30 mi), making it about a three-day hike.
- Again, it’s only a few minutes drive from Corner Brook and really accessible.
Lori Henry is a freelance Travel, Health and Hockey writer based in Vancouver, Canada.
