World Heritage Identification Number: 419
World Heritage since: 1987
Category: Natural Heritage
WHE Type: Protected Areas & National Parks
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada
Continent: Americas
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Exploring the Geological Marvel: Gros Morne National Park
Gros Morne National Park, a 1,805 km² expanse situated on the west coast of Newfoundland, Canada, stands as a testament to the intriguing process of continental drift. Established in 1977 and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, this park offers a unique opportunity to witness the exposure of deep ocean crust and the rocks from the Earth's mantle.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Situated on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland, the park provides a rare example of the process of continental drift, where deep ocean crust and the rocks of the earth's mantle lie exposed. More recent glacial action has resulted in some spectacular scenery, with coastal lowland, alpine plateau, fjords, glacial valleys, sheer cliffs, waterfalls and many pristine lakes.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (vii): Gros Morne National Park, an outstanding wilderness environment of spectacular landlocked, freshwater fjords and glacier-scoured headlands in an ocean setting, is an area of exceptional natural beauty.
Criterion (viii): The rocks of Gros Morne National Park collectively present an internationally significant illustration of the process of continental drift along the eastern coast of North America and contribute greatly to the body of knowledge and understanding of plate tectonics and the geological evolution of ancient mountain belts. In glacier-scoured highlands and spectacular fjords, glaciation has made visible the park’s many geological features.
Encyclopedia Record: Gros Morne National Park
Gros Morne National Park is a Canadian national park and World Heritage Site located on the west coast of Newfoundland. At 1,805 km2 (697 sq mi), it is the second largest national park in Atlantic Canada after Torngat Mountains National Park, which has an area of 9,700 km2 (3,700 sq mi).Additional Site Details
Area: 180,500 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(viii) — Outstanding example representing major earth stages
Coordinates: 49.6125 , -57.53138889
IUCN World Heritage Outlook
The 2025 Conservation Outlook on Gros Morne National Park reports the following assessment:
Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) · View assessment
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© Adavyd, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Gros Morne National Park from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Tracking rapid landscape change with repeated photography, Gros Morne National Park, Canada
A long-term photographic study of Gros Morne National Park, Canada, reveals that most high-risk landslide sites along Western Brook Pond remain stable, while thin-skinned landslides near Winter House Brook have persisted for over a century. The research used repeated imagery to document landscape changes—such as stone rings, coastal dynamics, and river modifications—driven primarily by natural forces like gravity, precipitation, and frost heaving rather than human activity. This non-invasive method offers valuable insights into ecological integrity, public safety, and landscape processes, with minimal cost or environmental impact.
Berger, A. (2017). Tracking rapid landscape change with repeated photography, Gros Morne National Park, Canada. Atlantic Geology, 53, 115–126. https://doi.org/10.4138/atlgeol.2017.005
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Leisure and the Net Opportunity Cost of Travel Time in Recreation Demand Analysis: An Application to Gros Morne National Park
Research reveals that visitors to Gros Morne National Park, a remote UNESCO World Heritage Site, value recreational access with a lower opportunity cost of travel time relative to their wage rate compared to previous studies. This finding challenges conventional assumptions by endogenously estimating the fraction of hourly earnings that best represents this cost, rather than imposing it exogenously. The study employs advanced count data models accounting for zero-truncation and overdispersion, providing a nuanced understanding of consumer surplus in park visitation. By linking visitor characteristics to opportunity costs, the research offers new insights into recreational demand analysis, particularly for remote sites.
Amoako-Tuffour, J., & Martínez-Espiñeira, R. (2012). Leisure and the Net Opportunity Cost of Travel Time in Recreation Demand Analysis: An Application to Gros Morne National Park. Journal of Applied Economics, 15(1), 25–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1514-0326(12)60002-6
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Trichomycetes from Newfoundland, including Gros Morne National Park
Research in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, has uncovered three new species of Trichomycetes fungi—Smittium colboi, Smittium georgense, and Stachylina forantipes—alongside six additional species representing new geographic records for the region. Notably, Spartiella barbata is reported in North America for the first time. The study analyzed aquatic insects from coastal sites across Newfoundland, revealing diverse fungal taxa with taxonomic significance, including detailed observations of Pennella hovassi. This work expands the known biodiversity of Trichomycetes in Atlantic Canada and provides critical insights into their ecological distribution.
Strongman, D. B. (2010). Trichomycetes from Newfoundland, including Gros Morne National Park. Botany, 88(12), 1011–1022. https://doi.org/10.1139/b10-073
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