Notre Dame Provincial Park is located approximately 1 kilometer east of the Notre Dame Junction and approximately 41 kilometers west of Gander on the Trans Canada Highway. Nestled in the lush forests of central Newfoundland, the park borders on the serene waters of Junction Pond. An ideal choice for the family. Notre Dame Provincial Park has something to offer visitors of all ages.

PARK HISTORY

Construction of the park began in 1958 and it first opened to the public in 1960. Until only a year before construction began, Notre Dame Park was one of the logging sites for the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company now Abitibi Price. This company donated their land for use as a Provincial Park. Notre Dame encompasses 113 hectares of land.

PARK ACTIVITIES

Camping
Notre Dame Provincial Park has 100 campsites, many of which are near the tranquil pond. Each campsite has a picnic table, fireplace, garbage can and a space for your vehicle. Drinking taps and pit toilets are conveniently located throughout the park. Firewood is available at the woodlot.

Day Use
The day-use area, located next to the beach offers picnic tables, garbage cans, pit toilets and a large open area surrounded by the natural beauty of the park.

Swimming
Notre Dame Park has a large, sandy beach located in the picnic area near the main entrance. Change houses and toilets are situated nearly CAUTION The swimming area is unsupervised. Water safety equipment is conspicuously located on the beach.

Winter Recreation
Wonderful groomed ski trails and a ski Chalet await the Cross-country ski enthusiast at the park. Snow- shoeing and nature photography are other activities to enjoy in the park during the winter. Motorized snow vehicles and ATV's are prohibited in Provincial Parks.

FACILITIES

Playgrounds
The playgrounds can be found near sites 92 and the interpretation center/ski chalet. They contains see- saws, swings and sandboxes, and are set on small grassy areas ideal for the young and old alike.

Disposal Station
. Notre Dame Park is conveniently equipped with a trailer dumping station. just past the administrative buildings.

Private Sector
Notre Dame Park has a convenience store and boat and bicycle rental for the visitor's use.

NATURAL HISTORY

The vegetation of Notre Dame is that of a boreal forest, which is characterized by dense-growing, young coniferous stands. The park is dominated by black spruce and balsam fir, with tamarack and white Birch throughout.

Peatland, shrub and heath lands interrupt the forest floor. and a variety of wild flowers from the shade- loving bunchberry to the barren-growing crowberry may be found. There is a wide variety of fruits from the blueberry to the northern honeysuckle.

This diverse habitat provides home to a broad range of animal life. Moose, beaver, Snowshoe hare, pine grosbeak, the common loon, grouse and other noteworthy mammals and birds. Over 100 species of birds have been recorded in the parks.

INTERPRETATION

Notre Dame has a vibrant interpretation program. Through it, both young and old alike may actively participate in crafts, campfire programs, sports and the amphitheater program, where movies are shown on weekends at the Ski Chalet.

The interpretation program provides an opportunity to discover both the natural and cultural history of Newfoundland in a fun and exciting family atmosphere.

CELEBRATING OUR NATURAL HERITAGE

Provincial Parks and Wilderness and Ecological Reserves are pecial places held in trust for present and future generations.

Provincial Parks help people celebrate Newfoundland and Labrador's rich natural heritage by providing province-wide opportunities for people to relax and recreate in a refreshing natural setting. Visit a park for a few hours or a few days and get closer to nature. Bring your family or friends, take a swim, hike, picnic, camp or just sit back and enjoy our evening campfire program. Through these activities Provincial Parks invites you to celebrate, discover, explore, understand and appreciate the Province's natural wonders.

Special natural areas such as Wilderness and Ecological Reserves are primarily set aside to protect large wilderness areas, representative samples of the natural regions of the Province, as well as the habitat of rare or threatened species and sites of special merit (e.g. fossil sites). Special reserves, such as Cape St. Mary's, provide people with the opportunity to experience the incredible diversity of animal life, plant communities, land forms and other natural features which occur here.

Visit one and experience a part of our unique natural heritage.