Portland Creek

Portland Creek combines coastal views with nature experiences along the river and a long circular hike. The Indian Lookout Trail, the sandy beach in the village and destinations in Arches Provincial Park appeal to different interests. For planning your trip, it is therefore worth considering first whether you mainly want to hike, spend time by the water, or combine several of these experiences.

A long loop with views of the Gulf

The Indian Lookout Trail is a 40 km circular hike around the Southwest Feeder Gulch of Portland Creek. This distance makes the trail a travel decision in its own right: If you want to make it the focus of your stay, you can plan it as a longer hike rather than treating it as a short walk. The trail climbs to 640 metres at the summit of Flat Hills. It also offers expansive panoramic views of the coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The distance, elevation and views each provide a concrete point of reference for the hike, without making it possible to determine a hiking time.

The Southwest Feeder Gulch also offers its own viewpoint: from there, you can see the 1,200-foot-high Partridge Pond Falls. For those interested in striking landscapes, this provides another described feature in addition to the coastal panorama. The waterfalls and views of the Gulf are different aspects of the landscape; they do not have to be combined into a single route. This lets you tailor the hike to what interests you most.

Beach and coastal landscape

Portland Creek has a 1 km-long sandy beach. This offers a different way to spend time by the water than the long trail: the beach is a specific coastal spot in the village, while the hike—with its stated total distance and ascent—is a bigger undertaking. When choosing your vacation rental in Portland Creek, you can therefore weigh whether you prefer the connection to the village’s sandy beach or to the natural experiences in the surrounding area.

Further afield, a short trail in Arches Provincial Park leads to a saltwater pebble beach. The park is also home to a natural rock arch formed by tidal action. The pebble beach and the rock arch offer two different landscape features to explore on an outing. The park is 9.2 km north of Portland Creek on Route 430; parking and a picnic area are available there. You can therefore consider the beach and the tide-formed rock feature as separate destinations.

River, fishing and history

The Portland Creek River, including Brian’s Feeder, is listed as a Class 4 salmon river in the Newfoundland and Labrador angler’s guide. In addition, Mountain Waters offers salmon and trout fishing on the Portland Creek River. These two details refer to different things: the classification identifies the river in the guide, while Mountain Waters’ offering explicitly includes salmon and trout fishing.

Another specific name is part of the area’s fishing history: in the mid-1940s, Wulff established a rustic fishing camp called “Runnin’ Out” in the Portland Creek area. This connects the place not only with present-day interests in nature and fishing, but also with the history of a fishing camp. For visitors who enjoy exploring landscapes and local history together, this story adds to the experiences of the river, coast and trails.

Choosing the right location

For geographic orientation, it is important to distinguish the village from a reference point to its north. Mountain Waters Resort is 5 km north of the village of Portland Creek, on Portland Creek Pond. Arches Provincial Park is 9.2 km north of the village on Route 430. These distances refer to different destinations and should be considered separately.

If the circular hike is your main focus, its 40 km distance and views of the Gulf of St. Lawrence stand out. If you would rather explore different coastal features, you can treat the 1 km-long sandy beach in Portland Creek and the pebble beach and rock arch in Arches Provincial Park as separate destinations. For a trip focused on fishing, the details about the Portland Creek River and Mountain Waters’ offering are also relevant. This lets you choose Portland Creek based on the experiences that matter to you during your stay.

More places

More destinations: River Of Ponds, Plum Point, Raleigh, Rocky Harbour, Division No. 9, Subd. A, Port Saunders, Port Au Choix, Norris Point.

For the broader travel overview: Division No. 9.