National park · Canada
Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve
Go on a booked guided tour (about 3.5–4 h); reserve entry is free, but the tour fee is check. The fossil beds are reached on foot from the Cape Race road, 2.5 km past Portugal Cove South.Go on a booked guided tour (about 3.5–4 h); reserve entry is free, but the tour fee is check. The fossil beds are reached on foot from the Cape Race road, 1.6 mi past Portugal Cove South.
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
5 km²2 sq mi
approximate
Established
1987
Best months
Jun–Sep
UNESCO
World Heritage
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
- Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
- Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.
At a glance
- Country
- Canada
- Area
- 5 km²2 sq mi
- The reserve is a narrow coastal strip; the 5 km figure describes the length of coastline declared a reserve in 1987, not a measured area (check).
- Established
- 1987
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Permits
- For some areas
- Base
- St John's
Mistaken Point protects a 5 km strip of tilted, wave-cut rock on the southern Avalon Peninsula holding the world's richest known assemblage of Ediacaran fossils — soft-bodied organisms that lived on the deep sea floor roughly 565 million years ago, before the Cambrian. The beds were found in 1967 by a Memorial University student, Shiva Balak Misra, who recognised Fractofusus misrai; the coastline became a reserve in 1987 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 17 July 2016. There is no road to the fossils, no vehicle access and no self-guided route: you walk in with a provincial guide, and the fossils are read on the rock underfoot. It is a half-day stop on the Irish Loop drive out of St. John's, not a park with facilities.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- UNESCO World Heritage · 2016Inscribed 17 July 2016 for the Ediacaran fossil assemblage.
Size and age
5 km²2 sq mi · national park since 1987
The reserve is a narrow coastal strip; the 5 km figure describes the length of coastline declared a reserve in 1987, not a measured area (check).
This page covers the park itself. Nearest base: St John's.
Why go
- The best-preserved Ediacaran fossil surfaces anywhere: whole communities of soft-bodied organisms preserved where they lived, on deep-water bedding planes.
- You read the fossils at your feet on open rock, with a guide who points out Fractofusus, Charnia and other forms.
- It is a genuine coastal walk on the southern Avalon — bare rock, sea, fog and seabirds — with almost no visitor infrastructure.
- The story is compact and human: a master's thesis find in 1967, a reserve in 1987, World Heritage in 2016.
When to go
- JanAvoid
- FebAvoid
- MarAvoid
- AprCaution
- MayGo
- JunBest
- JulBest
- AugBest
- SepBest
- OctCaution
- NovAvoid
- DecAvoid
- JanWinter; tour availability unknown.
- FebWinter; tour availability unknown.
- MarWinter; tour availability unknown.
- AprSeason dates and conditions check.
- MayTour dates and conditions check.
- JunTour dates and conditions check.
- JulTour dates and conditions check.
- AugTour dates and conditions check.
- SepTour dates and conditions check.
- OctSeason dates and conditions check.
- NovWinter; tour availability unknown.
- DecWinter; tour availability unknown.
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seabirds along the southern Avalon coastMay–Sep · Sightings depend on conditions. | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Whales offshoreJun–Sep · May be seen from shore; sightings are not guaranteed. | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Fog and high windApr–Oct · Coastal conditions can affect a tour; check with the reserve before travelling. | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
How to get there
From St. John's
Drive Route 10 south to Portugal Cove South, then take the gravel road toward Cape Race for 2.5 km; meet the guide as instructed.Drive Route 10 south to Portugal Cove South, then take the gravel road toward Cape Race for 1.6 mi; meet the guide as instructed.
check
From Trepassey
Drive to Portugal Cove South, then continue 2.5 km along the gravel road toward Cape Race.Drive to Portugal Cove South, then continue 1.6 mi along the gravel road toward Cape Race.
check
From Terra Nova National Park
Drive south and east via the Trans-Canada Highway and Route 10; exact journey time check.
check
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal Cove South area | Nearest community and usual tour meeting area; local services are limited. | Tour meeting instructions check. |
| Coastal fossil strip | A 5 km stretch of shoreline with Ediacaran fossil surfaces.A 3.1 mi stretch of shoreline with Ediacaran fossil surfaces. | Guided tours only; motor vehicles, bicycles and horses are not permitted. |
| Cape Race road | Gravel road from Portugal Cove South toward Cape Race. | Road access; fossil beds require a guided walk. |
Sketch map
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reserve entry | Free | person | No entry fee for the reserve itself. |
| Guided fossil tour | Free | person | Tour fee applies; amount check with the reserve office when booking. |
| Parks Canada Discovery Pass | Free | person | Does not cover this provincially managed reserve. |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Guided tour booking permit or guide
Vehicle access no permit
Park rules
- Guided access only
- Visit the fossil beds only on a guided tour; there is no self-guided route.
- No vehicles, bicycles or horses
- Motor vehicles, bicycles and horses are not permitted in the ecological reserve.
- Protect the fossils
- Follow the guide's route and do not touch or remove fossils.
- Stay with the guide
- The fossil coast is accessed as part of the guided tour; do not explore it alone.
- Pets
- Pet policy check with the reserve office before visiting.check
Where to stay
Near the park
Trepassey and Portugal Cove South
Accommodation availability and services check; plan ahead for a visit to this remote part of the Irish Loop.
Near the park
St. John's
A broader accommodation base, but the reserve is a long drive away.
Safety
Rough, wet coastal rock medium
Fog, wind and cold medium
Remote coast medium
Accessibility
- The fossil-bed walk crosses rough, uneven rock and may not be suitable for visitors with limited mobility; confirm access needs with the reserve office.
- The gravel road reaches the reserve area by car; a guided walk is required to reach the fossil beds.
Visiting lightly
- Book the official guided tour and follow the guide's route to protect fossil surfaces.
- Do not touch or remove fossils; carry out all rubbish.
- Use local services in Portugal Cove South or Trepassey where available.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve?
There is no fee to enter the reserve itself. The fossil beds can be visited only on a guided tour, which has a fee; the amount is check with the reserve office when booking. A Parks Canada Discovery Pass does not cover this provincial reserve.
What are the best hikes in Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve?
The main walk is the guided fossil-bed tour, about 3.5–4 hours in total. It crosses rough, uneven coastal rock, and there is no self-guided route.
When is the best time to visit Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve?
June to September is the practical season to target, but tour dates and weather conditions check with the reserve. Book ahead and confirm that the tour is running before driving to Portugal Cove South.
Can I visit the fossils without a guide?
No. Access to the fossil beds is by guided tour only. Motor vehicles, bicycles and horses are not permitted in the reserve.
How do I get to Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve?
Drive Route 10 to Portugal Cove South, then follow the gravel road toward Cape Race for 2.5 km. The fossil beds are reached on foot with the guide; journey time from St. John's check.
Is there a marked trail network?
No. The visitor route is the guided walk to the fossil beds, not a self-guided trail network.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go