Blow-Me-Downs – Simms Gulch

26 Jun Blow-Me-Downs – Simms Gulch

Over the year’s I’ve done quite a bit of running around in and around the Lewis Hills, Blow-Me-Downs and Serpentine Valley. To me its on the same level of Gros Morne National Park in terms of beauty, and when you add in the inaccessibility, lack of development, and lack of people its the best trekking area in Newfoundland.

To access the Serpentine Valley it requires traveling 36km over a logging road – Loggers School Road (a truck is a must, the last 6km alone takes roughly 30 mins to drive!) – however the road was recently decommissioned, therefore requires an ATV to access (update 2017).

Blow-Me-Downs & Serpentine Valley (Non navigation map). Red marking regular route, with the blue being an alternative.

Myself and Natalie decided we should explore the Blomidon’s and the Serpentine Lake portion of the trek, and try a slight variation of my normal route (variation is marked in blue on the map) and use Blow-Me-Down Brook Gulch. It would be around a 30km hike/run over trail-less terrain – its more of a back-country route. Using the BMD Brook Gulch was nice, with a beauty waterfall as we descended down, however, overall I would say its a bit more technical, and longer.

Loggers School Road – Views of Lewis Hills on the drive in

Serpentine Valley with Lewis Hills (background) – Nat enjoying the view

Lewis Hills in the background – Nat climbing to Simms Gulch

The Route takes you around a small portion of Serpentine Lake, with a few river crossings, where you then gradually climb towards Simms Gulch.  In the background on the climb, as you can see are some amazing views of the Lewis Hills, including Wheelers Gulch, Wheeler’s Peak, Red Rocky Gulch. Finally, just before you reach the entrance to Simms Gulch, there are two chairs, old and rusting, that have been there since I’ve been traveling the region… funny what you find in Newfoundlands back-country.

One of the best views in Newfoundland.

Entrance to Simms Gulch

Traveling up Simms Gulch

Simms Gulch – Nat enjoying the rocky terrain

Simms Gulch – The ~600 meter Climb Out

I got a little ahead of Natalie on the Climb

Nat climbing out of Simms Gulch

Simms Gulch – View from the Top

Blow-Me-Downs – Making our way North towards Blow-Me-Down Brook Gulch

Blow-Me-Down Brook Gulch – Nat making her way towards the edge

Descending into Blow-Me-Down Brook Gulch – Natalie looked a little worried… the beauty waterfall in the background didn’t calm her nerves.

Natalie was happy to finish the day off, where we covered around 30 km over 8 hours, and as you can see from the photo below it was getting close to sundown.  What a Day!

Blow-Me-Down Brook Trail – the last stretch before the parking lot