Did anyone made a trip on the Labrador Highway in 2013? If so, can you tell me what progress they made on the new construction project, and in your opinion, how much do you think will be completed in 2014.I am planning on taking it in 2015 in a 40' motorhome.

When you're search for information on Canada, remember ".ca" As in google. www.google.caNow, specific: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Labrador_Highway gives you a history of construction and is moderately up to date re. type of surface.There is also the NL (Newfoundland & Labrador) government information http://www.roads.gov.nl.ca/cameras/trans_labrador.stm& most importantly for any travel in NL. http://www.roads.gov.nl.ca/cameras/, not just because it gives road cameras online, but because it gives links to so many travel information sources. Memorize that one and you can use it anywhere with anyone's computers.FWIW, I lived in NL for 24.5 years. ending in 2008 and talk/e-connect with people there regularly.Please see my signature for 2006 trip pics.:C

The last section has been completed, eliminating the 12 hour ferry ride. Might want to think long and hard before taking that trip in a large motor home. When I rode(motorcycle) it in 09 and 10, I don't think I saw a car or truck that didn't have a broken windshield. The Trans Lab "Highway" (really a two lane gravel road for a long way) was extremely rough in sections. They only campers I saw were 4wd pickups with either a small trailer or an in-bed camper. Gas was very expensive in places, don't know about diesel. That said I do it again in a heartbeat. It's the last wilderness on the east coast Nd truly an amazing place. You might look into doing a tour of Newfoundland. Almost as wild and the major roads are paved. (And a short ferry ride will get you to Labrador, so you can say you were there) Dave

Thanks for the info. I have been following the websites and the news on the highway. Just wanted an update from someone who has driven it this year. I know they got it classified a Class A all-weather road in 2011 then started a 120 mile asphalt project.I have no problem driving 450 miles on good gravel roads but don't want to drive through a 120 construction project. My main concern is how much they have completed and how much is still under construction. Also, are they doing it in short stretches or long stretches?No amount of info on the internet is as good as eye ball info.I did Newfoundland in 2007 and that is our object for 2015. In 2007 we drove the motorhome 2,500 miles and the pickup 2,000 miles while on the island so we saw a lot of it but want to go back for another visit, by way of Labrador.Will also request an update next year before we leave for the trip.

The NL government department makes decisions re road work some what dependent upon ice break up time. - Remember frost heaves have to come out of the roads.- Day temperatures depend upon broader weather conditions.- For ice go to this site: http://weather.gc.ca/canada_e.html* At the top click on the pull down menu for Marine Weather. Click on East Coast. It gives you Labrador, both east and west Newfoundland and Gulf of St. Lawrence. They're all important.* Note that interactive site also gives you official initial abbreviations for each province.Now, I will point to the fact that there are several reports of unusually heavy ice this year. Much of Cape Breton Island's Bra d'Or Lakes are frozen and causing flooding in near by residences. & the Gulf of St Lawrence has lots of ice, which of course slows the movement of the ice in the Strait of Belle Isle and points north.Thus, I'm forecasting late road work in adjacent lands.Amateur citizen that I am.:C

Hubby and I did it in 2013...ferry from Newfoundland to Lab City and down to Quebec and home to NY.More was paved than I could find online before we went...THAT was a nice surprise.Read my blog post about the trip to see if it is for you.In a nutshell the part in Labrador was "okay" and probably what we expected as far as road was concerned....meaning the unpaved parts...and since it was gravel we didn't expect a lot. We really didn't expect it to be washboard and mostly it really was not. The paved parts were a FINE gift. It took some experimentation to figure out how to "drive" on the gravel. It was NOISY (all hell broke loose in the back of our class c) and I had to run around back there and quiet things down as much as possible.The Quebec part...suffice it to say (more details in blog) that had we started in the Quebec province part, we both would have turned around. YET, we did see two rv's (coming at us from that direction before we hit Lab City....and only two!) We assumed they had come up the Quebec route 138. Quebec portion was pretty hilly, ziggy zaggy, weavy winding...and my husband really wanted to have someone show the grader how to do the job. It is a transport route basically from south to the mines/dam....with trucks and some big ones trying to do their jobs. They are not driving 45 miles per hour but hauling it.Labrador was drop dead georgous and I would do it again...when the road is paved all the way to Lab City. Not sure what I would do with the Quebeck portion...most likely plan my travel carefully to not have big trucks barreling down behind us. (We were fortunate and did not but I could see it could be a big problem with little places to pull over and they are in a hurry and experienced in driving this road).We drove at around 45 miles per hour...which seemed to be the sweet spot if that particular portion of the road was not washboard. Mostly it was not washboard. Slower and it was noisier and faster...pretty much ditto. Road graders are there and working on it all the time. They are actively paving or prepping for paving.Bring lots of food. We didn't do the satellite phone but luckily had no problems. You WILL NOT see many cars or trucks before you hit Churchill.

Labrador Highway | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

Neal47
Explorer
Apr 15, 2014
We drove this route in 2013. Do a search for" Trans Labrador highway" for our report. It was an adventure and fun.
dcason
Explorer
Apr 04, 2014
Mabar, it would be a wonderful thing if you could list the mile markers of unpaved sections through Quebec and Labrador...I started and then lost control...

And, I am sure more has been done or will be done since we have been through:)
dcason
Explorer
Apr 04, 2014
Why thank you!

We had a fabulous time and loved the boondocking opportunities there.
In 2015 we will again make the trip and go maybe two weeks earlier and add on a loop around Nova Scotia before going over to Newfoundland. We will not do Labrador again until they've paved it all...understanding that we would still have to tolerate the Quebec portion that is unpaved. Last time I checked there were no solid plans on paving that (timelines).

Gaspe' is on our list too...just to spend a week or so with New Brunswick...not sure when that will happen though...so please eyeball boondocking possibilities for us:B We are in a 25 foot class C with no toad.
NCWriter
Explorer
Apr 04, 2014
Dcason, just want to say how enjoyable your blog is - I read the NL section. Brought back memories of Newfoundland in 2012.

We're going up to the Gaspesie this summer if all goes well. Writing down that bakery info - cheese bread sounds great - and will bring our French translator.
dcason
Explorer
Mar 25, 2014
Yeah, Lonnie, my concern for you would be for the Quebec portion from Baie Comeau to Lab City. Those trucks are cruising and there is little room to pull over...pull over too far and the gravel is soft. When we did it in 2013 the vast majority of the trucks just happen to be coming north from Baie Comeau to Lab City...pure dumb luck on our part...while we were going south.

The person doing the road this year should be very helpful to you...another perspective.

You will be fine going slow on the Labrador parts.

Donna
lonnie4801
Explorer
Mar 25, 2014
Thank mabar.

Please consider posting the road conditions after your trip this year. It is on our schedule for 2015. Planning on about 12 to 15 days in Labrador before crossing over into Newfoundland. We don't travel to far or to fast. Have plenty of time to take it slow and easy.

When we find a scenic spot we like to spend a few days, get out our recliners, put up our feet, read, and relax.
marbar
Explorer
Mar 25, 2014
We have done the trip from Windsor Ontario up through Quebec into Labrador and stayed at the Manic V overnight and enjoyed the trip right through to Goose Bay/ Happy Valley where we caught the Coastal Ferry down to Cartwright and on to Newfoundland in 2001, Went back up the reverse from home through the Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia, Basq Ferry ( 5 and 1/2 hour boat ride) to Newfoundland and crossed at Red Bay to the mainland Labrador another hour and 1/2 on the ferry.. We then drove the new road ( since 2009 ) to Cartwright and St. Mary. The road was gravel and again like someone said, slow is the key but when we got to Cartwright we found the ferry was not in service yet due to "growlers" small icebergs were late leaving and this was the first 3 weeks of June that we were there.. The road from Cartwright to Goose Bay was not finished at that time.There was a barrier up with the proposed finish date. We are told it is finished now , actually the end date was 2012. We are leaving this summer, first week of July, to do the trip up through Quebec, Labrador and drive down the NEW road to Red Bay and ferry over to Newfoundland again. BTW, we drive a Roadtrek and find it has no problem on those roads. I don't know what a big A would be like
dcason
Explorer
Mar 19, 2014
Lonnie, not sure if you have looked at this site but I see you like icebergs like my hubby.

Iceberg Finder
Little_Kopit
Explorer
Mar 17, 2014
You're welcome. Of course, I recall your name, but you're right, I don't always remember who asks questions about what part of the country. But I want all to have a good trip.

:C
lonnie4801
Explorer
Mar 17, 2014
Little Kopit

Thanks for the input. You may not remember but you provided quite a bit of info for my 2007 Newfoundland visit.