The Trans-Labrador Highway - A highway guide - June 2011

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This second page of my Trans-Labrador highway description covers the southern half of the Trans-Labrador: highway 510, from Happy Valley-Goose Bay to the southern tip of Labrador, at the border with Quebec. This section of the Trans-Labrador was only fully completed in 2010, just a year before this report was written.

Starting from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, drive back a short distance on highway 500 until the junction with highway 510 is reached, then turn left (south). You will soon come upon a big warning sign stating that the next services are nearly 400 kilometres ahead - a very long distance for a public road in North America!

Major TLH Junction

Labrador Coastal Drive

Now THAT'S remote!

After crossing a metal bridge over the Churchill River, highway 510 begins a long traverse across very remote wilderness towards the coast. Although it is gravelled, this section of road is quite smooth and has very small aggregate. In most places, it is possible to easily maintain an 80-90 kilometre speed.

courtesy JInnes

Long distances

Thick Black Spruce

Mouth of Churchill River

Churchill River Bridge on 510

Brand-new highway

Pinkish Gravel

Highway 510 Roadside Scenery

Gently Rolling Boreal Forest

The terrain is thickly forested at first, but as the highway makes its way east, the terrain slowly becomes more open and the trees shorter. A full 295 kilometers after starting out from Happy Valley-Goose Bay (about 285 from the start of highway 510), you reach Cartwright junction, where a side road leads north to the community of Cartwright.

Open Barrens More Common

Distant Mealy Mountains

To Lower Country

Cartwright Junction

Heading now in a more south-easterly direction after Cartwright junction, highway 510 becomes less smooth, and more pot-holed. The terrain continues to become more barren. Just before Port Hope Simpson, at about the 400km mark from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, you cross another metal bridge across the Alexis River, then arrive in Port Hope Simpson itself. A very simple one-pump gas station and convenience store is your only option for services.

Semi-Barren terrain

P and K Convenience

Mary's Harbour

Continuing south on 510, the highway starts to go through more hilly and barren terrain - in fact, it is practically coastal tundra at this point. At km 453, about 50km beyond Port Hope Simpson, you arrive at the small community of Marys Harbour (I don't believe there is any gas available here, although there is a motel). The highway turns generally south-westward at this point, although it does not yet follow very closely to the coast.

Roadside sleds

Snow in summer

Stark Landscape

South of Mary's Harbour, the now very scenic (but also bumpy) highway 510 continues south, passing through increasingly rugged country. At km 542 from Happy Valley-Goose Bay (532km from the northern end of 510), you arrive at the historic town of Red Bay. The highway becomes paved here. There is a gas station and a store in Red Bay.

Snow-dotted slopes

Reddish highway 510

Lichen at Red Bay

From Red Bay, highway 510 continues south-west. It is somewhat hilly and twisty from here on, and although it is paved, it is sometimes a bit bumpy. Starting at West St. Modeste (km 577 from HV-GB, 567km from northern end of 510), the highway more closely follows the coast, providing lots of very scenic views and passing through many little fishing villages.

Paved section of 510

Steady flow

Point Amour Lighthouse

At kilometer 625 from Happy Valley-Goose Bay (615 from the northern end of 510), you come to the Quebec Border, and the southern end of highway 510. A couple of kilometres further along and you come to the town of Blanc Sablon (gas available), where a regular ferry service connects you to the island of Newfoundland.