The smallest of the 4 parks in this area, Yoho National Park measuring 1313 sq. km, takes its name after the Cree (native inhabitants) word for awe and wonder. And wonders are made true in this National Park. Located between Lake Louise in the east and Golden in the west, this Park is intersected by the Kicking Horse River with alongside the Trans-Canadian Highway 1. In the towncentre of Field, BC is the Tourist Information Center where you can find maps, tips and all info you’ll need to explore this magical National Park.

The hotspots in this National Park

A pure gem in Yoho National Park is Lake O’Hara, wich is accessed through the parkinglot located 13 km west of Lake Louise and 13 km east of Field, it”s a true back country adventure. It is only accessible by bus and on reservation basis only, wich can be made up to three months in advance.

Publicly accessible is the next stop at the Takkakaw Falls in Yoho Valley, one of the highest waterfalls in Canada with a free fall of 254 meters. Another famous creation by nature is where the Kicking Horse River punctured the solid rockface and created a Natural Bridge. This natural fenomenon is alongside the road towards the rustic, but o so beautiful Emerald Lake. Here you can strawl along the shoreline, canoe or ride on horseback.

Last stop in this amazing Park is a short but steep hike at Hoodoo Creek. Here you can see famous artistic rockpillars with strange boulders on top wich have been created over time by heavy erosion.

This precious gem is located at an elevation of 2115 meters up in the alpine area of Yoho National Park. Due to the sensitive area in wich the Lake is situated, the number of visitiors is restricted. Lake O’Hara is accessible through a busservice run by Parks Canada, or by hiking an 11km trail. You can make reservations up to 3 months in advance and it is suggested to do it that early as it fills up pretty quickly. Based on reading reviews it supposedly is quite hard to get through to reservations, people have called numerous times before being able to get tickets. Feels like the Rolling Stones are in town with only 10 available seats. The busservice operates only in the summer season from mid june til end of september.

At the Lake O’Hara lodge there are 8 guestrooms, 11 luxury cabins and some duplex cabins. Here you can live the good life with hot tubs or showers after your outdoor adventures and a fresh morning coffee at your picture perfect window after a good night sleep in the outback. Nearby is the famous Elizabeth Parker Hut, built in 1902 and is maintained by the Alpine Club of Canada. It is located at 2040 meters at 500 meters west of Lake O’Hara. From the bus drop-off point at Le Relais it’s less than another kilometer to the hut. The hut and the next door Wiwaxy cabin facilitate another maximum of 24 people. Last but not least there is the 30 sites counting campground with limited common facilities, prepare for self-suffiency.

There are beautiful trails to hike at Lake O’Hara, from entry level to expert mountaineering. The scenery provides mighty mountainpeaks, active glaciers and serene alpine lakes. Next to excellent hiking, rock and ice climbing opportunities it is also a favorite spot for photographers and painters to capute this landscapes beauty. Some trail are requested to be avoided if possible due to the fragile ecosystem in this high alpine area. Inform yourself at the lodge for the best trails at your time of arrival to be sure you are up to date with actual local circumstances.

The Takkakaw Falls, wich translated loosely from Cree means “it is magnificent” are easily accessible through Yoho Valley Road off of highway one. These majestic falls tumble down for 260 meters or 850 feet, before hitting the riverbed. This means it”s Canada’s 3rd largest waterfalls.

Located near the town of Field, BC, this attraction is open in season (roughly may until early october). It is a relatively short and easy hike to get to them.

This largest of the 61 lakes in Yoho National Park is one of the prime tourist attractions. The lake is situated in the interior of the Park and is enclosed by mountainranges on three sites, trapping incoming storms. This results in relatively large amounts of rain and snowfall giving the area around the lake it’s unique selection of flora like the western red cedar, western hemlock, western white pine and an abundance of wild flowers on the north shore late june and early july.

The Emerald Lake Lodge offers a great get away accomodation on the lake shore in one of the 24 cabin-style buildings. Around the lake you can hike the 5.2 kilometer trail of wich half is wheelchair accessible. During summertime you should rent a canoe here. After all this activity you can have a drink at the 1890’s era Yukon Saloon or have dinner at the Mount Burgess dining room, named one the 101 best restaurants around the world as ranked by the daily meal.

On Emerald Lake Road, just 3 kilometers from Field, BC, you can find this display of natures force. On kicking horse river the rushing waters eroded hard rock over wich once waterfalls have run and created this natural bridge. This impressive natural rock formation  is worth a picture moment en route. Easy to get to in a couple of minutes from the highway, maybe 30 minutes to an hour to walk around for the necessary snapshots.

These fantastic pillars with weird rocks on lying on top, called Leanchoil Hoodoos, are the result of centuries of erosion. Where the softer rock below eroded for many years, the hard rock on top was left untouched. There is a 5.2 kilometer round trip trail to hike with 340 to 460 meters of elevation, where you can choose to go to the upper or lower viewpoint. Both are awesome by the way. The full elevation is only in the second half of the trail, so don’t waste your energy on the first half.

22 kilometers west of Field, BC, these works of art can be reached by hiking a short but steep trail. At the base there are also 30 spaces at the Hoodoo Creek campground available for an overnight stay. They are also accessible by small RV’s.