YOHO NATIONAL PARK

Yoho National Park

One of Canada’s great Mountain National Parks Updated June 2022

Visit one of Canada’s great Rocky Mountain National Parks. To begin your tour, go to the town of Golden in British Columbia on the west side of the park, Lake Louise, Alberta on the east side of the park, or the town of Field inside the park. Field is the most convenient of these places, but it is just a little village with limited facilities. Golden is further away but has the most to offer in the way of accommodation, groceries stores, garages, etc. There are also many campgrounds in the area, both inside and outside of the park.

Visitor’s Centre

Begin your tour of Yoho National Park with a stop at the visitor’s centre in the town of Field. Here you can get maps, brochures and lots of other information about things to see and do in the park.

Spiral Tunnels

The Spiral Tunnels is an exciting stop. It is right on the highway and will not take much of your time. In the 1800s, building a railway through the Rocky Mountains was a massive undertaking. The grade is too steep for a train to pass safely. The first train that tried crashed, killing three people. The solution was to build spiral tunnels inside the mountain.
A train would enter the tunnel, travel in a complete circle inside the mountain and emerge at a higher or lower elevation (depending on the direction). It was an engineering marvel and would still be a tremendous job to complete today, even with modern equipment.
You might see a train enter or leave the mountain if you are there at the right time. About 25 to 30 trains pass the viewpoint every 24 hours.

Takakkaw Falls

The road to Takakkaw Falls is just east of the town of Field. The waterfall is not very wide, but it is one of the highest in Canada. There is a hiking trail from the parking lot to the base of the falls. No trailers are allowed on this windy road. You can drive, or there is a shuttle bus to take you the 11 kilometres from the highway to the falls. There are picnic tables along the riverbank near the parking lot—a great place to have lunch.

The Natural Bridge

Here, a natural obstacle crosses the Kicking Horse River. It was probably used as a bridge by the original people and first settlers in the area. Today there is a safe, manufactured bridge to take you across. There is nothing on the other side, but the human-made bridge gives you a very good view of the Natural Bridge. The Kicking Horse River, of course, had to go somewhere, so it forced an opening through the Natural Bridge. Here, the usually tranquil Kicking Horse River rushes through the small opening in the Natural Bridge with a terrific force.
The Natural Bridge is worth seeing on your way to our next stop, Emerald Lake.

Warning! Do not try to cross the river on the Natural Bridge. It can be slippery and dangerous. Still, I have often seen people doing this. Use the human-made bridge.

Emerald Lake

Many of the lakes in the Canadian Rocky Mountains are beautiful beyond description. Some of these mountain lakes are a gorgeous azure blue colour. Emerald Lake is one of these lakes. A great place to spend a day. A nice restaurant, canoes for rent, a souvenir shop and hiking trails are available. One hiking trail goes all the way around the lake. This 5.2-kilometre hike has mountain and glacier views and views of the lake from all sides. It is a relatively easy hike and should take about two hours, depending on your speed. There are picnic tables along the lake near the souvenir shop.

My Thatched Hut Travel Tip

 If you are travelling through the National Park without stopping, you do not need to pay the access fee. However, if you stop to see any of the attractions, go hiking or camping, or for any other reason, you will need a park pass. You can buy a daily pass if you are here for one or two days. If you are spending a lot of time in the Rocky Mountain National Parks of Alberta and British Columbia, you can save quite a bit of money by purchasing an annual pass. It is valid in all the Rocky Mountain National Parks. Get your pass at the visitor’s centre.