Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ROADSIDE SIGHTS
As with all other parks of the Canadian Rockies, you don't need to travel deep into the back-
country to view the most spectacular features—many are visible from the roadside. The
following sights are listed from east to west, starting at the park boundary (the Continental
Divide).
Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint
The joy that Canadian Pacific Railway president William Van Horne felt upon completion
of his transcontinental rail line in 1886 was tempered by massive problems along a stretch
of line west of Kicking Horse Pass. Big Hill was less than five kilometers (3.1 miles) long,
but its gradient was so steep that runaway trains, crashes, and other disasters were common.
A trail from Kicking Horse Campground takes you past the remains of one of those doomed
trains. Nearly 25 years after the line opened, railway engineers and builders finally solved
the problem. By building two spiral tunnels down through two kilometers (1.2 miles) of sol-
id rock to the valley floor, they lessened the grade dramatically and the terrors came to an
end. Today, a viewpoint along the way includes interpretive displays telling the fascinating
story of Big Hill.
Yoho Valley
Fed by the Wapta Icefield in the far north of the park, the Yoho River flows through this
spectacularly narrow valley, dropping more than 200 meters (660 feet) in the last kilometer
before its confluence with the Kicking Horse River. The road leading up the valley passes
the park's main campground, climbs a very tight series of switchbacks (watch for buses
reversing through the middle section), and emerges at Upper Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint,
which offers a different perspective on the aforementioned tunnel. A further 400 meters
(0.25 mile) along the road is a pullout for viewing the confluence of the Yoho and Kick-
ing Horse Rivers—a particularly impressive sight, as the former is glacier-fed and therefore
silty, while the latter is lake-fed and clear.
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