Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Yoho, a Cree word of amazement, is a fitting name for this 131,300-hectare (324,450-acre)
national park in British Columbia on the western slopes of the Canadian Rockies. The
TransCanada Highway bisects the park on its run between Lake Louise (Alberta) and
Golden (British Columbia). Banff National Park borders Yoho to the east, while Kootenay
National Park lies immediately to the south.
Yoho is the smallest of the four contiguous Canadian Rockies national parks, but its
wild and rugged landscape holds spectacular waterfalls, extensive ice fields, a lake to rival
those in Banff, and one of the world's most intriguing fossil beds. In addition, you'll find
some of the finest hiking in all Canada on the park's 300-kilometer (186-mile) trail system.
Within the park are four lodges, four campgrounds, and the small railway town of Field,
where you'll find basic services. The park is open year-round, although road conditions in
winter can be treacherous, and occasional closures occur on Kicking Horse Pass. The road
out to Takakkaw Falls is closed through winter, and it often doesn't reopen until mid-June.
Yoho National Park is a gem of a destination, well worth visiting even for just a day. If you
do make the park a day trip from Banff, you'll have enough time to drive to
Takakkaw
Falls,
hike the loop trail around
Emerald Lake,
and enjoy lunch in between at one of the
restaurants I recommend. Organized tours from Banff and Lake Louise follow a similar
itinerary—a good option if you don't have a vehicle (children will love being on the bus as
it negotiates the road to Takakkaw Falls). The highlight of a visit to Yoho is
Lake O'Hara,
one of the most special places in the Canadian Rockies. Unlike at the region's other famous
Search WWH ::
Custom Search