YOHO NATIONAL PARK AND VICINITY - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 284

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 the TransCanada Highway follows the original railbed. Along the way is a
viewpoint with interpretive displays telling the fascinating story of Big Hill.
MM 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
(0.6 mile) before its confluence with the Kicking Horse River. The road leading up the val-
ley 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 (0.2 mile) along the road is a pullout for viewing the confluence of the Yoho
and Kicking Horse Rivers—a particularly impressive sight as the former is glacier-fed and
therefore silty, while the latter is lake-fed and clear.
Yoho Valley Road ends 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) from the main highway at Takakkaw
Falls, the most impressive waterfall in the Canadian Rockies. The falls are fed by the Daly
and Des Poilus Glaciers of the Waputik Icefield, which straddles the Continental Divide.
Meaning “wonderful” in the language of the Cree, Takakkaw tumbles 254 meters (830
feet) over a sheer rock wall at the lip of the Yoho Valley, creating a spray bedecked by
rainbows. It can be seen from the parking lot, but it's well worth the easy 10-minute stroll
over the Yoho River to appreciate the sight in all its glory.
Natural Bridge
Three kilometers (1.9 miles) west of Field is the turnoff to famous Emerald Lake. On your
way out to the lake, you'll first pass another intriguing sight. At Natural Bridge, two kilo-
meters (1.2 miles) down the road, the Kicking Horse River has worn a narrow hole through
a limestone wall, creating a bridge. Over time, the bridge will collapse and, well, won't be
such an intriguing sight anymore. A trail leads to several viewpoints. You'll probably see
people clambering over the top of the bridge, but resist the urge to join them—it's danger-
ous and not recommended.