Blog

Welcome to this article about 12 must-do and must-see things in Yoho National Park, one of the emblematic places what to see in canada.

On this occasion I am going to try to explain everything about Yoho National Park in Canada through our own experience of 21 days of travel through the Canadian Rockies.

I will tell you what you can do and what to see in Yoho National Park, the national park that we visited after the Banff National Park and before embarking on the visit to Glacier National Park.

A natural park, very easy to visit, since everything is around the Trans-Canada Highway and is concentrated in a not very large area.

Famous for having the Canada's second highest waterfall, most emerald lake of the Rockies, marine fossils from more than 500 million years ago nestled in its rocks and by its impossible circuit railways between the mountains.

AN IMPORTANT TIP: Don't travel to Canada without a good travel insurance, avoid big problems. It is one of the first requirements that they tell you on the Canadian government website along with the processing of the And so.
We recommend you the Iati Star We hired this insurance after a good comparison and study of the different ones on the market. It is the only one that exceeds one million euros of coverage. Without a doubt, it is the best for North America, where breaking a leg costs you €150.000, as happened to a friend of ours in the USA. Another positive thing is that Iati has an app for virtual visits.
I leave you here a link where you have a 5% off for any Iati travel insurance.

About us

Tips for visiting Yoho National Park in Canada

Once the tasks of doing the eTA visa On the official website of the Government of Canada, hire the travel insurance required, review the validity of our passport, buy the adapter plug that we will need, buy a SIM card for having internet on mobile in Canada, reserve the tours and activities from the trip and pack your bags with what you need, leaving the unnecessary at home. We can now leave for Canada and its impressive landscapes!

Next, and before you start reading the rest of the article, I will try to summarize the general things that I should have known before going to Yoho National Park:

• The visit to Yoho National Park that we would recommend would be dedicate at least 1 day. 2 days would be enough, if you want to go more in depth or do some of the long mountain routes.
• Yoho National Park is a national park that runs around the Trans-Canada Highway. So there are visits that fall to the right and others to the left, you will not be able to turn. You have to study it well or you will do a few more kilometers.
• If you are going to travel in a motorhome or camper, be very careful, the road to takakkaw falls It is very narrow and has sharp curves, so it is prohibido climb with vehicles of more than 7 meters long.
• El Emerald lake has a very small parking lot and in August it is already full at 7h AM in the morning, early much.

Where to stay in Yoho National Park 

The best way to stay close to Yoho National Park, so that you can then easily access its points of interest, is to stay in the only centrally located town of Yoho, which is Field. A small town where it can be expensive or difficult to find accommodation because there is very little on offer.

That's why my recommendation is that you stay 10 minutes from Yoho National Park, in a slightly larger town with many more services: Golden.

Golden has a lot to offer and is very well priced in terms of accommodation. You can stay in one of the 66 accommodations in Golden, 10 minutes from Yoho National Park, where you will definitely have the best price in the area between Banff and Yoho National Park.

Finally, I want to tell you that if what you are looking for is camping in a motorhome, camper or tent, you have three Campsites inside Yoho National Park. They are all public campsites managed by the National Park itself. There is only one that can be booked in advance on their website, the other two are first come, first served. On the other hand, in Golden there is also a municipal campsite and 2 private RV parks.

12 places to see in Yoho National Park

Next, we began our tour of Yahoo National Park, a natural park that the whole family fell in love with for its emerald waters and waterfalls.

I will tell you the main visits, activities, walks and experiences that for us are the most essential things to see and do in Yoho National Park.

Emerald Lake, the “must” to see in Yoho National Park

We finally arrived at one of the dream lakes of any route in the Canadian Rockies, Emerald.

To access it you have to park in the small parking lot by the lake, where it is advisable to arrive or very early morning or late evening in the afternoon to find a seat and get away from the crowds.

There we recommend you get lost, to escape from the people, by the Emerald Lakeshore Trail. A circular route 5,2 km, round trip. 2 hours to enjoy excellent views of the lake through its shore, escaping the crowds of the bridge at the entrance, next to the parking lot, the canoe dock and a restaurant.

If apart from the circular route of the lake shore you are looking for an easy walk in the vicinity of Emerald Lake there is the Hamilton Falls Trail. An easy route of 0,8 km one way, 100 m of positive gradient at about small waterfalls.

Finally, at the Emerald you canrent a canoe and also get away from the crowds from within the lake itself. They cost $50 less than Lake Louise or Lake Morain, so it can be a great plan.

Natural bridge

Make sure if you are going to Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park to plan a stop here. When you are going up or down from Emerald stop here, it is on the same road as you go up to Emerald Lake. It is a quick visit to experience this stunning rock formation with emerald water running beneath it.

It has a couple of platforms to take good photos, the place is very pretty and it will take you very little time to visit it.

Route to the meeting of the Three Rivers

To visit this incredible place the best thing is that park in the Natural Bridge parking lot and you walk 1,6 km along an old fire road to where the Emerald River and Amiskwi River merge with the Kicking Horse River to view the lower area with waterfalls.
The hike is short and easy. One of those where it's just you and no one else and you can find wild animals nearby.

Where the 3 rivers meet apart from an old wooden bridge when crossing it there is an area with picnic tables. A very quiet place to enjoy nature and the emerald waters of these 3 merged rivers without people.

Wapta Falls, the widest waterfalls to see in Yoho National Park

Wapta Falls are the wider falls of the Kicking Horse River. They can be visited via a 5 kilometer round trip trail with a 115 m gradient. A route of almost 2 hours on foot to get there from the parking of the waterfalls.

A route that seemed easy to us with the kids and that we even extended by one more kilometer to reach the base of the waterfall and the river. The worst part of the route is undoubtedly the mosquitoes. We didn't see as many mosquitoes anywhere else in the Rocky Mountains as we did on this trail. Don't forget the Relec forte mosquito repellent hehe!

For parking there is a large dirt car park which is accessed by a 2 kilometre wide dirt track in good condition. In winter, however, this road is closed.

Spiral Tunnels and Kicking Horse National Historic Site Overlook

The spiral tunnels are a pair of historic railway tunnels which were built 100 years ago. A great feat of engineering through the difficult mountainous terrain. 

The viewpoint to these tunnels is found parking here along the roadI didn't know how to see them very well but the explanations of the graphics and models helped a little hehe.

Meeting of the Waters Viewpoint

Parking in this parking lot From the road that goes up to Takakkaw Falls you will see the viewpoint where different waters converge two rivers of different colors, a beautiful and curious place that deserves a stop on the route.

Throughout this mountain, if you look at the rocks, you can find Burgess Shales, marine fossils from 500 million years ago, when Yoho National Park and Kootenay National Park were part of the ocean.

Lake O'hara, the most beautiful and impossible lake to see in Yoho National Park

This glacial lake is a hidden treasure in Yoho National Park. The only problem here is access. AAccess only to privileged people who plan well in advance, not like us who only plan ahead hahaha. 

It can only be accessed with Bus with advance reservation on the Parks Canada website And paid parking in the bus parking lot.

Access to the Lake O'Hara area is limited to protect its sensitive alpine zone.ake O'Hara Road is closed to vehicles year-round.

If you are lucky and get a seat on the bus there you can do some of the trekking like these that are all of high difficulty in general.

Takakkaw Falls, a must see in Yoho National Park

Takakkaw Falls are one of the highest waterfalls in Canada (approx. 380 m). They are also a starting point for many longer hikes in the Yoho Valley area, such as the Laughing Falls trail (6,5 km one way) and Twin Falls (8,6 km one way). You can see it on the map above.

To park at the waterfalls, do so in the same place parking of them from Yoho Valley Road (closed in winter).

They cannot be accessed by vehicles over 7,40 metres long. That is why, as we were travelling by motorhome, we were unable to go up to them to see them.

The small mountain town of Field and the Yoho National Park Visitor Center

This charming town of less than 200 people It was established in the 1880s by the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Field It is an authentic mountain village with year-round accommodation, local art shops and lively restaurants. 

To park and visit the town it is best to do so at the Yoho National Park Visitor Center. 

If you are going with children, remember to ask for the Explorer booklet from Yoho National Park here. After completing it, they will receive their reward badge.

Golden village

The town of Golden is one of the main towns closest to Yoho National Park and Glaciers National Park which we will visit later.

You have a whole post dedicated to the thousand things you can do in Golden.

Apart from being able to stock up in its stores and enjoy its restaurants, it has a great attraction: the Golden SkybridgeIn addition Canada's longest wooden pedestrian bridge. Oh and the Golden Star: Do rafting, don't miss it.

Paget lookout Trail and Lake Sherbrooke

The Page Lookout Trail 3,5 km round trip, which lasts about 3 hours and has a gradient of 525 m, forms a steep but rewarding route to an old fire lookout post with the option of adding another route to the Lake Sherbrooke (up to 2,9 km one way). 

To do the route you have to Park at the Sherbrooke Lake trailhead.

Grizzly Bears Preserve and Kicking Horse Mountain Hike, next to Yoho National Park

One thing that sets Kicking Horse Mountain apart from all other ski resorts in the Rockies is the grizzly bear refuge. 

At the base of a famous ski resort we find a 20-acre area that is home to a rescued resident grizzly bear., BooBoo hunts, plays, forages and explores within this natural mountainside habitat, just like his wild cousins.

The grizzly bear refuge and interpretive center is open daily during the summer, with a ample parking and provides the opportunity to observe a bear going about his daily routine. Everyone who comes to visit Boo is fascinated by his strength, agility, intelligence and personality.

Apart from seeing Boo, the experience we recommend is to buy the combined ticket that takes you up in one cable car up the mountain where you will have impressive views of the entire valley and Yoho National Park.

Map of what to see in Yoho National Park

Conclusions from Yoho National Park

Yoho National Park is undoubtedly one of the must-see places in the Canadian Rockies.

Above all I would emphasize that you do not miss the Emerald Lake and going down the Natural Bridge.

I hope this blog post has been useful to you. If so, I'll be delighted to read your comments. 

A hug and a good trip, friends!