Best Things to do in and Yoho National Park

Yoho National Park in British Columbia is the smallest national park in the Canadian Rockies. But it lives up to its native Canadian name ‘Yoho’ which means wonder and astonishment. It’s sadly shadowed by the world-famous Banff and Jasper National Parks that hold a spot on every ‘top National Parks of the World’ list. But, Yoho a must-visit for the many unique activities and attractions it offers such as the refreshing glacial rivers, amazing waterfalls, turquoise blue lakes, camping, resorts, and many scenic trails.

If you haven’t heard about Yoho National Park in British Columbia, you’re not the only one. I hadn’t either until our 2nd trip to the Canadian Rockies. We visited Yoho as part of a day trip tour with Pursuit and Brewster. That made getting in and out of parking lots a lot easier.

In the article, I’ve shared our experiences on hikes, tours, attractions, and more in Yoho National Park. More importantly, I’ve included Canadian Rockies experiences shared by bloggers around the world.

Following is an interactive map of top things to do in the Canadian Rockies from Calgary to Jasper including Yoho National Park attractions.

We visited Yoho National Park as part of our 7-day road trip to the Canadian Rockies. We stayed in Banff and visited Yoho as part of a day tour with Brewster Sightseeing that covered highlights of Banff NP, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and Yoho NP.

This article covers Yoho National Park, which is located to the west of Banff National Park on the east and north of Kootenay National Park.

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Check our 7 Day Itinerary of Canadian Rockies and

Itineraries of the Canadian Rockies from my friends.

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Canoe, Hike, and Dine at Emerald Lake

by Dhara from It’s Not About the Miles

One of my most favorite memories from our trip to the Canadian Rockies is the afternoon we spent at Emerald Lake, one of the most scenic lakes near Banff. A must-visit on a day trip to Yoho National Park (or on a longer visit as well!), Emerald Lake looks exactly like a glittering emerald set in the midst of tall mountains.

We visited Emerald Lake in Yoho national park in late June when it was fully thawed, and its color was at its best. At the lake, we first walked the lovely trail that goes around the shore of the lake. Part of it goes through woods, but in other parts, you get great views of the water as well as the surrounding scenery. The trail is a little over 3 miles long, and we took about 90 minutes to complete it, with lots of photo stops.

After the walk, we rented a rowboat and went out onto the water for another perspective of the surrounding scenery. Once we were out in the middle of the lake, we just floated for a bit, enjoying the views.

We finished with lunch at the restaurant at the water’s edge. The weather was gorgeous when we visited, making for a fabulous afternoon!

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Hike at Lake O’Hara

by Ben from Horizon Unknown

Inside Yoho National Park sits Lake O’Hara, one of the Canadian Rockies’ most beautiful lakes. Offering plenty of unforgettable sights and trails from easy strolls to challenging scrambles, the area around this beautiful lake has something to offer anyone who wants to explore the Rockies.

Just off the Trans-Canada Highway, 14km east of the British Columbia town of Field, the road to Lake O’Hara weaves through thick forest to brightly colored green and blue shades of crystal clear waters and towering peaks.

To beat the heat and dodge the crowds, spring is a great time to visit this beautiful lake and the network of trails that lead to remote and gorgeous views around the Rockies.

There are only two ways to reach Lake O’Hara, along 11 kilometers of pretty average views (the tree line is so dense and tall you can’t really see much). You can hike, which takes around 2.5 hours, or you can book a spot on the school bus that transports visitors to and from the lake.

I highly suggest booking a seat on the bus, it allows you to spend your valuable time exploring this beautiful section of Canadian Rockies.

One of my favorite things to do when hiking around Lake O’Hara is listening for pikas. This adorable creature can be heard by high pitched yelp sounds, that warn others of pending danger.

Just one visit to this beautiful area of British Columbia will make you fall in love with the Canadian wilderness.

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Hikes around Takakkaw, Laughing, and Twin Falls, plus Iceline Trail

by Zach & Julie from Ruhls of the Road

Takakkaw Falls is one of the most incredibly powerful and stunning sites to see in the Canadian Rockies. What makes this place so special? Takakkaw Falls is set apart by its size and beauty, in addition to the awesome hiking trail that gives the opportunity to see this site from above.

Takakkaw Falls towers above the surrounding area at 380 meters tall. It is absolutely ENORMOUS and SO much water is flowing over the top. That combination of factors makes these falls perfect to stare at in awe of the power before you. However, don’t get too close unless you are ready to get wet! The mist spraying off from Takakkaw Falls crashing on the rocks below sprays out further than you may think.

You can also strap on your hiking boots and hit the trails around Takakkaw Falls! Nearby is Laughing Falls and Twin Falls, 2 awesome sites, and on the Iceline Trail, you have the opportunity to see Takakkaw Falls from the sky! The bird’s eye view of these falls is better than the view below the falls if that is even possible. You’ll be able to see the glacier that feeds the falls situated far behind the falls themselves.

To do this loop, be prepared for a full day of hiking. It’s an 18 km loop, but the endless views within the park make it worth it. From Takakkaw Falls, take the trail towards Twin Falls. After about 4.4 km you will see Laughing Falls and 3.8 km after that you will make it to Twin Falls, another unique and incredible dueling waterfall! From there you will finish your loop along the Iceline Trail where you will climb to a ridgeline and be presented with amazing valley views and the additional birdseye view of Takakkaw Falls and Daly Glacier.

All of this adventure makes Takakkaw Falls a must-visit site in the Canadian Rockies. Jaw-dropping views and amazing hikes make for an awesome one-two punch, so plan your trip here today.

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Hike the Iceline Trail

by Thea of Zen Travellers

There’s no denying that the Canadian Rockies are one of the most beautiful places on earth, at least in my humble opinion anyway. One of the best ways to take in their splendor is by getting way off the beaten path along one of the many incredible backcountry hiking trails found in the mountain Parks. One such backcountry gem is Yoho National Park’s dazzling Iceline Trail.

I love that it begins near the town of Field, BC which is an hour west of Banff so it allows you to escape some of the crowds while delivering a stunning alpine hiking experience. The easy to follow backcountry trail passes two sets of waterfalls, winds through alpine forests, and allows you to get up close and personal to the toe of an ancient glacier. You can carry your tent and camp along the way or stay at the beautiful Stanley Mitchell Hut and save some weight on your back. That is what I did which made my tough climb up to the breathtaking Whaleback lookout a little easier!

Despite the tough second day, the Iceline Trail remains one of my favorite backcountry destinations in the Canadian Rockies for its beautiful and varied mountain terrain that lets you get close to both glaciers and waterfalls, see cute alpine species such as marmots and American dippers, and escape the crowds on the trails around Banff.

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Walk on Natural Bridge Yoho on Kicking Horse River

Kicking Horse River is the lifeline passing through Yoho National Park. Its a swift and razor-sharp river, creating its own path by cutting through any rock that comes in its way. Some sections of the river have mountains that lie diagonal, exposing layers of sedimentary rock. The layers alternate between different textures, some are soft and others very hard. The river washes out the softer layers until the rock becomes weak enough to fall apart forming the famous Natural Bridge in Yoho.

With the mountains lying in various twisted forms, the river has made some fascinating shapes. A popular spot to witness the weird shapes and bridges is at Natural Bridge in Yoho National Park, on the Kicking Horse River.

If you’re in the Canadian Rockies, a visit to the Natural Bridge on Kicking Horse River is a fun thing to do in Yoho National Park. If you want to climb the rock or walk over the bridge, you will need hiking shoes with a good grip. The bridge can be slippery from the river spray so one can slip very easily and the river is extremely swift and powerful. If you have young kids that can’t resist the urge to venture on to the natural bridge, I would suggest staying away.

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Explore Town of Field

The town of Field is the picture-perfect alpine village and largest town in Yoho National Park. Surrounded by tall mountains in the background and Kicking Horse River in the foreground, the town of Field is easily a favorite on Yoho postcards.

The town of Field has a long history as the hub for the Canadian Pacific Railroad for over a hundred years. Its the center for railroad innovation to conquer the challenging terrain of the Canadian Rockies. Home to about 200 people, Field is also home to the CP Rail bunkhouses. Other attractions in Field are the Yoho National Park Visitor Center, a historic cemetery, and a swimming hole for summer.

Many of the popular hikes of Yoho NP start in the town of Field. With many accommodation options, delicious eateries, and attractions, Field is one of the best places to start your trip to Yoho National Park

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Check out the Spiral Tunnels

The spiral tunnels of Yoho National Park are quite an engineering marvel. It was nearly impossible to transport goods across Canada’s vast lands without the train tracks. There was no way to build a train track on steep mountains with a very active avalanche scene. Surely some brilliant minds were inspired by the challenge and they ultimately solved the problem by creating spiral tracks within the mountains. So, the extremely long Canadian trains can safely pass this impenetrable wall of mountains.

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Drive a Crazy Crooked Street in Yoho NP

Maybe it doesn’t seem as crazy in the car, but on a bus the drive up this extreme switchback road on a near verticle mountain is scary. The road is so windy and so narrow that there is not enough space for a bus to turn even when there are no other vehicles on the turn. The only option is for the bus to go backward, on this extremely steep and narrow road on a sheer cliff. One person has to walk down (or up) to pause the traffic so the bus can get to the next turn.

Our Pursuit tour driver did the maneuver twice. The first time when we went up the mountain on our drive towards Takakkaw falls. The second time we drove down on the way back from Takakkaw falls.

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As you can see, one can easily spend a few days exploring Yoho National Park, especially if you take a multi-day hike. We spent half a day of our Pursuit Brewster Banff NP tour in Yoho National Park to visit Takakkaw Falls, Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge on Kicking Horse River, drive up the Crooked Street, and learn about Field and the Spiral Tunnels.

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• Itineraries of the Canadian Rockies
• Accommodations in Jasper and Banff
• Rafting in Jasper National Park
• Banff’s wildlife crossing
• Red forests in Jasper National Park
• Calgary to Banff to Jasper Drive
• Jasper to Banff Drive
• Things to do in Banff and Canmore
• Things to do in Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
• Things to do in Jasper
• Things to do on Icefields Parkway

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