Yoho sits directly across the continental divide from Banff and takes a fraction of its visitors, mostly because people drive the Trans-Canada straight through it on the way to Lake Louise. That is a mistake. Everything here is within 30 minutes of the highway.
Entrances and getting there
Yoho sits on the Trans-Canada immediately west of the continental divide: 25 minutes from Lake Louise, 45 from Golden. Field, the one townsite, holds the visitor centre and is the base for Lake O Hara logistics. The two side roads, Emerald Lake and the switchbacked Yoho Valley Road to Takakkaw Falls, both leave the highway within a few minutes of Field. The Takakkaw road is summer-only and no place for a large trailer.
The 3-day plan
Yoho’s waterfalls and the lake that outshines its neighbours.
- 08:30 Spiral Tunnels Viewpoint Watch a freight train enter the mountain and cross above its own tail. Trains pass every 30 to 60 minutes.
- 09:30 Takakkaw Falls Canada’s second highest waterfall at 373 metres, a ten minute walk from the lot. The access road’s switchbacks are closed to trailers.
- 12:00 Field Lunch in the two-street railway village. The visitor centre handles Lake O’Hara and Burgess Shale bookings.
- 13:30 Natural Bridge The Kicking Horse River has bored through its own rock dam and keeps drilling.
- 14:45 Emerald Lake Walk the 5.2 km shoreline loop. The colour is real and strongest June through September.
The three things
- Emerald Lake: a five kilometre flat loop around water that genuinely is that colour, with canoe rental and a lodge for lunch. Do it early or late.
- Takakkaw Falls: one of the tallest waterfalls in Canada, a short walk from the car park. The access road has switchbacks that require large vehicles to reverse around them, and it is closed in winter.
- Natural Bridge: the Kicking Horse River carving straight through a slab of rock, five minutes off the highway.
Lake O Hara, and its lottery
Lake O Hara is widely considered the finest alpine area in the Canadian Rockies, and access is deliberately restricted to protect it. There is no public driving. You either win a seat on the bus through a lottery held months in advance, or you walk the 11 kilometre access road in. The lottery is on the Parks Canada reservation service and it is competitive. If you win, take the day off work for it.
Location: Yoho National Park
Burgess Shale
Yoho holds one of the world's most important fossil beds, recording soft-bodied animals from over 500 million years ago. The sites are protected and can only be visited on a guided hike, which is a long and strenuous day and books up well ahead. For fossil-minded travellers it is unmissable.
Book it and check it
- Official Parks Canada page Fees, conditions, closures and trail reports. https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/yoho
- Parks Canada reservations Campsites, oTENTiks and shuttles, each opening on its own launch day. https://reservation.pc.gc.ca
- Lake O Hara bus lottery Booked months ahead through a draw. The only way in without an 11 kilometre walk. https://reservation.pc.gc.ca
Common questions
- Is Yoho National Park worth visiting?
- Yes, and it is the easiest win in the Rockies. Emerald Lake, Takakkaw Falls and the Natural Bridge are all close to the highway and far less crowded than the equivalents in Banff.
- How do you get to Lake O Hara?
- By lottery-allocated bus, booked months ahead on the Parks Canada reservation service, or by walking the 11 kilometre access road. Private vehicles are not permitted.
- How long do you need in Yoho?
- A day covers the three roadside highlights comfortably. Two days lets you add a real hike, and Lake O Hara deserves a day entirely to itself.
- Is Yoho on the way from Banff to Vancouver?
- Yes. The Trans-Canada Highway runs straight through it just west of Lake Louise, so it costs almost no detour.