20 Best Sights in Yoho National Park, British Columbia

The vivid green water of Yoho's largest lake is absolutely breathtaking and rivals any other lake found in the Canadian Rocky Mountain parks. It was discovered by European explorer Tom Wilson in 1882, and by 1902, the Canadian Pacific Railway had built the Emerald Lake Lodge wilderness resort for its guests to enjoy the stunning landscape. It's worthwhile to hike the 5.3-km (3.2-mile) mostly flat trail around the lake, where you can see a diversity of plants, including orchids found on the lake's southeast side, and animals like bald eagles, moose, and osprey. There are picnic areas, and Emerald Lake Lodge has a patio restaurant where you can enjoy lunch or coffee lakeside. There are canoe and rowboat rentals in the summer, and in the winter, Emerald is a good place to cross-country ski or snowshoe. Due to its high altitude, the lake is frozen from about November to July.

Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of the larger Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site, this layer of rock deposits contains amazingly well-preserved fossil specimens that have visible details from the creatures that existed in an underwater ecosystem over 505 million years ago. The Mount Stephen trilobite beds were discovered in 1886 after a railway worker reported finding stone "bugs" in the talus. Paleontologist Charles Walcott from the Smithsonian Institute visited Mt. Field in 1909, where he opened a quarry and started collecting and analyzing specimens.

Built in 1953--54, Field's International-style train station is located next to the tracks and is one of the few remaining buildings from this once-major railway complex. While it's no longer in operation and you can't go inside, it's a great spot to sit a spell and watch for one of the trains that pass through here 25 to 30 times a day. It was added to the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 2006.

This 8.8-km (5.5-mile) scenic road briefly parallels the fast-flowing Kicking Horse River before passing the Natural Bridge and traveling through the forest where it ultimately ends at the bright, deep green Emerald Lake. Compared to Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Emerald Lake is most definitely under-visited. The road is open year-round, and the speed limit is slow (50 km/h [30 mph]), allowing you plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife.

This picnic site is located right next to the brilliantly colored Faedar Lake. On a stroll along the pathway that goes around the lake, you will have stunning views of the surrounding mountain peaks, and in the summer months, you'll likely see wildflowers. Outhouse toilets are available. Note that the parking area is not suitable for large RVs or trailers and is accessible only by west-bound traffic.

Immediately adjacent to the Field Visitor Centre parking lot, this day-use area is a popular family-picnic spot in the summer months. On hot days, the small lake is perfect for a refreshing swim. The large parking lot is suitable for RVs, and there are accessible washrooms and a shop that sells T-shirts and other tourist merchandise inside the visitor center. 

On the confluence of where the Porcupine Creek joins the Kicking Horse River, with a wildly scenic backdrop of towering Rocky Mountain peaks, this is a perfect spot for a picnic. There are picnic tables and outhouse toilet facilities. It's accessible by westbound traffic only.

This legendary pass, designated a National Historic Site for its importance as a transportation corridor in Western Canada, was punched through the Rocky Mountains in the late 1800s to allow the railway and subsequently, the highway, to pass into British Columbia. At 1,627 meters (2,415 feet), this is the highest point on the entire Trans-Canada Highway and it straddles the Continental Divide and the British Columbia/Alberta border. The pass earned its name thanks to James Hector, the first European to come upon the pass, where it's said his horse kicked him in the chest. From the lookout point, you can look down onto the transportation corridor to the west and view the Spiral Tunnels that were ingeniously engineered to allow trains to go from one elevation to another through the steep Canadian Rockies.

This 2.8-km (1.7-mile) trail with minimal ups and downs in elevation takes you close to the shoreline of the vibrant, turquoise-colored Lake O'Hara. You generally follow the shoreline, and at times the trail cuts higher along the mountain and across gullies above the lake. A highlight is the Seven Veils Falls that cascades into the lake. Easy.

This 6.6-km (4.1-mile) well-signed trail starts along Lake O'Hara, then proceeds past a waterfall and another small turquoise lake before reaching Lake Oesa, which is nestled among the scree slopes at the bottom of towering snow-covered mountains. Although the trail is above Lake O'Hara, elevation gain is minimal at 240 meters (787 feet) made via a series of switchbacks that pass through some grassy slopes and meadows surrounded by quartzite cliffs. In places, huge slabs of flat rock provide a stable walking surface. Moderate.

Spanning the Kicking Horse River, this natural rock formation was created when the hard limestone eroded more quickly than the softer rock causing cracks to widen until the flow of water changed and formed a bridge. A short pathway displays interpretive signage explaining the erosion process as you walk to several lookouts that provide views of the geological formation from different vantage points. 

It will take 2--3 hours to hike this 5.9-km (3.7-mile) circuit with an elevation gain of 250 meters (820 feet). You can access it either via the West Opabin or East Opabin arm. The west arm trail takes you up along the shores of Mary Lake and then climbs steeply for approximately 120 meters (394 feet) onto the rolling terrain of the Opabin Plateau, a beautiful hanging valley above Lake O'Hara. From there, the circuit continues into the Opabin Creek Valley and finally arrives at Opabin Lake, where you can see the foot of a glacier in the narrow gap in the peaks at the end of the lake. Moderate. 

Due to severe fires in the early to mid-1900s, several fire lookouts were built in the Rockies, and the Paget Fire Lookout is the oldest in Canada's national parks. This 7-km (4.3-mile) moderately difficult round-trip hike with 520 meters (1,706 feet) of elevation gain, will have you switchbacking through the forest until you almost reach the lookout. Allow plenty of time to take in the amazing views of the Kicking Horse River valley, the Continental Divide, and the surrounding peaks from the strategically placed bench at the lookout which is now a shelter. (Note that Parks Canada also does a guided conservation hike up this trail; find more info at their website). If you're feeling energetic, you can continue on to Paget Peak, but beware that it's steep, with a 446-meter (1,463-foot) elevation gain on the 1.4-km (.8-mile) trail. The trail is also challenging because of several scree-filled and exposed sections, and there can be snow at the summit well into July. If you're a seasoned hiker, however, the views from the top are worth it. Difficult.

The Kicking Horse Pass is one of the steepest terrains in North America for a railway, which posed a real problem for the engineers who were tasked with punching a railway line through it. To solve the problem of numerous runaway trains and crashes, two circular tunnels were driven into the valley walls of Cathedral Mountain and Mt. Ogden to reduce the 4.4% grade to a safer and more normal 2.2%. The viewing platform at Lower Spiral Tunnel lookout is one of the best places to watch passing freight trains (25-30 trains pass through daily) going in and out of the tunnels, and there are several interpretive panels explaining the facts and history of building the railway through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. 

"Takakkaw" means wonderful in Cree, and when you see these falls---Canada's highest at 373 meters (1,224 feet)---there's no question how it got its name. Although an incredible marvel of nature even when viewed from the parking lot, the falls are best experienced at the viewing spot accessed via a short, easy walk, where the roar of the water becomes great and you can feel the water spray your face. On the trail, right before you cross the Yoho River footbridge, take time to sit in Parks Canada's signature red Adirondack chairs. 

Accessible only by foot, this historical log chalet provides lodging for guests or food and tea for day guests in the summer months. Built in a clearing across from the Twin Falls Creek in three phases between 1908--1928, the teahouse provides phenomenal views of the double falls (keep your eyes peeled for mountain goats, they are often spotted hanging out above the falls). The 16.4-km (10-mile) mostly forested out-and-back trail will take you three hours to reach the teahouse. Access to the trailhead is from the Takakkaw Falls parking lot. Reservations are required for an overnight stay. Recently, the teahouse was shut down for renovations, and a new operator will be taking it over, so be sure to check the website for updated information on both accommodation and dining options.

This 4.6-km (3-mile) out-and-back trail has minimal elevation, making it a fun one for the whole family. The trail is a wide, heavily trafficked path through the forest, until you eventually reach the Wapta Falls ("wapta" means "river" in the Sioux language of the Stoney people). The falls are especially forceful and impressive in June and early July, when the run-off is still high. Easy. 

This is a 21.3-km (13.2-mile) circuit with 700 meters (2,297 feet) of elevation gain which takes you to Twin Falls backcountry campground. The trail takes you through the Yoho Valley and past Twin Falls and Marpole Lake. There is a seasonal suspension bridge, so check the trail report to ensure it's in operation before you go. Note that reservations for the campground must also be made in advance. Difficult. 

The park's only visitor center is located in Field and is only available seasonally (May until mid-October). At the center, you can obtain information brochures, permits, backcountry reservations, and get updates on weather, trail, and road conditions. The visitor center shares a building with the Friends of Yoho (an organization that promotes appreciation, understanding, and stewardship of the ecology and culture of Yoho National Park) and there is also a small-scale exhibit of a train passing through the Spiral Tunnels and Burgess Shale fossil interpretive panels.

Hands down, this is the most scenic route in the whole park. After initially passing the Monarch and Kicking Horse campgrounds and the Meeting of the Waters viewpoint (where the Kicking Horse and Yoho Rivers meet), the 13.7-km (8.5-mile) road climbs up through a deep valley with impressive views of snow-covered mountain peaks, glaciers, waterfalls, and rivers. The road ends at the parking lot of the spectacular Takakkaw Falls, the second-highest waterfall in Canada. Note that the winding road has a couple of sharp, hairpin switchbacks that can be very difficult for larger RVs to navigate, and the road is open seasonally from late June to mid-October, weather permitting.