Yellowhead Pass National Historic Site of Canada
Yellowhead Pass is the lowest pass over the Continental Divide at 1,066 meters (3,500 feet). The low elevation made the pass the preferred route of travel for Indigenous people, fur traders, explorers, and railways. As you drive west from Jasper on the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16), you'll see a roadside pullout 9 km (5½ miles) west of Jasper with a small plaque commemorating this historic travel corridor. The name "Yellowhead" was the nickname of a fair-haired Métis-Iroquois-freeman named Pierre Bostonais or "Tête Jaune" who was active in this area in the early 1800s.
