Yoho National Park

Introducing Yoho National Park

Fed by glaciers, the ice-blue Kicking Horse River plows through the valley of the same name. The surging waters are an apt image for this dramatic national park, home to looming peaks, pounding waterfalls, glacial lakes and patches of pretty meadows.

Although the smallest (1310 sq km) of the four national parks in the Rockies, Yoho National Park (250-343-6783; www.pc.gc.ca/yoho; adult/child $9/4.50) is a diamond in the (very) rough. This wilderness is the real deal; it’s some of the continent’s least tarnished.

Don’t go past Field without stopping. Right off Hwy 1, this historic railroad town has a dramatic overlook of the river. It’s home to the Yoho National Park Information Centre (250-343-6783; 9am-4pm Sep-Apr, 9am-5pm May & Jun, 9am-7pm Jul & Aug). Pick up the free Backcountry Guide; its map and trail descriptions give an excellent overview for exploring the park. Parks Canada rangers can advise on itineraries and conditions. Alberta Tourism staffs a desk here in summer for those heading east.

The town is a quaint yet unfussy place. Many of its buildings date from the early days of the railways, when it was the Canadian Pacific Railway’s headquarters for exploration and, later, for strategic planning when engineers were trying to solve the problem of moving trains over the Kicking Horse Pass.

Ask at the info center for a list of Field’s 20 and counting B&Bs. Fireweed Hostel (250-343-6999, 877-343-6999; www.fireweedhostel.com; 313 Stephen Ave; dm $25-35, r $100-150; ) has four spotless rooms. Across the street, the legendary Truffle Pigs Cafe (250-343-6462; 318 Stephen Ave; mains $6-20; 8am-8:30pm Tue-Sun) combines a gourmet grocery, deli and bistro. Daily specials feature creative dishes prepared in the carrot-sized open kitchen.

Greyhound buses stop at the info center on their trips west to Golden ($13, 1½ hours, three daily) and beyond and east to Banff ($18, one hour, three daily).

Perched high in the mountains east of Field, Lake O’Hara is worth the significant hassle involved in reaching this place, an encapsulation of the whole Rockies. Compact wooded hillsides, alpine meadows, snow-covered passes, mountain vistas and glaciers are all wrapped around the stunning lake. A basic day trip is worthwhile, but stay overnight in the backcountry and you’ll be able to access many more trails, some quite difficult, all quite spectacular. The Alpine Circuit (12km) has a bit of everything.

To reach the lake, you can take the shuttle bus (adult/child $15/7.50; mid-Jun-early Oct) from the Lake O’Hara parking lot, 15km east of Field on Hwy 1. A quota system governs bus access to the lake and limits permits for the 30 backcountry campsites. You can freely walk the 11km from the parking area, but no bikes are allowed. The area around Lake O’Hara usually remains snow-covered or very muddy until mid-July.

Make reservations for the bus trip (250-343-6433) or for camping (backcountry permit adult $10) up to three months in advance. Given the popularity of Lake O’Hara, reservations are basically mandatory (unless you want to walk). However, if you don’t have advance reservations, six day-use seats on the bus and three to five campsites are set aside for ‘standby’ users. To try to snare these, call 250-343-6433 at 8am the day before.

Should you desire something fairly posh at Lake O’Hara, try Lake O’Hara Lodge (250-343-6418; www.lakeohara.com; r per person $150-250). Guests have been slack-jawed here for over 80 years. The only place to stay at the lake tent-free, the lodge is luxurious in a rustic way. Its environmental practices are lauded.

East of Field on Hwy 1 is the Takakkaw Falls road (late-Jun-early Oct). At 254m, Takakkaw is one of the highest waterfalls in Canada. From here Iceline, a 20km hiking loop, passes many glaciers and spectacular scenery.

This World Heritage site protects the amazing Cambrian-age fossil beds on Mt Stephen and Mt Field. These 515-million-year-old fossils preserve the remains of marine creatures that were some of the earliest forms of life on earth. You can only get to the fossil beds by guided hikes, which are led by naturalists from the Yoho-Burgess Shale Foundation (800-343-3006; www.burgess-shale.bc.ca; tours from $50). Reservations are essential.

Near the south gate of the park, you can reach pretty Wapta Falls via a 2.4km trail. The easy walk takes about 45 minutes each way.

The three campgrounds within Yoho all close from October to April. Only the Kicking Horse Campground (campsites $26) has showers, making its 92 sites the most popular. Nearby, right at the turnoff to Yoho Valley Rd, the quieter Monarch Campground (campsites $17) offers 46 basic sites. Appealing Takakkaw Falls Campground (campsites $17), 13km along the gravel Yoho Valley Rd, has 35 walk-in (200m) campsites for tents only.

The isolated HI-Yoho National Park (Whiskey Jack Hostel; 403-670-7580, 866-762-4122; www.hihostels.ca; dm $22-26; Jul-Sep) offers 27 dorm-style beds. It’s 13km off Hwy 1 on Yoho Valley Rd, just before the Takakkaw Falls Campground and close to the falls itself.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009