Visiting Yoho National Park: tips & the best things to do

Yoho National Park is one of the most beautiful parks in Canada. Will you be visiting Yoho National Park anytime soon? Check out these tips!

Table of contents hide

1 About Yoho National Park

2 Visiting Yoho National Park: practical information

3 Things to do in Yoho National Park

4 Best hiking trails in Yoho National Park

5 Where to stay in Yoho National Park

6 Additional Yoho National Park tips

7 Book a trip to Canada

8 Read more about Canada

About Yoho National Park

Most people are familiar with Banff and Jasper National Park when it comes to natural beauty in the Canadian Rockies. But in between lies another gem: Yoho National Park. The park is known for its breathtaking mountain scenery, waterfalls, lakes, unusual fossils and wildlife.

Yoho National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Canada, established in 1886 (which is only one year after Banff was established). The name “Yoho” comes from the Cree language and means “awe” or “wonder.” This fits perfectly with the park’s impressive nature.

What makes the park different from other parks is the discovery of the Burgess Shale in 1909. This fossil bed contains fossils that are more than 500 million years old. This gives you a unique insight into the flora and fauna of long ago.

I myself visited Yoho National Park in the spring of 2024 and was impressed for sure. The landscape is absolutely stunning! Moreover, Yoho is much quieter than neighboring parks. As far as I am concerned, Yoho is a place you cannot miss during a Canada road trip. In this blog post, I share all my Yoho tips.

Visiting Yoho National Park: practical information

Let’s start with practical matters. How to get to the park, what are the opening hours and how much does it cost?

How do you get to Yoho National Park?

Yoho National Park is located on the Trans Canada Highway 1, between Golden and Lake Louise. Because of this, it is best to visit Yoho with your own means of transportation, such as a rental car or RV.

If you don’t have any transportation, it’s possible to book a day tour to Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park from Calgary, Banff, and Canmore. But you won’t see any other of the amazing sights in the park.

Opening hours

The park is open year-round, 24 hours a day.

The best travel time

The best time to visit Yoho National Park is in July and August. During the summer months almost all roads and trails are open. This is also the high season, so it can be very busy in the park during these months. Therefore, it is recommended to visit the park in June and September, when it is less crowded and you can often still enjoy nice weather.

I myself visited Yoho in late June and it was fine in terms of crowds. Almost everything was open, except for some higher altitude trails. This was mainly because of avalanche danger.

Visitor center

Want more information on what to see and do in Yoho? Then head to the visitor center in the village of Field, on the Trans Canada Highway. The Yoho National Park Visitor Centre is open daily from May through October.

What does it cost?

Visiting Yoho National Park costs CA$11 per person per day. Different prices apply for seniors and children.

Tip! Do you spend a lot of time in the parks and plan to visit several of them? Then it’s highly recommended to purchase a Discovery Pass. This costs CA$151.25 for a family/group or $75.25 if you are traveling alone.

Check this page for the latest information on entrance fees for Yoho National Park.

Things to do in Yoho National Park

What is there to see and do in Yoho National Park? Here are some of the best sights.

Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake is one of the most popular attractions in Yoho. The lake gets its name from the clear, emerald green water, which is fed by the surrounding glaciers. You can take beautiful hikes, canoe, or enjoy a picnic on the shores here.

Tip! In the summer months, go to Emerald Lake early (before 8 a.m.) and you can admire the beautiful lake in peace. From about 10 o’clock the tour buses arrive and the parking lot fills up quickly.

Natural Bridge

At the beginning of Emerald Lake Road is another beautiful sight to visit: The Natural Bridge. This is a fascinating rock formation created by the erosion of the Kicking Horse River. The water has carved a hole in the rock over thousands of years, creating a natural bridge. A nice place to stop for a few minutes and look around.

Wapta Falls

Wapta Falls is a wide, impressive waterfall on the Kicking Horse River and reachable via your a short hike. There are several vantage points where you can admire the power of the water, and climbing down to the riverbed is also highly recommended. It is especially spectacular during spring when the waterfall is at its fullest.

Burgess Shale fossil deposits

The Burgess Shale is a world-renowned fossil deposit that provides unique insight into marine life more than 500 million years ago. Thousands of well-preserved fossils of soft parts of animals have been found here, which is exceptional.

The best way to see this part of the park is to take a guided hike. There are several routes and you can book them on this page.

Takakkaw Falls

Fancy seeing an impressive waterfall? Then drive via the scenic mountain road Yoho Valley Road to Takkakaw Falls. At 384 meters, this is one of the highest waterfalls in Canada. The word “Takakkaw” means “it is beautiful” in the Cree language, and that is exactly what this waterfall is. You can reach the waterfall via a short hike from the parking lot.

Tip: Although the parking lot is not that big, the turnover is quite high (most people don’t stay at the waterfall for more than 30 minutes). As a result, you can score a spot here at almost any time of day, although sometimes you will have to drive an extra lap or two.

Wildlife

Last but not least, there is also a chance to see wildlife in Yoho. I myself saw (finally) my first bear snacking on the flowers along the side of the Yoho Valley Road. During my hikes in the park, I saw both a bald eagle and an elk.

It’s always great to spot wildlife, but admire them from a distance and don’t get too close.

Lake O’Hara

Lake O’Hara is one of the most idyllic lakes in Yoho National Park and is often considered one of the most beautiful mountain lakes in Canada. The turquoise lake is hidden among the high snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains and is surrounded by dense forests.

What makes this mountain lake extra special is that it is very difficult to get to. As a result, it is not nearly as crowded as other nearby lakes, such as Lake Louise and Payto Lake.

The lake is at the end of an 11-kilometer road and is not accessible by car. You are therefore required to book a ticket for one of the shuttle buses, of which very few run. Every year you can sign up for a draw and then keep your fingers crossed that you score a spot. If not, you can also walk to Lake O’Hara, but that is 11 kilometers one way. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to get a ticket for the shuttle bus and I didn’t feel much like the long walk. So I didn’t visit Lake O’Hara unfortunately, but I hope to see it during a future Canada trip.

Best hiking trails in Yoho National Park

For me as a hiking enthusiast, Yoho was extra fun to explore because there are many great hiking trails in the park, from short hikes to waterfalls to long, challenging hikes with beautiful views.

Wapta Falls – 4.6 kilometers – easy – You walk through the forest to the base of an impressive waterfall. At 30 meters, Wapta Falls is the largest waterfall on the Kicking Horse River.
Emerald Lake – 5.2 kilometers – easy – A beautiful hiking trail along the shore of the green lake surrounded by scenic mountains.
Paget Lookout – 7 kilometers – moderate – A steep trail with lots of rocks that leads to viewpoints over several valleys.
Hamilton Lake – 11 kilometers – moderate – A steep climb to a picturesque mountain lake.
Twin Falls – 16.4 kilometers – moderate – Through a forest past Laughing Falls and on along the Yoho River to an impressive double waterfall.
Iceline Trail (via Little Yoho) – 20.8 kilometers – difficult – One of the most beautiful hikes in the park with spectacular views of glaciers. On the way back, descend to meadows in Little Yoho Valley and pass Laughing Falls.

Lake O’Hara hikes

Please note that Lake O’Hara is accessible only by shuttle bus or by hiking on an 11-kilometer (one-way) dirt road.

Lake O’Hara Shoreline trail – 2.8 kilometers – easy – Round-trip hike around beautiful Lake O’Hara.
Opabin Plateau Circuit – 5.9 kilometers – moderate – Beautiful views of the lake.

Always check trail conditions beforehand. There may be snow on the higher elevated trails. On this page you will find an overview of all hikes in Yoho National Park.

Where to stay in Yoho National Park

Want to take your time with Yoho National Park and stay in or near the park? Then there are a few special places to stay.

Takakkaw Falls Campground – I discovered this one by accident while hiking near the falls and what a wonderful place to park! It is for tents only, you have to walk a bit with your stuff (there are wheelbarrows in the parking lot), but then you are in the middle of nature! You can’t make reservations, walk in only (in late June it wasn’t full at 3 in the afternoon).
Emerald Lake Lodge (4⭐) – Would you like some luxury in a special place? Then this lodge on Emerald Lake is a wonderful place to stay. In the mornings and evenings you will have the picturesque lake all to yourself.
Cathedral Mountain Lodge (4⭐) – Beautifully situated in nature with stunning views. Easily accessible as it is close to the Trans Canada Highway.

There are also several great hotels, guesthouses, and other accommodations in Field, Lake Louise, and Golden where you can stay. Check out Booking.com for more tips. For campgrounds, check out the Yoho National Park website.

Additional Yoho National Park tips

A few final tips for your visit to Yoho National Park:

The Yoho Valley Road is open only during the summer months. Halfway down there is a sharp turn; it is very difficult for most RVs to take and trailers are not allowed here. It is best to drive this road with a rental car or a small RV (less than 23 feet).
You won’t have cell phone coverage everywhere in the park. It is therefore useful to save maps (can be done via Google Maps) or take photos of the places you want to see.
Bring food and drinks with you. There is only a small shop and restaurant at Emerald Lake, but you can’t buy anything at other places in the park. There are many picnic tables and benches though (especially at Emerald Lake and Takakkaw Falls), which makes it a perfect place to have lunch.
Leave No Trace. Do not leave anything in nature that does not belong there (including white handkerchiefs or apple cores). You can always find some trash containers near the parking lots and otherwise take it with you.

Book a trip to Canada

Yoho National Park is just one of the many beautiful sights in West Canada. To get to know the region well, it is great fun to go on a road trip for a few weeks. Use the websites below to book an unforgettable trip!

✈️ Plane tickets – To reach the Canadian Rockies, it’s easiest to fly to Calgary or Edmonton. Check WayAway to find the best deals and cashback on plane tickets.

🚘 Rental car & RV – It is very difficult to explore the Canadian Rockies without a car or RV. Check Rental Cars to find the best deals and RV Share for RVs.

📱E-sim – While traveling in Canada, I use an e-sim from Airalo to stay connected. It was very useful for navigation, but also easy to keep family and friends updated on my adventures.

💊 Having good travel insurance will give you peace of mind. Check Insubuy to find the best travel insurance that fits your needs.

🐻 Tours and activities – There are plenty of fun tours and activities to do in Canada. From historical tours of cities to boat rides among orcas and whales. Check out Get Your Guide for options.

Visiting Yoho National Park: tips & the best things to do

About Yoho National Park