You’ve probably heard of Banff or Jasper National Park before, but have you heard of Yoho or Kootenay National Park? Yoho and Kootenay are located in British Columbia on the slopes of the Canadian Rockies and are filled with fun activities, majestic rivers, mountains, lakes, and more! This blog post is part 2 of our Canadian Rockies Travel Guide. In this post, we will be giving you all the best sights in Yoho and Kootenay, as well as travel tips and important information!
Yoho is famous for its beautiful Emerald Lake that is just as stunning as Lake Louise in Banff. Many people love Yoho National Park because it is less crowded. If you’re ever planning to travel to the Canadian Rockies, make sure Yoho National Park is on your itinerary!
Though Kootenay is not as famous as the other three national parks located in the Canadian Rockies, the national park has won people’s interest with the deep history, fun activities, and peaceful rivers! Kootenay should also be on your travel list if you’re visiting the Canadian Rockies.
Yoho National Park Destinations
1. Yoho Valley Road
Part of the Trans-Canada Highway, the Yoho Valley Road is a spectacular 8.5 mile road you can take to see many of the sights in Yoho National Park. Some of the stops include the Kicking Horse River and the Takakkaw Falls. There are plenty of beautiful views with glaciers, lakes, forests, mountains and more!
The Yoho Valley Road is open from mid-June to mid-October, so plan your trip to Yoho in that time frame because you cannot miss this experience! The drive is also said to be quite “exciting”; namely, there is one place on the drive that you need to watch out for: a three-tiered S-curve.
2. Emerald Lake
Located in Yoho National Park, Emerald Lake gets its name from the glistening emerald green color of the water. In my view, its beauty rivals Lake Louise in Banff; you should definitely not miss Emerald Lake in your itinerary.
You can go on the Lake Circuit, a 3.3-mile hiking trail, around the lake that is perfect for sight-seeing. Alternatively, you can rent a canoe and enjoy a couple of hours gliding on the emerald water taking in the vistas of surrounding mountains and the lake.
There is a lakefront resort and restaurant–what better way to enjoy a meal while gazing across the stunning Emerald Lake?
3. Kicking Horse River and Pass
The Kicking Horse River flows from the Canadian Rockies and through much of Yoho National Park and is the origin of many of the beautiful lakes and rivers that encompass the park. Over millions of years, the river carved rocks into a natural bridge formation below.
The Kicking Horse Pass is a railway that has an interesting history. The pass crosses over a continental divide, which forms a precipitous slope. As a result, engineers put a lot of work into reducing the accidents on this pass and were eventually successful. To learn more about the history of the Kicking Horse Pass, you can even take the 0.75 miles hike, a Walk in the Past.
The Kicking Horse River merges with Yoho River in the southwest until it drops over Wapta Falls.
You can even see the two different colors of the Yoho and Kicking Horse Rivers as they merge!
4. Wapta Falls
The biggest waterfall in the Kicking Horse River, Wapta Falls, has fantastic scenery, so don’t forget to bring a camera! The waterfall is one-hundred feet tall and can also be reached by a 2.85 miles hike.
5. Takakkaw Falls
Now, if you enjoyed Wapta Falls, you have to stop by Takakkaw Falls! At 833 feet, it is the one of the tallest waterfalls in all of North America! To reach the Takakkaw Falls, you can take a road that’s right off the Trans-Canada Highway.
At Takakkaw Falls, you can stand at the bottom of the waterfall and feel the mist coming from this powerful waterfall. Standing at the bottom offers a cool perspective that you can’t get by just looking from afar.
If you’re looking to capture the perfect view and feeling a bit adventurous, you have the option of hiking the Iceline trail. The Iceline hiking trail is a 13.8 mile trail that will take you to a perfect viewing point on the mountains across from the Takakkaw Falls. The trail is labeled as “difficult” with almost a 3,000 feet elevation gain, but we think that the views are definitely worth it!
6. Lake O’Hara
If you loved Emerald Lake, you’ll definitely enjoy Lake O’Hara! This dazzling turquoise-colored lake is surrounded by mountains that have many hiking trails you can visit for spectacular views.
To reach Lake O’Hara, you have two options: a bus service or hiking trail. The bus service’s spots are often taken, and even with an advanced reservation, there’s no guarantee. You can also opt to take the 8 mile trail to the lake, which requires no reservation at all.
Lake O’Hara lodge and Lake O’Hara campground are two popular places to stay. Be sure to make your reservations well in advance, though!
7. Burgess Shale
You cannot miss the Burgess Shale Fossil Beds on your trip to Yoho National Park! The Burgess Shale Fossil Beds is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At Burgess Shale, you can find fossils that are over 530 million years old! These beds also reveal a lot about the geological history of Earth.
If this sounds interesting to you, make sure to book your reservation well in advance! The fossils can only be accessed through a guided hike that is limited to only 15 people. You can find more information on the hike here. There is also a virtual tour, perfect during the Covid-19 quarantine, which includes a complete Burgess Shale fossil gallery and a comprehensive history of the site.
All in all, Yoho National Park has some of the most beautiful sights in the world and so many fun and interesting things to do! Next summer, visit Yoho National Park along with the other great Canadian Rockies Parks: Banff, Jasper, and Kootenay!
Kootenay National Park Destinations
Kootenay is one of the oldest national parks in all of Canada. It’s known for its breathtaking views and endless forests, as well as its calm, pristine beaches, and historical sights.
1. Kokanee Mountain Zipline
The Kokanee Mountain Zipline is a fun zipline with an AMAZING view. The view features the Kokanee Creek, high mountains, and the green trees that cover every inch of the whole area. The tickets are $89 USD for a senior or child and $109 USD for an adult.
2. Kokanee Creek Provincial Park
Kokanee Creek Provincial Park, located in Kootenay National Park, is filled with pristine sand beaches. Some of the beaches are shallow, so it’s great for kids. There are private campsites, along with woods. The trails have perfect views, and are not too long or too short.
3. Cody Caves
The Cody Caves are limestone caves you can access through a tour. These caves were discovered in the early 1890s and have become one of the most popular caves to explore in British Columbia. You can marvel at the interesting rock formations, sculpted by erosion from glacier water over time. Tours in the caves are for those 5-years-old and up. You can schedule your exploration here.
4. Big Orange Bridge
The Big Orange Bridge (abbreviated BOB), also known as the Nelson Bridge, is a historical sight that opened November 7, 1957. The bridge used to be silver but was painted orange for a brighter color. Some people believe it was painted orange to make it more visible to airplanes, while others think it was to mimic the San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.
5. Balfour Golf Course
The Balfour Golf Course is a 6,800 yard with 18 holes. The surrounding forest and mountains make your golfing experience even better! Don’t forget to take your camera!
When to Visit
We recommend visiting Yoho and Kootenay in the summer, especially since it can get quite cold near the glaciers and lakes at those higher altitudes. So, don’t forget to pack warm clothing: jackets, gloves, boots, and all those essentials!
Where to Stay
Emerald Lake Lodge – This great lodge is right on Yoho National Park’s beautiful Emerald Lake. To stay at Emerald Lake Lodge costs about $501 USD per night during the peak season. Find more information here.
Lake O’Hara Lodge – Located near Lake O’Hara in Yoho, this wonderful lodge gives you the best experience of living in nature, while still being cozy! The Lake O’Hara Lodge offers lodge rooms and cabins, with varying costs. This lodge is probably the most expensive out of all these places to stay. Find more information here.
Cathedral Mountain Lodge – This lodge is located off the banks of the Kicking Horse River. The Cathedral Mountain Lodge consists of cabins and offers plenty of amenities. The price per night is about $340, so still on the expensive side, but I’ve heard it’s worth it! Find out more information here.
These lodges are not for everyone and can often be quite expensive, so I’d recommend staying at an Airbnb or Vrbo. The prices to rent start from about $75. This is what we did, and we loved our experience with Vrbo!
As we’ve mentioned in part one of the Canadian Rockies, if you plan to visit all four national parks in the Canadian Rockies, try to find a home base that is within convenient driving distance to all the parks.
Where to Eat
In addition to providing excellent accommodations, Emerald Lake Lodge has great places for dining too! This goes for the other lodges, such as Cathedral Mountain Lodge. Other great places to eat are the The Siding Cafe, Cilantro Cafe, and the Lakeview Lounge.
General Tips
The entrance fee for one day in Yoho and Kootenay is $20.00 for a family/group or $10.00 per adult for one day. If you’re spending more than one day and visiting multiple parks in the Canadian Rockies, you may want to consider buying a Canada Discovery Pass, which is $140 for a family/group or $69 per adult.
Any other services, such as camping, hiking, fishing, and transportation, will cost additional fees. You can find more information here (Yoho) and here (Kootenay).
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