Best Hikes in Yoho National Park

Just down the road from the famous Banff National Park sits an equally stunning area known as Yoho National Park. While only about half the size of Banff it sports just as much beauty and opportunity for adventure. We had planned to do a multi-day backpacking trek through the mountains of Yoho, but the snow was still too deep this spring, which prevented hikers from venturing too far into the backcountry. So we settled for a couple days of smaller hikes which turned out to be an awesome way to see the park. Here’s a list of our favorite places we went in Yoho:

Wapta Falls

Just off the Trans-Canada Highway there’s a rough but wide dirt road leading to a small gravel parking lot. There’s only space for about 15 cars so get there early if you can. You can also park on the side of the road. The trail is a 5 kilometer out-and-back. It starts out pretty flat through the dense forest. Then as the sound of the falls grows louder the trail starts to descend. There’s a cool lookout on the way down.

But the best view is all the way at the bottom. After a series of steep switchbacks and stairs you get down to the river bed and you’re immediately in awe of the size and beauty of the falls. They don’t call it the Niagara of the Rockies for nothing!

The Natural Bridge

While its not much of a hike we still consider this a must-see attraction if you’re in Yoho. Just a short walk from the parking lot is a very unique rock formation in the Kicking Horse River with a classic Rocky Mountain backdrop.

Takakkaw Falls

While it may not have the volume of Wapta Falls, it’s unique in its own right as its 373 meters tall! That makes it the second tallest waterfall in the country (Della Falls on Vancouver Island is the tallest at 440 meters). You don’t have to walk far to take in Takakkaws beauty but you can trek right up to the base of the falls for a 2-kilometer round trip.

As we were admiring the falls we spotted a little mountain goat friend trying to cross the river to come say hello. He was in the process of shedding his thick winter coat so he looked a little raggedy.

Emerald Lake

This trail is 5 kilometers long and loops all the way around the lake. This is an incredibly popular tourist attraction so if you are planning to go, you’ll want to arrive very early or expect a long walk up the road. We went mid-day and had to park on the side of the road over a kilometer away from the parking lot. For those looking for a quiet hike in solitude this is definitely not the place. However, the color of the lake and the surrounding mountains provide a view you do not want to miss if you’re in the area.

Laughing Falls

This is a 9 kilometer out-and-back trail starting from Takakkaw Falls. If you saw Takakkaw Falls but want to stretch your legs out a bit more, this is a great way to see more of the Yoho Valley. Its fairly flat to start then gradually climbs as it follows the glacial-fed Yoho River. A couple kilometers in you’ll see a side trail to Angels Staircase Falls. Its a nice little waterfall that’s worth the extra couple hundred meters. It trickles into Yoho River.

Eventually you’ll hit a bridge that crosses the Yoho River into the Laughing Falls backcountry campground. It’s a really cool campground right on the river. If you continue on the trail you’ll eventually hit Twin Falls and its backcountry campground. Laughing Falls is very pretty but it pales in comparison to Takakkaw or Wapta Falls. However, it’s much more private. We only saw a few other hikers on the trail.