Yoho, established in 1886, is in southeast British Columbia about 66 km (41 miles) northwest of Banff. The park has 28 mountain peaks over 3000 meters (9842') and protects 1310 square km (507 sq mi) of land on the western and central slopes of the Canadian Rockies. The park protects the upper watershed of the Kicking Horse River. Much of the water comes from the Yoho River from its source at the Continental Divide in the Wapta Icefield in the Waputik Mountains. Many other glaciers feed both rivers. The highest point in the park is Mt. Goodsir, 3562 m (11,686').
The Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian-Pacific Railway follow the Kicking Horse River through the heart of the park. Field is the only townsite in the park, started as a Canadian-Pacific Railway town in the late nineteenth century on the Kicking Horse River.
Kicking Horse Pass, 1627 m (5338'), is the highest point on the Trans-Canada Highway, at the Continental Divide and the Alberta-British Columbia border. It marks the border between Banff and Yoko National Parks.
The two most popular sites in the park are Takakkaw Falls and Emerald Lake. Arrive early in the morning if you want to see either place.
The Burgess Shale fossils were discovered at Walcott Ridge in 1909. Advance reservations are needed to hike in to see them, a 22km (14 mi) round trip hike.
Yoho Valley Road passes the confluence of the Kicking Horse and Yoho Rivers and ends at Takakkaw Falls. The road has two very sharp switchback hairpin turns.
Confluence of the Kicking Horse and Yoho Rivers.
Takakkaw Falls, whose name means "wonderful" in Cree, is Canada's second-highest waterfall at 373 meters (1224 feet), plunging into the Yoho Valley. This is a very popular spot.
Natural Bridge, downstream of Field on the Kicking Horse River, is on Emerald Lake Road. The brilliantly green lake itself is so popular that we didn't try to stop there. The limestone rock of the waterfall canyon remains connected above the waterfall forming a natural bridge.
Wapta Falls is the largest waterfall on the Kicking Horse River, 18m high and 107m wide. The name means "river" in the Sioux (Nakoda) language of the Stoney people. Here the combined Yoho and Kicking Horse waters flow into a steep-walled canyon to the Columbia River. Its average flow can reach 96 cubic meters per second.
Wildflowers:
Birds:
Canada jay (whisky jack, Grey jay), Perisoreus canadensis
American robin, Turdus migratorius
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Last modified 21 August 2023