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your a water fall chaser, the valley is home to
the very impressive Takakkaw Falls, which are
amongst the worlds tallest. At the other end of
the park, you can hike in and watch the Kicking
Horse River leave the park in a very dramatic
fashion by way of the Wapta Falls. The park is known for
its glaciers, with the greatest concentration in
the northern region where the park touches on the
Wapta and Waputik Icefields. Smaller glaciers are
dispersed throughout Yoho, most particularly in
the eastern sector. If you're looking for a good
vantage point, you can hike up the Yoho Valley to
get some great views of the icefields. If you
have an inquiring mind and you're a seasoned
hiker (or just very fit) ask about the guided
hikes to view the Burgess Shale fossil area. The area
is only accessible from July to October,
reservations are mandatory and you must be
accompanied by the park appointed guide.
If you're
looking for a place to rest your weary head after
a day on the trails, the park has over 300 front country
campsites. You'll also find several lodges if you need a break from your tent. For
additional information, have a look at our accommodations & services section.
Hikers and backpackers will be please with the
variety and exceptional beauty of the parks
trails, most of which lead into the backcountry.
Six backcountry
campsites, along with several huts,
allow you to put together a wide variety of
itineraries. The park also allows random camping in some areas. All
overnight stays in the park require a permit.
If mountain
biking
is your thing, there are over 80 kilometres of
fire road open to bikes. These include the
Kicking Horse, Amiskwi, Otterhead, Ottertail, Ice
River and Ross Lake Trail. horseback riding is
allowed on some or the parks trails as well.
Mountaineers and climbers have a lot of options,
with the largest concentration of routes
accessible from Lake O'Hara. This is also where
you'll find one of the parks sport climbing
areas. Other areas which have been bandied about
include Dennis and Duchesnay Pass.
For whitewater enthusiasts, the park
has two rivers (with some excellent beaches) the
Yoho and the Kicking Horse. Rafting companies make heavy use of the
Kicking Horse River and for good reason, this is
a serious whitewater river. If your looking to
canoe but your not into whitewater, you have the
option of paddling the quieter parts of the
whitewater rivers or going for a leisurely paddle
on Emerald Lake (canoe rentals are available).
The winter time
sees a lot of activity in the park. People come
out to see the parks fabulous scenery draped in a
heavy blanket of snow. Nordic skiing and snowshoeing will take you to many
of the parks wonders. There's an area well known
for its telemarking in
Little Yoho Valley. Backcountry skiers will find world class
routes and conditions, along with an excellent hut system for over night stays. One of the
best routes is the well known Wapta Traverse. If
you shun huts, you always have the option of
doing some winter camping.
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