Yoho
National Park is a mountain
recreation destination in the Kootenay region of British Columbia
Canada located east of the community of Golden, BC, Canada. The
park is part history and part recreation consisting of alpine
peaks, waterfalls, lush green forests, roaring rivers, glacier
lakes, hiking trails, spiral tunnels and fossils.
Established in 1886, Yoho National Park is 1,310
square kilometres bordering the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia
and the Banff National Park of Alberta. In 1984 the park was designated
a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Access to the park's backcountry
requires a park pass which can be obtained at the parks office
in Field, BC.
In the summer months (mid-July to mid-September)
activities include backpacking, canoeing, rafting, climbing, mountaineering,
cycling, mountain biking, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and
wildlife viewing. In the winter months the activities enjoyed
in the Yoho National Park include cross country skiing, snowshoeing
and ice climbing.
Yoho National Park includes over 400 kilometres
of hiking trails. Hiking and backpacking in the park is by far
the most popular activity. Some of the hiking trails include the
Kicking Horse, Ottertail, McArthur Creek, Opabin Plateau, Linda
Lake, Cataract Brook, Ross Lake, Sherbrooke Lake, Monarch, Yoho
Valley, Burgess highline, Emerald Basin, Hamilton Falls, Iceline,
Amiskwi, Whaleback and Hoodoos Trails.
The trail network in the park provides a good
selection of day hikes and a better selection of backpacking wilderness
hikes. Some trails loop and connect with other trails extending
adventures deeper into the park. . Good backpacking experience
and equipment is recommended when exploring in the park.
Wilderness camping and serviced campgrounds are
located in the park. There are huts (require pre booking) and
wilderness campsites in the alpine areas. Wilderness campsites
provide little services other than a tent pad, food caches and
food poles. All visitors to the park must pack out what they pack
in.
Mountain biking is only permitted on designated
fire service roads in the park such as the Kicking Horse, Amiskwi,
Otterhead, Ottertail and Ice River. It is important to plan ahead,
as mountain biking is only permitted in certain areas of the park.
Do not veer off the fire service roads onto trails designated
for hiking.
The natural sites in the Yoho National Park include
many waterfalls, alpine mountains and recreational rivers. Waterfalls
include the Laughing Falls, Twin Falls, Wapta Falls and one of
Canada's highest waterfall, Takakkaw Falls, which drops over 254
m. Mountains include Mt Stephen (3199 m), Odarey Mtn. (3101 m),
Cathedral Mtn. (3189 m), Deltaform Mtn. (3424 m), Mt. Ogden (2684
m), Mt. Burgess (2583 m), Mt. Carnarvon (3042 m), The President
(3139 m) and Mt. McArthur (3015 m).
History in the park is best viewed at the Burgess
Shale site. The shale site includes fossils from 515 million years
ago. It is recorded that there are fossils from more than 120
marine animals of the prehistoric variety. In 1981 the Burgess
shale was designated a World Heritage Site.
How to Get to Yoho National
Park:
From Golden, travel east on Highway #1 to the
park. From Banff, Alberta travel west on Highway #1 to the park. |