Travel to Canada

Day 7 Yoho N.P.

Yoho N.P.: The beauty of the park made that this area was named "Yoho", that in cree language means awe and wonder. The Yoho National Park lies on the western slopes of the Rockies, with spectacular waterfalls, high rock walls and 28 peaks over 3,000 meters. Another attraction are the fossils of the area. Some can be seen in the Yoho National Park Visitor Centre, but the best is to go to Burgess Shale, declared a World Heritage Site, containing fossils from the Cambrian period, more than 515 million years ago, of more than 120 species of marine animals preserved with exquisite detail.

Yoho - Natural Bridge

Yoho N.P. - Natural Bridge

Three miles west of Field, on the road that leads to Emerald Lake, is the Natural Bridge, a natural rock bridge over the Kicking Horse River. After years and years the force of water pierced the rock forming the bridge. 8 miles later you will find the Emerald Lake, a jewel of the Canadian Rockies. The lake is notable for the deep emerald waters. Next to the car park is the Emerald Lake Lodge and a place to rent canoes. There is a road of 5.2 km (3.4 km of them wheelchair accessible) that goes around the lake and offers views of the Emerald glacier.

Yoho - Emerald Lake

Yoho N.P. - Emerald Lake

Another star of the park is the Lake O´Hara. To protect the fragile ecosystem of this area, there are quotas for access to this lake and this is made by bus from the Visitor Centre (13 km or walking there from the road to the lake). There is a quiet road around the lake and offers fantastic views of the surrounding mountains, including Mount Victoria and Lefroy, and the Seven Veils Falls. The Lake O´Hara offers one of the most stunning scenery in Yoho National Park.

Yoho - Emerald Lake

Yoho N.P. - Emerald Lake

Seventeen kilometers east of Field, driving by the Yoho Valley Road, we find the Takakkaw Falls. These are one of the highest waterfalls in Canada, with a jump of 254 meters. In the Cree language the meaning of Takakkaw is "magnificent". Although the views are spectacular from the road, it's worth strollingby the short path (1 km) that follows the river Yoho and that leads to the base of the waterfall. The path is paved and is ideal for wheelchairs and strollers.

Yoho - Takakkaw Falls

Yoho N.P. - Takakkaw Falls

We ended the day with the Spiral Tunnel Viewpoints. They are some viewpoints that permit to view the entrances and exits of the tunnels the train at the Cathedral Mountain. These spiral tunnels, finished in 1909, reduce the initial pendant of 4.5% (the biggest in North America) to a safer close to 2.2%. We left the tour to the the Wapta Falls for the next day, in the way to the Roger Pass. The park has many other attractions. It offers more than 400 km of trails of varying levels. Located along the Trans-Canada Highway, bordered by Banff and Kootenay parks.