YOHO NATIONAL PARK AND VICINITY

Yoho, a Cree word of amazement, is a fitting name for this 131,300-hectare (324,450-acre) national park in British Columbia on the western slopes of the Canadian Rockies. The TransCanada Highway bisects the park on its run between Lake Louise (Alberta) and Golden (British Columbia). Banff National Park borders Yoho to the east, while Kootenay National Park lies immediately to the south.

Yoho is the smallest of the four contiguous Canadian Rockies national parks, but its wild and rugged landscape holds spectacular waterfalls, extensive icefields, a lake to rival those in Banff, and one of the world’s most intriguing fossil beds. In addition, you’ll find some of the finest hiking in all of Canada on the park’s 300-km (186-mile) trail system.

Within the park are four lodges, four campgrounds, and the small railway town of Field, where you’ll find basic services. The park is open year-round, although road conditions in winter can be treacherous, and occasional closures occur on Kicking Horse Pass. The road out to Takakkaw Falls is closed through winter, and it often doesn’t reopen until mid-June.

Yoho Valley: The valley doesn’t become ice-free until June, but when it does, the access road passes natural wonders such as Takakkaw Falls and opens up excellent hikes. (read more)

Emerald Lake: You can hike, canoe, fish, or simply soak up the mountain scenery. (read more)

Lake O’Hara: Quite simply, magical. Access is limited by a quota system, so take heed of the reservation information and be prepared for a day of hiking you will always remember. (read more)

Burgess Shale: The hiking is strenuous along a restricted-access trail, but because this is one of the world’s most important paleontological sites, the trek is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. (read more)

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort: I’ve ridden each of the four gondolas in the Canadian Rockies, and this one, near Golden, is my favorite for unbeatable top-of-the-world views. (read more)