Yoho National Park

Introduction

Yoho National Park is a part of the UNESCO listed Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks. It is on the British Columbian side of the British Columbia/Alberta boarder from Banff National Park, and is north of Kootenay National Park.

The word 'Yoho' is a Cree expression of awe or wonder. You don't have to be here long to agree that Yoho is the perfect name for this national park.

Geography

[b]Yoho National Park[b] is located in the Rocky Mountains, with the town of Field lying at its center. The Trans Canada Highway runs through the park, and its eastern boundry is the Province of Alberta, with Banff National Park directly on the otherside of the boarder.
The park covers over 1,300 km² and is full of rivers, glaciers and, of course, mountains.

Sights and Activities

One of the major highlights of Yoho is the Burgess Shale. It is one of the world's best fossil deposits, and dates back over 500 million years. It contains the most diverse group of fossils from the Cambrian Period. You can take guided hikes to one of two major sites, where you are allowed to look at and handle some of the best fossils. You can also look through the shale for fossils never uncovered but you don't get to keep them.

Takakkaw Falls is a 384-metre high waterfall, the second highest in Canada (higher than Niagara). Takakkaw roughly translates in Cree language as an expression meaning "It is amazing". Takakkaw is easily accessible from the main park - about 4 kilometres from the town of Field.

Cost

Entry to Yoho National Park is pretty steep - about $10 per person per day ($20 for families or groups, up to seven people in one vehicle). However, you can get an annual pass (good for the month you buy it, the next month and a full year after that) for just under $70 ($140 for family or group).

Getting There

By Car

[b]Yoho National Park[b] sits along the Trans Canada Highway, near the city of Golden. It is easily accesible by car, simply by driver along highway #1. The town of Field lies at the middle of the Park.

By Bus

You can take the Greyhound bus to Field several times a day, and it is possible to walk from there to the close campsites - it is about a 3-kilometre hike.

Eat

Since you'll most likely be camping, most of the eating is bring-your-own. However, there are a couple of choices in the tiny town of Field. You can eat at the Siding General Store (as well as pick up camping essentials) as well as the Truffle Pigs Bistro. For more options, you can head to nearby Golden.

Drink

In Field, you can get a drink at the Truffle Pigs Bistro, or you can buy a limited selection of liquor at the Siding General Store to have back at your campsite. Like eating, Golden will have more choices for drinking.

Sleep

Camping is the obvious choice, and you have 5 choices at Yoho. They range from the walk-in only Takakkaw Falls ($17.60/night) to the Kicking Horse Campground, which has running water and showers ($27.40/night). Most campgrounds allow campfires. Kicking Horse is the most comfortable, but a major train line runs very close to the campsite, and it is very loud and runs all night.