British Columbia’s Yoho National Park

“Yoho” is a Cree word that translates roughly as “how magnificent” and, if anything, the Cree perhaps understated the utter magnificence of this Canadian Rocky Mountain region. Second smallest of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, Yoho is a land of glacial lakes and towering, snowclad mountains whose steepness explains the park’s many spectacular waterfalls. And not lost upon us is Yoho’s 252-mile network of trails. Without a doubt, Yoho is an exciting hiking trip for Timberline guests.

The Yoho hiking tour assembles in Lake Louise early-afternoon of Day 1 (we’ll provide a van shuttle from Calgary earlier in the day) with ample opportunity to hike to either of the famous teahouses above the lake before dinner. We’ll be spending our nights in the Lake Louise area at the Mountaineer Lodge surrounded by pine forests and rocky mountain views.

A word of warning about the hikes planned for Day 2 — you won’t believe what you will see on this day. Tucked away in the remote reaches above the Great Divide is some of the most amazing high alpine scenery that you will ever experience. We’re headed for the Sunshine Village Area where a chairlift will take us quickly to the higher regions leaving plenty of time to explore the alpine environment.

We’re headed to beautiful Yoho Valley early morning of Day 3. From the Whiskey Jack trailhead, we’ll travel along the Iceline Trail onto the open slopes at the foot of Emerald Glacier. We’ll settle in at the glacier’s toe for lunch and enjoy the incredible views across the valley to Takakkaw Falls and up valley. (8 miles).

On Day 4, we’ll van shuttle to Emerald Lake for our encounter with the exciting Wapta Highline. We’ll climb steadily from the lake’s eastern shore in the shadow of the Presidential Range to Yoho Pass. Our trail moderates at the pass and we’ll soon emerge from the trees into the open expanse of the Wapta Highline as it skirts the base of Wapta Peak. The views across valley of the heavily glaciated Presidents are incredible as we approach Burgess Pass. From Burgess, where we’ll picnic, we’ll be treated to the awesome panorama that includes Mt. Stephen, the town of Field in the Kicking Horse Valley and Emerald Lake. A long hiking descent follows and we’re back to the Emerald Lake shoreline trail (12 miles).

We’ll return to the Yoho Valley on Day 5, a day devoted to the many spectacular waterfalls of Yoho. Following a visit to Takakkaw Falls, which vies with Della Falls on Vancouver Island as Canada’s highest waterfall, we’ll hike upstream along the Yoho River toward Twin Falls. Waterfalls are everywhere — Angel’s Staircase, Point Lace, Laughing Falls — and then a final climb to Twin Falls (11 miles).

After our final night in the area, we’ll take a leisurely hike on Day 6 to the glacier-green waters of Sherbrooke Lake above Kicking Horse Pass (5 miles), then we return to Calgary where our Yoho Hiking Tour concludes.