Hidden Gems 36, 49

There is no better place to appreciate Yoho National Park’s theme of “rockwalls and waterfalls” than the Yoho Valley. When the ancestral Yoho Glacier receded at the end of the ice age, side valleys were left hanging above the main valley floor. Their streams now plunge over limestone cliffs toward the Yoho River. Takakkaw Falls (TAH-kah-kah) cascades 254m. The name is Cree for “It is magnificent!” You can reach the falls by a 600m trail, wheelchair and stroller accessible in part, from the parking lot at the end of the Yoho Valley Road. The falls are best-lit in the afternoon and early evening.

If Takakkaw has you yearning for more thunder and spray, you can make a fine, full-day hike in the Yoho Valley. From the Yoho Valley trailhead, follow the trail 2.5 km to where short sidetrails branch east to the bank of the Yoho River and a view of Angel’s Staircase Falls, and southwest to Point Lace Falls. Carry on to Laughing Falls at 4.6km. Follow beaten paths from the campground along the north bank of the Little Yoho River to this impressive waterfall.

To complete your cascade tour of the Yoho Valley, continue north from Laughing falls for 3.8 km to Twin Falls. This 180m high cataract shimmers with rainbows in the morning sun. The Twin Falls Tea House, a National Historic Site, is nearby.

Return to the trailhead by the way you came (8.4km one-way), or make a loop, returning via Marpole Lake, 9.5k m one-way to the parking lot. Round-trip distances for this hike will be 16.8km – 17.9km. The good news: There is little elevation gain. If you have more time, you may reserve camping at Laughing Falls or Twin Falls campgrounds. Photos and Story by: Graeme Pole

Photo by Deschênes Steve