Yoho River Valley
Campground Spiral tunnel viewpoint "Meeting of the Waters" Narrow bends in the road (Trailers are not permitted beyond this point) Avalanche hillsides Takakkaw Falls Driving time through Yoho River valley: 30 minutes
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The warden station is about 1 km past the turnoff from the Transcanada Highway into Yoho Valley National Park. The parking lot offers a nice view of the Kicking Horse River. |
Entrances to mine shafts on the hillside of Mt. Field are visible remnants of the old Kicking Horse Mine. At the end of the 19th century, when the Canadian Pacific Railroad was built through here, lead and zinc were discovered. The mines on Mt. Field and Mt. Stephen were exploited for more than 60 years. Beside lead and zinc silver was found. In 1952 the mines werde closed permanently.
The parking lot offers a spectacular view of Mt. Stephen. A tunnel of the Canadian Pacific Railroad
passes the lower side of the mountain and snowsheds protect the rails from avalanches in winter. This
is also a hillside prone to rockslides as can be easily seen from the huge amount of gravel on the slopes
of the mountain.
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Campground
The National Park campground in the forest behind the warden station offers shelters and showers. This is a great place, if you are looking for a quiet campground away from the big crowds in Banff and Jasper National Parks. However, during the summer it fills up quickly. It's sites are available on a first come, first serve basis.top
Spiral tunnel viewpoint
A big gravel turnout to the right offers a good view of the spiral tunnel of the Canadian Pacific Railroad.top
"Meeting of the Waters"
This is the confluence of the Yoho River with the Kicking Horse River. The two rivers can be easily distinguished, since their water's color is different. The water of both rivers is glacial water. However the Kicking Horse River deposits its silt in various pools and lakes on its way, while the Yoho River transports the silt directly from the Waputik Icefield to this place and still contains much of the silt particles produced by the glaciers.top
Narrow bends in the road
(Trailers are not permitted beyond this point)
Three very narrow bends in the road make the passage of this stretch of road impossible for cars with
trailers. The road leads up a steep hill. Busses and bid RVs have to reverse up the middle part of
the road in order to maneuver around the extremely narrow bends.top
Avalanche hillsides
The next stretch of road passes steep hillsides where avalanches come down every winter. The road is closed in winter and is usually opened late in spring.
Felled trees and hillsides that are only grown over by low bushes pay testimony to the force of the snow
creating the broad paths down the hills. In spring these are the first feeding grounds for bears coming
out of hibernation, because they are searching for the carcasses of animals killed by avalanches.
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Takakkaw Falls
| The highlight of the drive along the Yoho River valley waits at the end of the road: Takakkaw Falls. Takakkaw means "the great one", a fitting name - especially in spring melt, when the melting waters of the Daly glacier thunder down the two steps of the waterfall from the Waputik Icefield. Takakkaw Falls are 380 m high. | 
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Takakkaw Falls are Canada's highest waterfalls and they are among the twelve highest waterfalls of the world. The lower falls are 254 m high.
A short hiking trail leads from the parking lot at the end of the road along the river to a bridge, which
gives access to the falls.
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