Jack's Outdoor Adventure Blog: Yoho National Park, British Columbia

The Natural Bridge on the Kicking Horse R. In B.C.
Formerly water poured over the top of the rock as a waterfall
but the rock is limestone which is more easily dissolved
and the river found a new path.

We spent part of a day exploring Yoho National Park near Field, B. C., which is only about 30 minutes west of Lake Louise on Trans-Canada Hwy 1. We saw a natural bridge over the Kicking Horse R. Then we did an easy but very enjoyable hike around Emerald Lake. This area is famous for the Burgess Fossil Shale , one of the most productive and important fossil beds in the world. Major discoveries continue today that contribute to a better understanding of the earth's past. The fossil beds can only be seen as part of a guided hike that has a hefty fee. If I had known about this guided hike, I would have pre-registered and planned our itinerary to accommodate it.

The Natural Bridge viewed from one end.


This interpretive display at Emerald Lake tells the story of the Burgess Fossil Shale. The fossil beds are located high up the mountainside across the lake and are visible from this location in clear weather.

Emerald Lake is very Emerald. Emerald is special color for
Cristin and I. Ask us why next time you see us!


We enjoyed the easy trail around the lake. Due to the immediate geography of this little lake, the climate varies dramatically from one side to the other. One side gets more rain and has many characteristics of a Pacific Coast rain forest. The other side is drier the flora and fauna differ. Micro-climates in action.


This stream flows into Emerald Lake. The delta area where snow melt entered the lake was very large compared to the size of the lake and had many small channels flowing thru it.

The hike around Emerald Lake may be the most interesting 3 mile hike I have ever taken!

Wild flowers were blooming ever where we went all week.

Paddlers on Emerald Lake

We also stopped at wayside rest that had a view of the Spiral Train Tunnel, in which a train actually spirals thru the mountain to reduce the grade, resulting in the odd happening that part of the train is actually physically located over another part of the train because the front of the train is exiting the tunnel before the end has entered it. The Spiral Tunnel was conceived because the overly steep grade of Kicking Horse Pass resulted in many wrecks and treachery and generated great fear among the train crews.