Most Canadians recognize the lake in this picture as a vaguely familiar scene ... or they think they do. That's Moraine Lake in Banff National Park right?
Show this to a Canadian friend and see if you get a similar answer. Except this is NOT Moraine Lake. Or Lake Louise for that matter. And this is NOT inside Banff National Park. Unfortunately this just illustrates how relatively unknown Yoho National Park is, even to Canadians.
Banff has its turquoise Rocky Mountain glacial lakes ... but so does Yoho. Jasper has its jagged peaks and awe-inspiring waterfalls ... but so does Yoho. Banff and Jasper are world-famous. But Yoho, neighboring Banff on the opposite side of the continental divide, somehow still manages to remain under the radar of most visitors.
Some tourists, especially tour bus groups, do actually visit Yoho without realizing that it's not part of Banff. Located less than 2 hour's drive from Banff and just about an hour from Lake Louise, Yoho is conveniently within day-trip distance for guests staying in Banff National Park. Only the absence of major hotels and resorts ensures its serenity -- next to Yoho's tiny settlements Banff would feel almost metropolitan.
That should be good enough reason to visit, especially for those visiting Banff but want to spend time outside the developed resort town of Banff. Lake Louise too noisy for your liking? Yoho's Emerald Lake is equally stunning, attracts perhaps a tenth of Lake Louise's crowds, and has cheaper canoe rental rates too.
One the first day we visited the park's three major attractions -- Emerald Lake (see photos above), Natural Bridge (also see photos above), and the 250m tall Takakkaw Falls pictured here. We then spent one more day joining a Parks Canada guided hike to see the fossil beds at Mount Stephens.
On this 15-day road trip we had already come across plenty of mountain sheep, deer, elk, moose and bison. I've lived in Western Canada for years, and for the very first time I finally came face to face with a hoary marmot, a fluffy, house cat sized rodent. This little guy was just one the opposite side of the road when we returned from Takakkaw Falls.
Lake Louise has its five-star Fairmont Chateau, one of the most recognizable man-made landmarks in Banff National Park. But not many people know that Yoho's Emerald Lake Lodge is usually ranked higher in many traveler polls (eg.Conde Nast).
After taking a walk through in the courtyard of these secluded lakeside timber lodges, we were definitely convinced that this is one resort well worth splurging when we visit next time, even at the rate of nearly CAD$400 per night in the shoulder season.
CHEAP PLACES TO STAY
This time though, we somehow ended up staying at three different guesthouses/hotels on three nights around Yoho National Park.
We booked our first night at Mount 7 Guesthouse, a spacious, homey B&B operated by a friendly couple in Golden, the closest major town outside of Yoho. The bedroom was clean and spacious, the slate-tiled shower room stylish, and the breakfast filling. We wanted to stay for two extra nights, but they were fully booked during our visit in late July. Our gracious hosts were kind enough to call around and book us into the two following hotels.
On the second night we moved to the Great Divide Lodge on the shore of Wapta Lake, as we wanted to be close to the town of Field for our early morning hike up Mount Stephen. This was surprisingly one of the cheapest hotels on our trip, which was quite a bargain considering its excellent location (10 minutes drive to Field). The room was nothing worth writing about, but that's okay for its price.
We moved back to the town of Golden on the third night in anticipation for a long drive back to Vancouver. This was easily the most memorable accommodation of our trip, a rustic log cabin nestled right above the town.
The Kicking Horse Canyon Bed and Breakfast was housed inside an authentically Canadian full timber cabin, which according to our hostess Jeanine was built mostly by her husband. I couldn't help but wonder whether the deer and bear trophies hanging on the walls were also shot locally. The decor here had all the character of a folk museum, and we toured the house as if it was.
The rooms were very spacious as well, and spotlessly clean of course. We would seriously consider renting out the entire lodge if we ever plan a family vacation in the area.
INFORMAL DINING
As a Canadian, I can honestly tell you that the Rockies isn't the right place in Canada to look for great culinary discoveries. Here we'd be satisfied with good value meals at informal, relatively inexpensive joints.
We stumbled upon White Tooth Bistro in downtown Golden (427 9th Ave N) and was pleasantly surprised by its good value. These mussels cost a reasonable CAD$13.5 per pound, which would be considered a good deal even in Vancouver or Calgary.
Seafood Linguine at CAD$16.75. Crispy tiger prawns, sweet scallops, smoked salmon and more mussels, simply seasoned with fresh tomatoes and olive oil. Again everything was well executed beyond what we were expecting at this price.
My wife's duck confit salad at CAD$13.25, also reasonably priced compared to Vancouver. The confit was sourced from Canards du Lac Brome, which seems to supply most Canadian restaurants here in Western Canada. According to my wife, the taste was nowhere as complex and concentrated as the confit served at her favorite restaurants in Quebec.
The other restaurant worth a mention was the Truffle Pigs Bistro in the small town of Field, the only real settlement within Yoho National Park. Within Field this is probably the only decent eatery, which also runs a general store and a lodging business upstairs from the bistro.
The meal actually started with a mistake on the part of the bistro -- I originally ordered a Beef Bourguignon, but somehow the order got mixed up and this pork tenderloin (CAD$25) arrived at my table. I'm normally not a fan of pork tenderloins, but this turned out to be one of the best dishes of the trip. The pork was perfectly and tenderly done, complimented by a simple and refreshing rhubarb sauce, crispy deep fried green onions, and good (but not excellent) gnocchi. As compensation for the mix up I was served a free beer, for which I can't really complain.
We wife ordered ... what's new ... more duck leg confit (CAD$25). The dish itself was well executed, but again we're not fans of confit produced by Canards du Lac Brome. Smaller suppliers in Quebec always seem to make much better confit.
My wife also ordered a seafood chowder (CAD$8), the flavor of which I don't really remember. This meal ended up a little more expensive than the other dinner at White Tooth Bistro, but it was still decent value considering its location inside a national park.
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