Takakkaw Falls, Yoho National Park

We hit the falls at 5pm and were lucky to be there for rainbow time!!! Stunning photos and so much fun. So try to hit Takakkaw Falls in the summer months around 5pm and see if you are lucky too. Here are some of our photos from July 2014. It was stunning (and WET. protect your camera!!)

 Ha Ha! Had to do it! (my bro)

 My family running away from the powerful waterfall spray :)

Kicking Horse Campground - Yoho National Park

Finally updating from our camping trip last summer. Kicking Horse Campground is in a perfect spot - right on the road to Takakkaw Falls, off the main highway but just a short drive to Field, BC and it is also only about 20 minutes from Lake Louise, AB so you can camp in a quiet area but still be close to everything. It is also close to Emerald Lake, another beautiful place to visit, along with the Natural Bridge. We went to all of the above during our 4 day trip.

Kicking Horse Campground is first come - first served. The information online can be a little confusing because it states you can book in in the afternoon but then also says to arrive early because sites fill up fast. You start to wonder if you should bother arriving at noon, if you cannot book in until hours later. But each time we have camped, we have tried to be there just before noon (as check out is 11am), and we got a site right away. We picked a site ourselves after the one the gate agent gave us would not fit our truck and tent (???) but they were totally fine with us driving around and picking THE perfect spot. In my opinion it was the best site in the whole campground. Large, near the bathrooms, near the walking trails, etc. In fact, it was a huge site. Our usual site washed away in the flooding in 2013 so we were disappointed, but after finding our new spot we were thrilled. It's a nice quiet campground but there is a lot to do for nature lovers. We awoke to two female elk and their calves having breakfast 30 feet from our site one morning. Lovely :) We camped in the second week of July and had a great time. Here are some photos from our summer 2014 trip to Kicking Horse Campground:

 Kicking Horse River - runs alongside the campground

 Glacial Silt "beach"

 Mountain above the river

 View from the river toward the back of the campground

 Campground playground

 Playground and group use cooking hut (large)

 View from my firepit

 Our campsite (wider than you can see here because trees are in the way)

Campsite

Yoho National Park Camping

 

Kicking Horse Campground, Site 14, July 2007

©Karrie Trott

In July 2007 we took the kids (ages 4 and 9) to Yoho National Park. We had a fantastic site at Kicking Horse Campground and will be going back this summer (hoping for the same or similar site). One important point to note about camping in Yoho National Park is that it is FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. You cannot reserve sites at any of the campgrounds there (unlike other National Parks). So that is a big thing to note - if you cannot get there early enough (Yoho lists 2pm as check-in), you may not get a site. Kicking Horse is also the only drive-in one that allows campfires. There are walk-in sites that allow campfires, but only Kicking Horse for vehicle access sites. Check HERE for more information.

But don't let that deter you! Yoho National Park is amazingly beautiful and if you can get Kicking Horse Campground, you are right in the middle of several attractions. Takakkaw Falls is amazing and a fairly easy walk to view (after driving a crazy switchback mountain road that you cannot take trailers on, and have to back up if you are taking a camping van/bus/etc). But you will get to see one of the highest waterfalls in Canada and it is stunning. Here is one of my shots:

Takakkaw Falls - July 2007

© Karrie Trott

Another nearby attraction is the Natural Bridge, which is on the way to another stunner - Emerald Lake. We did not get to visit Emerald Lake in 2007 so it is at the top of our list this summer. The Natural Bridge is a rock formation that has been carved by the waters of the Kicking Horse River. 

Natural Bridge - July 2007

© Karrie Trott

Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park

(check out more photos at the She Loves Glam blog)

Each of those attractions is within a half hour drive of the Kicking Horse Campground. Perfect idea to take a drive each morning (when there may also be fewer visitors if you do not like crowds - like my spouse) and then return to your campsite for the rest of the day (and more exploring).

One idea for exploring around the Kicking Horse Campground is the Kicking Horse River - it runs right along-side the campground! Here is a shot of my daughter's well-traveled Purple Bear, enjoying the fresh air and the roar of a gorgeous river - less than 5 minutes walk from our site:

Purple Bear at Kicking Horse River 2007

© Karrie Trott

Camping in Yoho National Park has it's advantages. Depending what you are looking for - compare the smaller campgrounds in Yoho to the several individual campgrounds with 600+ sites in the Banff area and you might just want to delve a little deeper into the Rockies for pristine air, unbelievable views, and larger camping sites. We like our space. If we are in the middle of the mountains, surrounded by forests and rivers, we do not like having another campsite 2 feet away. But that's just us - you may like something a little less remote. But keep in mind that the town of Field, British Columbia is a short drive away if you need supplies or more human contact. And it is a STUNNING mountain town. You won't believe it until you see it.

Photo by skip2000 at Deviant Art