Canada's Charming Village In Yoho National Park Leads To Scenic Rocky Mountain Adventures

Canada's Yoho National Park is full of tall mountain peaks, glaciers, lakes, and waterfalls. It is also home to a picturesque town located in the Kicking Horse River Valley entirely within the boundaries of the park. With a background like this, the town of Field looks to be the perfect spot for outdoor adventures.

Yoho National Park was originally the home of the Ktunaxa and Secwépemc peoples. They used the land in the Rocky Mountains on the western slope of the Continental Divide for hunting, fishing, and gathering. This land is now part of southeastern British Columbia. It was deemed a national park in 1886, only one year after Canada's first national park, Banff, was created. While Banff National Park may now be the most popular national park in all of Canada, Yoho is its overlooked neighbor, with immaculate scenery but without the crowds . 

The town of Field was also established in the 1880s, set up to house construction workers building the Canadian Pacific Railway that would connect both sides of the country. Today, Field is a tiny town, home to only around 300 people. The closest major airport, Calgary International Airport (YYC), receives nonstop flights from cities all over the world. Though this airport is almost 150 miles away from Field, the drive between the two locations along the Trans-Canada Highway is unbelievably scenic, passing by Lake Louise, one of the most beautiful places in Canada to visit.

Field is very small, so it's easy to walk all around town. Mount Stephen, which stands more than 10,000 feet, towers above the town, making for a striking backdrop. Field has a relaxed atmosphere, friendly people, and charming wooden houses, along with a few cozy guesthouses, unique shops, and a general store that was turned into an award-winning bistro. Yes, in the middle of this wilderness — Truffle Pigs Bistro — which has surprisingly good food. This is currently the only restaurant in Field. Just down the road, there's the Velvet Antler Pottery & Gallery, which produces high-fire porcelain and stoneware. 

Since Field is within Yoho National Park, you'll need to purchase a Parks Canada pass (adults $11 per day) to stop there. You can conveniently purchase a pass at the Yoho National Park Visitor Centre, which is open May 1 through October 13, or from the machine in the center's parking lot if the center itself is closed. At the visitor center, you can also find the Friends of Yoho Gift Shop, which sells books, maps, and even bear spray.

Once you have secured a national park pass, cross the bridge into town. The Canadian Rockies Inn and Truffle Pigs Lodge (attached to the bistro) are right in town and both have stunning mountain views.  Note that room rates are considerably higher in the summer than at other times of the year, for these two inns, summer room rates can exceed $200 USD per night. 

After settling into your home base in Field, it is time to have some fun in Yoho National Park. Field is quite near the site of the ancient Burgess Shale fossils. The Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation offers guided hikes to the Walcott Quarry on Mount Field ($99 per person) and the Mount Stephen trilobite fossil bed (adults $72). Though both of these tours involve long days of hiking on steep terrain, they provide the opportunity to see some of the world's oldest and best-preserved animal fossils.

There are plenty of shorter but equally amazing hikes around Field as well. The Natural Bridge, spanning the Kicking Horse River, is an interesting rock formation located 1.9 miles from town. After visiting the bridge, hop on the nearby 5.4-mile Emerald River Trail, which stops at creeks and waterfalls before eventually leading up to the stunning, must-see Emerald Lake — the largest lake in the national park. If you would rather just drive to Emerald Lake from Field, you can hike at the lake on the Emerald Lake Loop. This easy, 3.2-mile trail circles the glacial lake, whose bright turquoise water, reflecting mountains and glaciers in the background, is breathtaking. You also should not miss Takakkaw Falls, Canada's second-tallest waterfall. After driving 20 minutes from Field to the waterfall hike parking area, getting to the thundering waterfall requires only a short trek — less than a mile roundtrip.

In addition to hiking, you can go fishing, kayaking, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting during your trip to Field. The trails around Emerald Lake open to cross-country skiers and snowshoers when they are covered with white powder. The mountain adventures are endless around Field. To discover another pristine wilderness area, head to Kootenay National Park, which borders Yoho National Park to the south and where you can take in beautiful glacier views.