Yoho National Park

With 28 mountain peaks towering more than 3000 m, Yoho National Park (established in 1886, 1313.1 km²) is aptly named after the Cree word meaning "awe." Situated in the ROCKY MOUNTAINS, Yoho has BANFF and KOOTENAY national parks as its eastern and southern boundaries. Yoho, JASPER, Banff and Kootenay national parks as well as Mount Robson, MOUNT ASSINIBOINE and Hamber provincial parks make up the Canadian Rocky Mountains WORLD HERITAGE SITE. This World Heritage Site is the largest protected area in the Rockies, and among the largest in the world.

Natural History
It is a park of steep, glacier-carved valleys, thundering WATERFALLS (Takakkaw is Canada's second highest), turquoise glacial lakes and icy peaks. Crystal caves, natural bridges and HOODOOS add to the spectacular alpine landscape. The BURGESS SHALE fossil site contains a remarkably preserved record of sea life from 500 million years ago, and is one of the most significant fossil deposits in the world.

In the high alpine meadows there are pika, marmot and grizzly bear. Moose, wolverine, marten and elk live lower down in subalpine forests. From the park's many shallow lakes and wetlands to the rocky peaks, a great variety of bird life soars, flits and hops, including golden eagles, white-tailed ptarmigan and Clark's nutcrackers.

Yoho was initially discovered in 1858 in the course of the search for a route to the Pacific. KICKING HORSE PASS was the first transcontinental railway route through the Rockies.

Facilities
There are a number of accommodations in the park, from road-accessible serviced campsites, trail-accessible campsites, ALPINE CLUB OF CANADA huts and primitive backcountry sites. Services are available in the towns of Field and Golden, BC.

Author MAXWELL W. FINKELSTEIN

Links to Other Sites
Yoho National Park of Canada
This illustrated Parks Canada website describes the ecology, geography, and history of Yoho National Park of Canada

Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation
This organization provides guided tours and educational programs at the Burgess Shale site. Includes a brief history of the region and photos of Yoho National Park and Burgess Shale fossils. From the Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation.

Survey says: Canada's great
A news story about the top three places in National Geographic Traveler's annual "destination stewardship" survey, which includes B.C.'s Kootenay/Yoho national parks, ranked No. 2, and Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula, in third place. From thestar.com

Sheet Music From Canada's Past: Vacations
Scroll down the page to view a selection of finely illustrated covers of sheet music published in Canada prior to 1921 (click on the images for larger views). Check the menu on the left for links to audio clips and additional information about Library and Archives Canada's collection of sheet music.