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Jan 16, 2024 · Emerald Lake is one of the best places to visit in Yoho National Park, British Columbia. Our travel guide includes the best things to do at Emerald Lake in summer and winter, tips on hiking, canoeing, when to go, directions, and accommodation.
- About Emerald Lake
- Where Is Emerald Lake?
- What Are The Best Things to Do at Emerald Lake?
- When Is The Best Time to Visit Emerald Lake?
- Can You Visit Emerald Lake in Winter?
- Is It Free to Visit Emerald Lake?
- Is There Parking at Emerald Lake?
- Where Are The Best Places to Visit Emerald Lake from?
- What Are The Best Tours That Visit Emerald Lake?
- Is Emerald Lake as Busy as Lake Louise Or Moraine Lake?
Naturally, the aspect of the lake that piques most visitors’ curiosity is its unique color. This is largely due to powdered rock particles in the glacier meltwater, which are also known as glacial flour. It may sound like something you bake with, but what this stuff actually does is reflect green light, which gives the lake its gorgeous color. The ...
Emerald Lake is one of the most beautiful places to visit in British Columbia – although it’s SUPER close to the Alberta border. It’s in Yoho National Park, which borders Banff National Park. It’s really easy to visit Emerald Lake from Banff since it’s just 94 km (58 miles) away from the town, and it’s only 37 km (23 miles) away from Lake Louise or...
Canoe on the lake
We think that canoeing is one of the best ways to explore Emerald Lake, especially since the rental rates here are significantly cheaper than they are at Lake Louise. You can rent canoes between late May and early October from the Emerald Sports Boathousefor around $90 CAD per hour. The canoes fit 3 people each (or 2 adults and 1 dog, if you want to bring a furry friend instead!). You can’t reserve canoes, so this is another great reason to get to the lake before 10 am. You can take canoes ou...
SUP
We love a good SUP session and the calm waters of Emerald Lake are ideal for paddleboarding during the summer. You can’t rent SUP boards at the lake, but you can always get one from Radventuresin Banff or Canmore for $55 CAD per day and bring it with you. They also offer half-day rentals for $40 CAD, but we think that this would be pushing it time-wise.
Walk around Emerald Lake
You can walk around the entire lake in just over an hour while you admire its shimmering green surface from every angle. The Emerald Lake Loop is a really beautiful walk and the trail itself is flat and easy, with lots of places to stop and enjoy the view. You can even snowshoe it in the winter months. The trailhead is in the parking lot, where there are also toilets, and it’s about a 5.2-kilometer (3.2-mile) long loop.
July and August are the best months to visit Emerald Lake because this is when that glacial flour floats closest to the lake’s surface, so the emerald hue is most impressive during this time. Plus, since the vibrant color is caused by reflecting, it always looks best in the sunshine. Not only does the lake look its best during the peak summer month...
You certainly can! The lake is open all year round, although we will say that this isn’t really the right time of year to come and admire its bright green color. This is partly because it freezes over, and also because there’s usually a ton of snow on the surface which obscures the ice anyway. With that being said, Emerald Lake is still absolutely ...
Yep, there’s no admission fee to the lake itself but you do need a Parks Canada Passto be inside Yoho National Park. So technically, it’s not really free, but once you’ve sorted your pass you won’t have to pay for tickets to the lake itself or anything. A day pass to access Yoho National Park is $11 CAD or you can opt for a group pass for up to 7 p...
Yes, but it can be a bit of a nightmare during the summer months. There’s one public parking lot at Emerald Lake, but it fills up fairly quickly. If you’re driving to Emerald Lake, we recommend getting there before 10 am to make sure you get a spot, otherwise, you’re going to waste a lot of time queuing when you could be exploring the Rockies inste...
Emerald Lake is located in Yoho National Park, which is on the border of British Columbia and Alberta. It’s location is perfect for exploring the Rocky Mountains from a handful of places!
Lake Louise and Yoho National Park Tour from Calgary or Banff
See some of the most iconic lakes in the Rockies with this full-day tour of Lake Louise and Yoho National Parkincluding a stop at Emerald Lake of course. This is a scenic guided tour to some of our all-time favorite locations! You’ll start with pickup in Banff or Calgary and begin your day at Lake Louise (we’re already off to a flying start!), where you’ll have around two hours to explore the trail around the lakeand take as many photos as you please. If you’re visiting Lake Louise in winter,...
Discover Grizzly Bears from Banff
This full-day tour to spot grizzly bears is an amazing opportunity to get up close to some of Canada’s most fearsome (but equally fascinating!) creatures and get in some epic sightseeing. Across 10 hours, you’ll be on one of the top bus tours from Banff to explore two of the top destinations in BC– the incredible Golden and Yoho areas that the grizzly bears call home. After pickup from Banff, you’ll get a gondola ride up to the summit of Kicking Horse Mountain – if you’re lucky, you may spot...
Full-Day Private Tour from Banff
If you’re after a longer tour you can customize, this full-day private touris the way to go. You can enjoy time at Emerald Lake, travel along the Icefields Parkwayto take in some of the amazing stops or pop by to see Lake Louise. There would even be plenty of time to see the mighty 373 meters (1,224 ft) Takakkaw Falls which is the second tallest waterfall in Canada! Since it’s just you and your group, you can customize it to ensure that you get to visit all of your must-see natural attraction...
Despite how the photos above make it look, if you’ve ever been to Lake Louise or Moraine Lake, you’ll know how busy they can be! Both lakes welcome over 4 million visitors annually, so you’ll be hard-pressed to find a time of day without another person around. But, I understand why – look how beautiful they are! Luckily, Emerald Lake isn’t half as ...
Mar 28, 2024 · Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park is one of the finest lakes in the Canadian Rockies and a resplendent place to visit in British Columbia. It’s the largest lake in Yoho National Park, one of the most stunning BC Lakes, and surrounded by President Mountain Range.
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A stunning emerald coloured lake located in Yoho National Park. A magic landscape offering easy access to cross-country skiing, hiking, and canoeing. Home of the luxury accommodation Emerald Lake Lodge.
Emerald Lake. 1,359 reviews. #4 of 20 things to do in Yoho National Park. Bodies of Water. Write a review. About. Peaceful lake nestled in the mountains and surrounded by lush, green forest. Suggest edits to improve what we show. Improve this listing. Tours & experiences. Explore different ways to experience this place. See options. Full view.
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- What's the best way to see Emerald Lake?According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Emerald Lake: Discover Grizzly Bears from Banff (From $240.91) Rocky Moun...
- What hotels are near Emerald Lake?Hotels near Emerald Lake: (0.12 mi) Emerald Lake Lodge (4.70 mi) Cathedral Mountain Lodge (3.80 mi) Truffle Pigs Lodge (3.79 mi) Mt Burgess Guestho...
- What restaurants are near Emerald Lake?Restaurants near Emerald Lake: (0.02 mi) Kicking Horse Lounge (0.06 mi) Cilantro Café (0.12 mi) Mount Burgess Dining Room (3.79 mi) Truffle Pigs Bi...
- What attractions are near Emerald Lake?Attractions near Emerald Lake: (0.12 mi) Emerald Lake Trail Circuit (3.52 mi) Yoho National Park (3.75 mi) The Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation...
On the shores of the famous pristine lake in Yoho National Park, Emerald Lake Lodge has been given the location’s award-winning dining opportunities and rustic accommodations. Voted 2023/24 Best Hotel in Golden/Field/Yoho National Park by Avenue Magazine Calgary .
Undoubtedly Emerald Lake is the main attraction of Yoho National Park. And, mainly, the blue and turquoise color is the principal reason to make this lake considered as the jewel of the Canadian Rockies. Most of the lakes that we will find in this area are full of water coming from the melting glaciers in the near mountains.
