"Comfortable journey. We were not able to go to Banff town as mentioned in the brochure and was told it wasn’t included. Apart from that the sites were well worth the visit and we had ample time to see and explore"
British Columbia · Emerald Lake, the Natural Bridge and Takakkaw Falls · An Emerald Lake day from Calgary, Canmore or Banff, from US$63
Yoho National Park: Emerald Lake, Takakkaw Falls and the Roads In
Emerald Lake Road is open year-round, but Parks Canada calls parking at the lake extremely limited, and there is no public transport in Yoho. The road to Takakkaw Falls is open only from mid-June to mid-October, and winter tires are required on Yoho's highways from 1 October. The day on this page pairs Emerald Lake with Lake Louise; from 13 October its listing visits Banff Avenue instead of Moraine Lake, and the Johnston Canyon trail closes that day.
#1 selling day trip
From
US$63
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.8 / 5 2,368 reviews
- Open All Year Emerald Lake Road; Parking Extremely Limited
- Mid-Jun–Mid-Oct Yoho Valley Road to Takakkaw Falls
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Emerald Lake Day Includes
The national park pass is included; tips, meals, GST and insurance are not. From 13 October the tour visits Banff Avenue instead of Moraine Lake, and Parks Canada closes the Johnston Canyon trail from that day.
Highlights
- Emerald Lake features vivid green waters, alpine peaks, in Yoho National Park.
- Lake Louise stuns with turquoise waters, glacier views, and mountains.
What's Included
- Pickup and drop-off in Calgary, Canmore, or Banff
- Roundtrip transportation in an air-conditioned van, bus, or coach
- National Park Pass
- Local guide
- Access to Moraine Lake
- Access to Lake Louise
- Access to Emerald Lake
- Complimentary drinking water
- Sightseeing and photography stops
Good to know: Your lunch break will be at the Lake Louise Information Centre, where several restaurants and cafés are available for lunch, snacks, and refreshments. Additionally, the tour will make extra stops for sightseeing, allowing ample opportunities for photography and wildlife photography. · Visit Moraine Lake from June 1 to October 12. For tours between October 13 to May 31, the alternative attraction is Banff Avenue so the tour will explore Banff town in winter when Moraine lake is closed. · Not suitable for: People with altitude sickness, People over 95 years · Not Included: Tips, Meals, GST, Insurance
How the Emerald Lake Day Runs
Four steps, from the morning pickup to the canyon at the end of the day.
Pickup, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
Choose Delta Hotels Calgary Downtown, 2801 Bow Valley Trail in Canmore or Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa. The first stops are Lake Louise (50 minutes) and Moraine Lake (an hour), which the listing visits from 1 June to 12 October; from 13 October it goes to Banff Avenue instead.
Lunch in Lake Louise
A 45-minute break at Lake Louise Village, where restaurants and cafés sell lunch; meals are not included. The listing says the guide adds extra stops for photographs along the way.
Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge
West into Yoho, in British Columbia: 45 minutes at Emerald Lake, then 20 minutes at the Natural Bridge, where Parks Canada describes the Kicking Horse River cascading under a naturally formed stone bridge.
Johnston Canyon, Then Back
The listing ends with Johnston Canyon, 30 minutes for the Lower Falls and an hour for the Upper Falls, before the drive back to your pickup. Parks Canada closes that trail and its P1 lot from 13 October 2026 with no reopening date; ask the operator what replaces it. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.
Photo Gallery
The Emerald Lake Day in Photos
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. The listing's terms: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Emerald Lake and Yoho: Three Ways to Book
The Emerald Lake day on this page against an all-Yoho waterfalls day and a small-group day with Takakkaw Falls. Takakkaw Falls can be reached only while Yoho Valley Road is open, from mid-June to mid-October; prices are in US dollars, checked in October 2026.
| Feature | THIS PAGE'S CALENDAR Emerald Lake, Moraine, Louise, Johnston Canyon & Banff Town (Banff Tour and Travels Limited) | Banff: Emerald Lake, Wapta Falls & Takakkaw Falls Day Trip (Rockies Journey Inc.) | Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Emerald Lake & Takakkaw Falls (Via Via Moraine Lake Shuttle) |
|---|---|---|---|
| What You Pay | From US$63 per person; tips, meals, GST and insurance listed as not included | From US$112 per person; meals not included | From US$111 per person; lunch only with the Emerald Lake Lodge option, and tips are optional |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 from 2,368 reviews | 5.0 / 5 from 46 reviews | 4.9 / 5 from 25 reviews |
| Where It Starts | Calgary (Delta Hotels Calgary Downtown), Canmore (2801 Bow Valley Trail) or Banff (Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa) | Three set pickup points in Calgary, Canmore or Banff | Pickup at your hotel or Airbnb in Canmore, Harvey Heights, Banff or Lake Louise |
| Time in Yoho | Emerald Lake 45 minutes, the Natural Bridge 20 | Emerald Lake 30 minutes, the Natural Bridge 15, Wapta Falls 2 hours (a 4 km round-trip walk) and Takakkaw Falls 45 | Emerald Lake, with access to the lodge's guest area by the listing's account, Takakkaw Falls and the Natural Bridge; no fixed times given |
| The Rest of the Day | Lake Louise (50 minutes), Moraine Lake (1 hour), a 45-minute lunch break and Johnston Canyon's Lower and Upper Falls | Nothing outside Yoho but views from the van: Cascade Mountain, the Vermilion Lakes and Castle Mountain | Moraine Lake and Lake Louise |
| Season Notes | Moraine Lake to 12 October, then Banff Avenue instead; Parks Canada closes the Johnston Canyon trail from 13 October 2026 | Takakkaw Falls only while Yoho Valley Road is open, mid-June to mid-October; hot drinks and crampons in winter | Takakkaw Falls only until Yoho Valley Road closes in mid-October, and Moraine Lake only within its season (1 June to 12 October in 2026) |
| Not Suitable For | People with altitude sickness, by the listing | Pregnant travellers, wheelchair users and people with back or heart problems; moderate fitness needed | Children under 2 |
| Free Cancellation | Up to 24 hours before | Up to 24 hours before | Up to 24 hours before |
| Best For | Emerald Lake in the same day as Lake Louise, at the lowest price of the three | Yoho's waterfalls, for walkers | Takakkaw Falls and the big lakes in one day, in a small group |
| Check Dates | See the Yoho Day | See the Small-Group Day |
Five More Days With Emerald Lake
Takakkaw Falls, Wapta Falls or the Big Lakes
Two days that add Takakkaw Falls while its road is open, and three lakes days with Emerald Lake as one stop, from Calgary, Canmore, Banff or Lake Louise. Prices are in US dollars.
ENDS WITH FREE TIME IN BANFFLakes Moraine, Louise, Emerald, Johnston Canyon & Yoho Tour
A full-day guided tour from Calgary, Canmore or Banff: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake in its season, lunch in Lake Louise village, Emerald Lake in Yoho, a walk in Johnston Canyon and free time on Banff Avenue.
MARBLE CANYON FROM 13 OCTOBERBanff: Lake Louise, Emerald, Moraine Lake and Yoho Tour
A full-day guided tour from Calgary, Canmore or Banff: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake until 12 October (Marble Canyon in Kootenay after that), Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge in Yoho, then Banff or Bow Falls.
GUIDED IN ENGLISH OR HINDILake Louise,Emerald, Moraine, Canyon hike, Bridge &Yoho tour
A full-day guided tour with pickup in Calgary, Canmore or Banff: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake in its season, Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge in Yoho, Johnston Canyon and time in Banff, park pass included.
YOHO WATERFALLS, 4 KM WALKBanff: Emerald Lake, Wapta Falls & Takakkaw Falls Day Trip
A full-day small-group trip into Yoho with pickup in Calgary, Banff or at the Legacy Trail lot: Emerald Lake, the Natural Bridge, a 4 km return walk to Wapta Falls, and Takakkaw Falls.
EMERALD LAKE LODGE LUNCH OPTIONMoraine Lake, Lake Louise, Emerald Lake & Takakkaw Falls
A small-group day with hotel or Airbnb pickup in Canmore, Banff or Lake Louise: Moraine Lake and the Rockpile, Lake Louise, Emerald Lake with the lodge's guest area, Takakkaw Falls and the Natural Bridge.
Yoho, October 2026
Emerald Lake, Takakkaw Falls and Getting Into Yoho
The park and Field, Emerald Lake and its canoes, Takakkaw Falls and the roadside stops, getting there without a car, how long to give it, and the tours.
As of early October 2026, Yoho is closing down for winter in stages. Parks Canada keeps Emerald Lake Road open all year, but Yoho Valley Road to Takakkaw Falls is open only “from mid-June until mid-October, weather permitting”, and the exact 2026 closing day has not been published. The Yoho Visitor Centre in Field closes from 13 October to 30 April, though its washrooms stay open, and the canoe rental on Emerald Lake closes for the season on 11 October. Winter tires have been required on Yoho’s highways since 1 October.
Parks Canada’s prices on this page, and the canoe rental’s, are in Canadian dollars; tour prices are in US dollars.
The park and Field
Yoho protects 1,313 km² of the western slopes of the Main Ranges, with 28 peaks over 3,000 m, Parks Canada says. It was established in 1886 and is one of the four national parks in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site. Field began in the 1880s as a Canadian Pacific Railway siding and is home to almost everyone who lives in the park. Parks Canada puts Field 30 km from Lake Louise, 85 km from Banff and 213 km from Calgary.
Emerald Lake
Emerald Lake Road leaves the Trans-Canada Highway 3 km west of Field, and the parking lot by the lake is 10 km west of Field. Parks Canada says the road is open year-round and that parking is extremely limited; arrive early or later in the day, it advises. Its trail report of 29 September 2026 noted trail work in progress. The Emerald Lakeshore trail is a 5.2 km loop with little climbing, about 2 hours, and Parks Canada warns of mud and roots on the east side.
All watercraft and fishing are banned in Yoho under a Parks Canada order that runs to 31 March 2027, except the rental canoes on Emerald Lake and authorized commercial operators; personal boats are kept off to stop the spread of whirling disease. The Boathouse Trading Co. rents canoes at CA$100 an hour per canoe, paddles and life jackets included, first come, first served, with an adult aged 19 or over in each. It closes for the season on 11 October.
CBC reported in March 2026 that Parks Canada’s superintendent for Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay counted Emerald Lake, with Bow and Peyto lakes, among the places on the agency’s radar for measures like those at Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, while saying nothing was imminent.
Takakkaw Falls and the roadside stops
Takakkaw Falls is about 380 m high, by Parks Canada’s 2022 park map. It stands at the end of Yoho Valley Road, 17 km northeast of Field. Vehicles over 7 m long must reverse to get round the road’s tight switchbacks, and trailers are not allowed. From the lot, a flat, paved path of 0.9 km leads towards the falls, about 30 minutes there and back, and Parks Canada asks visitors not to climb on the rocks. The road closes from mid-October to mid-June because of avalanche risk; on 29 September Parks Canada reported it open, with a warning of possible winter conditions higher up.
The Natural Bridge has its parking 4 km west of Field on Emerald Lake Road. The river under it, the Kicking Horse, is a Canadian Heritage River, named after a near-fatal kick that stunned James Hector in 1858. East of Field, the Spiral Tunnels, completed in 1909 to replace the railway’s steep “Big Hill”, run through Mount Ogden and Cathedral Mountain, and Parks Canada says 25 to 30 trains a day pass through, on no regular schedule. The Lower Spiral Tunnel viewpoint on the Trans-Canada closes from mid-October to mid-May.
Two places need planning well ahead. The Burgess Shale fossil beds, on UNESCO’s list since 1980 and now part of the World Heritage Site, may be visited only on guided hikes or with a research permit, and Parks Canada’s 2026 hikes ended in September. Access to Lake O’Hara is managed through Parks Canada’s bus reservations; the 2026 day-use bus ran from 19 June to 4 October, with seats allocated by random draw.
Getting there
Parks Canada puts it plainly: “There is no public transportation in Yoho National Park.” Without a car you come on a tour, and the ones on this page collect in Calgary, Canmore, Banff or Lake Louise. By car you need a national park pass (CA$12.25 an adult a day in Banff and Jasper in 2026, and a daily pass covers Yoho and Kootenay too) and, from 1 October to 30 April, winter or M+S tires on Yoho’s highways. That is British Columbia’s rule; in Banff and on the Icefields Parkway the requirement starts on 1 November. The day-use areas along the Trans-Canada close from mid-October to mid-May.
How long Yoho needs
No authority sets a length of stay. On the lakes days here, Emerald Lake is one stop of 25 to 45 minutes, while the lakeshore loop alone takes about 2 hours. If Emerald Lake is the reason for your trip, we would give it at least half a day, and between mid-June and mid-October add Takakkaw Falls.
Yoho suits a day out from Banff, Canmore or Lake Louise, by tour or by car. It suits a winter trip less: Takakkaw Falls, the visitor centre and the day-use areas are closed, though the road to Emerald Lake stays open. If you want to paddle your own boat, Yoho bans it; Lake Louise allows it with a permit.
The Emerald Lake day, and five others
The day on this page is run by Banff Tour and Travels Limited and costs from US$63 as of October 2026; it is rated 4.8 from 2,368 reviews. Emerald Lake comes first in its title but not in its running order. It collects at Delta Hotels Calgary Downtown, 2801 Bow Valley Trail in Canmore or Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa, and visits Lake Louise (50 minutes) and Moraine Lake (an hour) before lunch, then Emerald Lake (45 minutes), the Natural Bridge (20 minutes) and Johnston Canyon. A local guide and the national park pass are included; tips, meals, GST and insurance are listed as not included. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before, and the listing says it is not suitable for people with altitude sickness.
Two changes come on 13 October: the listing replaces Moraine Lake with Banff Avenue, and Parks Canada closes the Johnston Canyon trail to both falls, with no reopening date. Every lakes day on this page that lists Johnston Canyon is affected, so ask the operator what replaces it before you book a later date.
If you have no car and want Emerald Lake in the same day as Lake Louise, this is the day to book.
See dates for the Emerald Lake day →
emeraldlaketour.com compares the Emerald Lake day tours from Calgary, Banff and Canmore in more detail.
Rockies Journey Inc.’s Yoho day (from US$112, 5.0 from 46 reviews) stays in Yoho: Emerald Lake (30 minutes), the Natural Bridge, a 4 km round-trip walk to Wapta Falls (2 hours) and Takakkaw Falls (45 minutes), with pickup in Calgary, Canmore or Banff. Its listing asks for moderate fitness and rules out pregnant travellers, wheelchair users and people with back or heart problems, and Takakkaw Falls is possible only while Yoho Valley Road is open. Via Via Moraine Lake Shuttle’s day with Takakkaw Falls (from US$111, 4.9 from 25) adds Moraine Lake, Lake Louise and the Natural Bridge, collects from hotels in Canmore, Harvey Heights, Banff and Lake Louise, includes the Banff and Yoho park passes, and offers a lunch option at Emerald Lake Lodge.
Banff ToDo runs two lakes days from Calgary, Canmore or Banff: a day that ends on Banff Avenue (from US$62, 4.8 from 1,385), with 25 minutes at Emerald Lake and all national park fees included, and a day with the Natural Bridge (from US$83, 4.8 from 305) that visits Marble Canyon in Kootenay instead of Moraine Lake from 13 October. Banff Tour & Travels Everyday Ltd’s day (from US$46, 4.8 from 277) is guided in English or Hindi, includes the park pass, and swaps Moraine Lake for downtown Banff from 12 October.
Guest Reviews
What Guests Say
4.8/5
from 2,368 verified guests
"Fun but did have problems understanding our driver/guide. He needed to speak slower as his accent was difficult. Great trip though and driver worked hard to give hints of where to see the best sites. Confusing finding the right bus - driver needs a sign to hold. There were numerous buses all waiting for riders."
"The activity was great. We visited 5 amazing places. The sceneries we saw were beyond my expectations. My tour guide Ray was knowledgeable, accommodating and entertaining. He told us a lot of interesting facts about the places we visited. Thank you for the great experience."
"Hari was brilliant and knowledgeable,the seats in the minibus were a little cramped but overall a great experience we would book again."
"The tour and the driver was great, however we did not visit Banff town so it vas king of disappointing. But other than that everything was excellent!"
"We easily accessed all the lakes and our guide Jaz showed us where to go for the best view and the best experience. We finished with a nice hike up Johnston Canyon. Get Your Guide made the trip so easy, and our guide was very knowledgeable about the areas we visited. This trip exceeded my expectations and made for many memorable experiences. It’s a great value, and I highly recommend them."
"We liked that we hit a lot of the main sites in a convenient manner. Parm, our guide, was great. Our only minor complaints were that lunch was rushed (only part that felt rushed) and the van was tight quarters for someone 6'3"."
"the number of stops available was great. finding the tourbus at downtown was chaotic. i would suggest to number the bus initially and have signs in the front, side and back of the bus. and also have the bus number indicated in the invoice and email from the start of purchase."
Read all 2,368 verified reviews
See All ReviewsBook the Emerald Lake and Lake Louise Day
Pickup in Calgary, Canmore or Banff, a local guide and the national park pass, with Emerald Lake, the Natural Bridge, Lake Louise and, up to 12 October, Moraine Lake; rated 4.8 from 2,368 reviews, free cancellation up to 24 hours before. The Johnston Canyon trail closes from 13 October 2026. Starting from US$63 per person.
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More tours in this area. Each listing states its own cancellation terms.
Emerald Lake and Yoho FAQ
The questions people type about Emerald Lake and Yoho, answered in the first sentence. Roads, seasons and watercraft rules are Parks Canada's as of October 2026, with fees in Canadian dollars; tour prices are in US dollars.
Yes. Parks Canada says Emerald Lake Road, which leaves the Trans-Canada Highway 3 km west of Field, is open year-round. The parking lot by the lake, 10 km west of Field, is extremely limited, Parks Canada warns, so arrive early or later in the day. You need a national park pass (CA$12.25 an adult a day in 2026 in Banff and Jasper, and a daily pass covers Yoho too) and, from 1 October to 30 April, winter or M+S tires on Yoho's highways.
In Yoho National Park, in British Columbia, not in Banff. The lake is 10 km west of Field, and Parks Canada puts Field 30 km from Lake Louise and 85 km from Banff. Most of the day tours on this page pair it with Lake Louise, and a daily park pass covers both parks.
Yes, if you can get a parking space or come on a tour: the road is open all year, but parking is extremely limited and Yoho has no public transport. The Emerald Lakeshore loop is 5.2 km with little climbing, about 2 hours. Canoes rent for CA$100 an hour from The Boathouse Trading Co., which closes for the 2026 season on 11 October. On the lakes days here, Emerald Lake is a stop of 25 to 45 minutes.
There is no hike to reach it: the road ends at the lakeside parking lot. The walk people mean is the Emerald Lakeshore trail, a 5.2 km loop with minimal elevation gain that takes about 2 hours, by Parks Canada's estimate. Parks Canada warns of mud and roots on the east side, and its report of 29 September 2026 noted trail work in progress.
Easy by mountain standards: the lakeshore loop is 5.2 km with minimal elevation gain. The difficulty is underfoot, since Parks Canada says to come prepared for muddy and rooty conditions along the east side. Allow about 2 hours, and carry bear spray, which Parks Canada advises whenever you are out on the trails.
Neither is better; they are neighbours that suit different days. Banff National Park, 6,641 km², has the Town of Banff, Roam's buses and the shuttles to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Yoho, 1,313 km² with 28 peaks over 3,000 m by Parks Canada's count, has Field, home to almost all of its residents, and no public transport at all. Field is 30 km from Lake Louise and 85 km from Banff.
No authority sets a figure; we would allow a full day for Emerald Lake, the Natural Bridge and, between mid-June and mid-October, Takakkaw Falls. The Emerald Lakeshore loop takes about 2 hours and the path to Takakkaw Falls about 30 minutes there and back, by Parks Canada's estimates. On the lakes days here, Yoho is part of a longer day: 25 to 45 minutes at Emerald Lake and 15 to 20 at the Natural Bridge.
The province, the park, the way in and the rules on the water. Emerald Lake is in Yoho, British Columbia; its road is open all year, parking is extremely limited and no public transport serves it. Lake Louise is in Banff, Alberta, with CA$42 paid parking in the 2026 season, Parks Canada shuttles and Roam's 8X bus from Banff. Yoho bans private boats, so only rental canoes go on Emerald Lake (CA$100 an hour); Lake Louise allows your own with a permit, and its Boathouse charges CA$180 plus GST an hour to visitors not staying at the hotel.
Only until Yoho Valley Road closes in mid-October; Parks Canada has not published the exact day for 2026. The road is open from mid-June to mid-October, weather permitting, and closes for the winter because of avalanche risk. On 29 September 2026 it was open, with a warning of possible winter conditions higher up. Vehicles over 7 m must reverse on its switchbacks, and trailers are not allowed. The falls are about 380 m high, by Parks Canada's 2022 map.
No. Parks Canada says there is no public transportation in Yoho National Park. Without a car, a tour is the way in: the days on this page collect in Calgary, Canmore, Banff or, on one of them, Lake Louise. By car, the Trans-Canada Highway runs through the park, and Emerald Lake Road is open all year.
Yes, from 1 October to 30 April: Parks Canada says winter or M+S tires are required on Yoho's highways. That is British Columbia's rule. In Banff and Jasper, and on the Icefields Parkway, snow tires or chains are mandatory from 1 November to 31 March, so the Yoho rule starts a month earlier.
Still have questions? Email us at info@canadian-rockies.com