Hamilton Falls in September 2014

Yoho National Park in British Columbia has a number of impressive waterfalls: Takakkaw Falls and Wapta Falls are two great examples. But there are a number of smaller, though still beautiful waterfalls in the park.

The hike to Hamilton Falls starts at a stunningly beautiful lake, Emerald Lake, which gets its name from the beautiful color of the water. Instead of heading toward the lake, which is still an easy stop, you’ll turn toward the mountains/hills and follow the trail to Hamilton Falls. The hike is rather short, and isn’t very difficult. The amount of water flowing over the falls wasn’t large, but there was something ethereal about the way the water carved a path through the rock. It’s not as impressive as some of the other waterfalls in the park, but I found it to be a worthwhile excursion.

Directions:

1. From Trans-Canadian Highway 1 near Field, there will be a turn onto Emerald Lake Road. If you’re headed west, it would be a right turn.
2. Once on Emerald Lake Road, continue to the very end of the road, where you’ll encounter a parking lot and Emerald Lake. You’ll pass by Natural Bridge Falls on the way.
3. From the parking lot, head west toward Hamilton Falls.

Accessibility: 7/10 (easy/moderate)
Height: 100′
Length of Hike: 0.9 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Hamilton Falls?