Emerald Lake: Yoho National Park

Emerald Lake is an absolute gem and very little effort or time is required to enjoy its splendor. To reach Emerald Lake you will need to drive down a road that branches off the TransCanada Highway. At the end of the road you will come across the medium sized parking lot for the lake. Near the parking lot you will find a shop where you can rent canoes to take out on the lake. There is also a bridge that you can cross that will take you to the Emerald Lake Lodge and the lakeside restaurant Cilantro's. It is all very picturesque.

We had arrived in the evening and decided that we had enough time to walk the 5km trail that wraps around the lake. This is a very easy trail as it is relatively flat and takes about an hour to walk. It is well worth the time as you are awarded with stunning view of the lake and surrounding mountains.

The east side of the lake is very different than the west side in regards to vegetation and is more reminiscent of the wet rainy forests of Lower Mainland British Columbia.

The trail will take you back to the Emerald Lake Lodge which looks like a lovely but expensive place to stay. We saw many people enjoying the twilight views of Emerald Lake from their hotel room balconies. 

While Emerald Lake had not originally been on our itinerary for the trip I am so glad that we decided to have a day of relaxation in which we were able to visit it. I highly recommend visiting this beautiful gem.