Laughing Falls Campground

Laughing Falls Campground is a designated backcountry tent camp in the Yoho Valley, reached on foot from Takakkaw Falls. It is a base for multi-day routes beyond the road, including routes toward Twin Falls and the Little Yoho. I’d save it for an overnight backpacking trip: the reward is a night in the valley and a short walk to Laughing Falls, not a convenient drive-up stop.

The route from Takakkaw Falls parking lot is 8.8 km round trip, with 125 m of elevation gain. It crosses typical Yoho forest and reaches a waterfall at the confluence of the Yoho and Little Yoho rivers. Plan it as an overnight rather than a roadside stop; the falls are a short walk from camp. Yoho Valley Road to the trailhead is generally open from mid-June to mid-October, and RVs and trailers aren’t permitted on its tight switchbacks. Check current road dates before you go.

Expect tent pads, dry toilets, shared picnic tables and food-storage cables or lockers. An overnight backcountry permit is mandatory, and advance reservations secure campsites at most locations in July, August and September. Each pad allows up to four people and one tent, with a three-night maximum. Campfires aren’t allowed. Bring a stove and treat all surface water before drinking.