Twin Falls Tea House National Historic Site

Twin Falls Tea House National Historic Site is a two-storey log building in Yoho Valley, reached on foot from Takakkaw Falls parking. It sits by the paired cascades of Twin Falls and makes a rewarding destination if you want the waterfall and a piece of mountain travel history. This isn't a quick roadside stop: the tea house is about 8.5 km each way, roughly three hours on foot in each direction before breaks.

The hike starts at Takakkaw Falls parking and continues through the Yoho Valley trail system. Parks Canada's route description places Laughing Falls about 4.5 km in, then Twin Falls another 3.9 km beyond; allow around six hours of walking round trip, plus time at the falls and the historic site. The Takakkaw lot can fill early on summer days and weekends, so have a backup plan.

Yoho Valley Road is seasonal, generally open from mid-June to mid-October. Its steep switchbacks aren't suitable for RVs or trailers, and vehicles longer than about 7 m may need to reverse around tight corners.

The Canadian Pacific Railway built the original one-storey hut in 1908 as overnight shelter for backcountry trail rides. In the 1920s, a second storey and an adjacent chalet were added; the buildings were later joined. The site was designated a National Historic Site in 1992, part of the railway-era network of rustic lodges and chalets that brought travellers into the western mountains.

The tea house is known for its view of the side-by-side cascades. From the historic site, take time to look at both falls together; that view is the payoff beyond the log architecture. Despite its name, this isn't a café: there's no tea, coffee, or meal service to count on here.