Parking
Use the Emerald Lake parking lot, 10 km west of Field via Emerald Lake Road. The trail starts at the far end of the lot, opposite the bridge to the lodge. Parking fills early in summer and on weekends; have a backup plan.
Overview
About Hamilton Lake Trail
Why go
- Hamilton Falls is a worthwhile short turn-around at 0.8 km.
- The lake sits in a dramatic cirque beneath high peaks.
Heads up
- A sustained 915 m climb makes this a hard day hike.
- Posted and GPS-tracked route distances differ.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yoho map
Full mapElevation1,302–2,157 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Yoho alerts
- ClosureYoho Valley Road closed for avalanche seasonYoho Valley Road is closed to vehicles from mid-October to mid-June because of avalanche risk. - Parks Canada’s current trail report lists no vehicle access to trails in the Yoho Valley.Official details
- CautionWatercraft and angling prohibited in YohoWatercraft use and angling are prohibited on all waterbodies in Yoho National Park until March 31, 2027, to reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species, including whirling disease.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Yoho Tour Guide
Your drive to Hamilton Lake Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yoho National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Yoho audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Emerald Lake: Shore, Colour and Lunch0:00 / 0:34
“You're approaching Emerald Lake, where a short, level walk to the bridge brings you to the blue-green water and its mountain backdrop. Stop even if you haven't got time for a hike.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Yoho Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Conifer That Drops Its Needles
- Yoho Visitor Centre: Fossils and a Useful Break
- Field: A Bistro Meal or a Quick Restock
- How the Rock Layers Got Tilted
- 35 audio storiesacross Yoho’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Mountain Goat, Black Bear, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 54 trails, 58 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Hamilton Lake Trail
A steep alpine out-and-backHamilton Lake Trail climbs from Emerald Lake parking to a small tarn in a cliff-ringed cirque.
Hamilton Lake Trail climbs from Emerald Lake parking to a small tarn in a cliff-ringed cirque. The posted figure is 5.1 km each way, or 10.2 km return, with 915 m of climbing and a five-hour estimate. Some GPS-tracked outings are closer to 12 km return, so leave room for breaks and a long descent. This is a hard uphill day, not a quick add-on to Emerald Lake.
Hamilton Falls is an early payoffThe first 700 m is a gentler walk through cedar and hemlock forest beside Hamilton Creek.
The first 700 m is a gentler walk through cedar and hemlock forest beside Hamilton Creek. Hamilton Falls comes about 0.8 km in, making it a worthwhile short turn-around if the full climb isn't for you. Old wooden pipes and a retaining wall below the falls are remnants of the creek's former role in supplying water to Emerald Lake Lodge.
The climb above the fallsBeyond the falls, the path climbs steadily through forest on repeated switchbacks.
Beyond the falls, the path climbs steadily through forest on repeated switchbacks. Cedar and hemlock give way to spruce and subalpine fir, then the trees thin as the route crosses open avalanche slopes. Those clearings open views across the Van Horne Range and its glaciers. The high traverse is exposed, and snow can make the tread harder to follow; check current trail and avalanche conditions before heading up.
Stop at the lakeHamilton Lake sits in a hanging valley beneath Mount Carnarvon and Emerald Peak, with the…
Hamilton Lake sits in a hanging valley beneath Mount Carnarvon and Emerald Peak, with the blocky Top Hat peak between them. Walk to the low rise near shore for a level look across the water and its distinctive rock tower. The lake is the standard trail's turnaround. Scrambling routes continue into the peaks, but they are a different outing; return by the same trail.
Make the access workStart at the far end of Emerald Lake parking, opposite the bridge to the lodge.
Start at the far end of Emerald Lake parking, opposite the bridge to the lodge. The lot fills early in summer and on weekends, so have a backup plan. Dogs are allowed on leash. Carry enough water for the climb; there are few convenient chances to refill along the steep route.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Yoho
21 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
55 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
61 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
66 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
26 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
10 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yoho. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
