Parking
Start at Hoodoo Creek Campground, reached from the Trans-Canada Highway west of Field. The walk begins on the old campground road.
Overview
About Hoodoos Trail
Why go
- Two short branches give distinct views from below and at eye level.
- Capped glacial-debris pillars make an unusual finish.
Heads up
- A long, level road approach comes before the steep exposed climb.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yoho map
Full mapElevation1,100–1,499 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 Hoodoos 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
Hoodoo Creek: A Climb to the Capped Pillars0:00 / 0:27
“You're coming up on the Hoodoo Creek turnoff, the access for a steep hike to pale, rock-capped pillars.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Yoho Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Mount Hunter: Historic Tower or Upper Valley View
- Faeder Lake: A Westbound Picnic Break
- Wapta Falls: A Walk to the Wide Cascade
- A Cedar Can Wait
- 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 Hoodoos Trail
What this hike isHoodoos Trail is a moderate out-and-back from Hoodoo Creek Campground to two signed views of…
Hoodoos Trail is a moderate out-and-back from Hoodoo Creek Campground to two signed views of capped pillars made from glacial debris. The mapped route is about 5.7 km (3.6 mi) round trip, including both short viewpoint spurs; allow roughly 2.5 hours. Published totals range from about 5.2 to 6.4 km, so leave room for some extra walking.
Find the turnoffThe first 1.2 km follows the old campground road.
The first 1.2 km follows the old campground road. Watch for the trail sign by a berm where the road ends and the steeper footpath begins; it is easy to walk past. A footbridge crosses Hoodoo Creek before the switchbacks.
Two views of the pillarsNear the top, two short branches give different angles: one drops below the hoodoos for an…
Near the top, two short branches give different angles: one drops below the hoodoos for an upward look, while the higher branch reaches eye level with the capped columns. Take both if you want the full visit. From the upper viewpoint, leave some of the valley in the frame to show how the pillars sit in the landscape.
What to expectThe uphill section is steep, dry and exposed, with about 400 m of climbing.
The uphill section is steep, dry and exposed, with about 400 m of climbing. Keep to the marked trail and signed viewpoints; the pillars stand on loose glacial debris. Dogs can come on leash under the park’s general rules.
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.
