Backpacking into Laughing Falls campsite in Yoho National Park
Yoho National Park was the second national park established in Canada, but I feel like it is often overshadowed by the other mountain parks! Every time I visit, I fall more in love with Yoho. Now, it will always have a special place in my heart as the spot where we did our first family backcountry camping trip. In early July 2021, we took our then 10-month-old, Juniper, into Laughing Falls for a 2-night stay.
At a Glance:
Trailhead: Takkakaw Falls trailhead
Distance: 4.4 kilometres one-way
Accessibility: Hiking
Amenities: Outhouse and secure food storage.
Reservations at: Parks Canada
The forecast was calling for some rain which made me nervous, but with campsites selling out months in advance, we couldn’t miss our opportunity. For the walk in, I carried Juniper in the Osprey Poco Carrier on my back, as well as clothes, diapers and some food stuffed in a daypack on my front. My husband, Matt, carried a large hiking pack filled with our gear and remaining food. Overall, it felt like a pretty comfortable set-up for me. Matt’s bag was quite heavy (I couldn’t even lift it!), but he’s a champ! If carrying a super heavy bag isn’t possible for you, I think it would be reasonable to do this trip in two loads or scale back on gear. As it was our first trip with Juni, we didn’t go the minimalist approach.
Despite taking our time to hike in, it only took us about 90 minutes. When we arrived at the campsite we were delighted to find the one tent pad available was set away from the others, and right along the creek. It was perfect! We set up our tent, Juni had her afternoon nap and we just took it easy at the campsite. So far, the rain in the forecast hadn’t appeared but that was about to change!
Just as we were getting organized to cook dinner, dark storm clouds rolled in. The other groups took cover but Matt was quick to get a tarp up above our table - bless him! I put Juni in the Ergo Baby Omni 360 carrier on my back while cooking to keep her out of the mud and away from the stove, then into the Phil & Ted’s Lobster Chair to eat. Those items did equal extra weight to carry in and out, and you could do without, but in my opinion they were worth it. Mealtimes were made much smoother!
That first night, Matt and I had decided we would sleep with Juni between us on our double Exped sleeping pad, hoping that would help keep her warm. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the most restful night because both Matt and I worried about smothering her in our sleeping bags. Lesson learned! For future nights in the tent, we moved her to her own little sleeping pad beside me which worked better for us.
The next day was sunny again… Yay! We hiked 6 kilometers up the Little Yoho Valley to the Stanley Mitchell Hut. We had lunch in the meadow and explored the area a bit before turning around. It’s an area Matt has visited on many, many guiding trips so he had many stories to entertain me along the way.
Our third and final day was short & sweet. Matt had a work commitment so we got up super early (luckily the days were long at that point!), drank a coffee and hiked out. We were back to the cars by 8:30 a.m. and home in time for morning nap!
We thought Laughing Falls as the perfect destination for our first family backcountry camping trip and think you will too! Here’s why:
Magnificent from the start
Before you even strap on your backpack and boots, you are standing at the foot of Takakkaw Falls, the second highest waterfall in Canada. Takakkaw is a Cree word that translates to “magnificent” in english and that it is! Starting in such a stunning spot is quite the treat.
Low pressure hike
The Laughing Falls backcountry campsite sits 4.4 kilometers from the trailhead, with a total of only 125m of elevation gain. The hike crosses a couple creeks and flood paths to begin, and then meanders through the trees. The trail is pretty flat and wide for the majority of the walk, and most of the elevation is gained in one short, steady climb. It’s an enjoyable walk with many options along the way to veer off to explore or take a break, such as Angel Staircase Falls.
Perfect little campsite
Despite the relatively short hike in, the campsite feels far out and offers a real backcountry experience. The campsite has only 5 spots and is nestled at the base of Laughing Falls. There are a few tables, bear-proof lockers and an outhouse. The tent pads sit between the creek running out from the falls and the Little Yoho River. We didn’t need our sound machine, because the white noise from the running water was excellent at canceling any noise coming from the surrounding campers. There were several other families staying there as well, including another one-year-old girl named Cedar with her dads on their first family backcountry trip!
A basecamp to even more hiking
Laughing Falls is perfectly situated to access other hikes such as Little Yoho Valley, Twin Falls and the Iceline trail. You could stay several days and would not run out of trails to check out!
I hope this helps as you plan your summer adventures. Good luck booking campsites and happy trails!
