President Range Trails Hike in Yoho

Hiking in Yoho National Park and looking for mountain splendour? You’ll find it all through the park but if you’re looking for something unique check out the President Range hiking trails starting from either the far end of the Iceline Trail or Stanley Mitchell Hut.

Our plan one summer weekend went like this. Go hiking in Yoho National Park, starting at the trailhead by Takakkaw Falls. Follow the Yoho Valley Trail to Stanley Mitchell Hut and spend two nights. On the second day – after a long, leisurely breakfast – hike to Kiwetinok Lake, four km away. Finish up the three day trip by hiking out on the magnificent Iceline Trail.

The weekend mostly went according to plan. I say mostly because on the Friday night a huge thunderstorm swept through the area and dumped between two and three inches of rain.

That was enough to swell the creeks and increase the possibility of major soakers on any attempted crossing. And it was enough to deter us from hiking to Kiwetinok Lake. So we substituted the President Range trails and explored an incredible landscape of glaciers and mountains.

Recommended reading: 12 Safety Trips for Crossing Rivers & Streams

Location of Stanley Mitchell hut
Backdrop for the Stanley Mitchell Hut

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President Range hiking trails

Instead we opted to explore the trails leading to the waterfalls and glaciers of the President Range. There are no marked trails. You explore as you see fit. Take a few hours or take a whole day.

The splendour of the range was everywhere – bold coloured rocks, blue glacial ice, infinity pools, and truly outstanding vistas.

Dwarfed by the mountains and glaciers while hiking in Yoho National Park
Dwarfed by the mountains and glaciers while hiking in Yoho National Park

Highlights of our day spent hiking Yoho’s President Range trails

The President Range Hiking Trails in Yoho National Park
Views climbing out from the Stanley Mitchell Hut
"Crossing the swollen river on a footbridge"
Crossing the swollen river on a footbridge on route to the President Range trails
Heading up to check out the river
Heading up to check out the river
The President Range Hiking Trails in Yoho National Park
Looking for a safe place to cross a swollen river so we could explore the President Range trails
The President Range Hiking Trails in Yoho National Park
John surveying his options
Incredible folding in the rock seen hiking in Yoho National Park
Incredible folding in the cooked up rocks
The President Range Hiking Trails in Yoho National Park
Get up into the President Range and its a world of ice and rocks
The President Range Hiking Trails in Yoho National Park
Humans look insignificant in this environment
The President Range Hiking Trails in Yoho National Park
It’s pretty darned cool to be able to walk up to a glacier so easily – and to do it safely
The President Range Hiking Trails in Yoho National Park
Wildly folded rocks make for an interesting landscape

Visit the Yoho National Park website for more information.

Further reading on hikes in Yoho National Park

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President Range hiking trails in Yoho National Park


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19 Comments

  1. I agree, this is a stunning hike! I can’t get over those folded rocks. Very impressive and good style points on the rock skipping 🙂

  2. Wow, what a great detour! Those colored rocks and glaciers are pretty spectacular. I haven’t hiked a glacier but this looks awesome.

  3. Gosh, Leigh, this is stunning! The rich color, the striations just blew me away. I shared your post with my step-mom, who’s from Winnipeg and we had a long discussion about the beauty of Western Canada. I’ll be watching to see your post on the Kiwetinok Lake hike.

  4. Love all the colorful, rugged rock formations. Nice to capture the essence of the hike with your family in some of the photos!

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