Iceline Trail

Iceline Trail is a Yoho National Park day-hike loop built around a steep climb from Takakkaw Falls up to the “iceline,” a rocky alpine shelf above the valley. The route then links into Little Yoho Valley and Yoho Valley Trail to return to the Takakkaw Falls area, with the day’s biggest effort concentrated early on before you spend more time traveling along the higher bench and then descending through the valley.

Expect a strenuous, high-relief profile: the loop distance is about 13.68 km and it’s commonly described as strenuous to challenging, with roughly 1,044 m of elevation gain for the full loop. Timing typically runs ~7–9 hours for hikers doing the full day route.

The Takakkaw Falls trailhead area is the access point for the loop. From the parking area, the route starts away from the falls, follows the Yoho River corridor early, and then turns into the steep switchbacking climb that carries you up toward the alpine bench under the Presidential Range and the Emerald Glacier zone.

On the iceline section, the trail character shifts from forested ascent to exposed alpine terrain with glacial runoff and moraine landscapes. The route traverses close to the Emerald Glacier environment and passes glacial tarns/streams associated with meltwater coming off the icefields and adjacent peaks.

From the high point, the descent carries into Little Yoho Valley via the loop’s connectors and junctions, then continues down toward the Yoho Valley Trail for the final return. This lower section drops through forest and valley terrain until it reaches the Takakkaw Falls parking area again.

Seasonal timing matters here because of snow and exposure. The most reliable window is mid-July to mid-September when the trail is mostly snow-free; earlier or later in the season you should expect lingering snow on parts of the high, exposed terrain.

More information: Conditions, Backpacking the Yoho Valley Loop/Iceline Trail, Details: Iceline Trail - Hiking & Walking