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Laughing Falls and Twin Falls via Whaleback
Hiking Trail
Hard
12.47 mi
3,079 ft
Yoho’s best trek for waterfall viewing, making a challenging one-day or overnight circuit.
The hike begins from the parking area and viewpoint for Takakkaw Falls. A separate trail leads closer to this mighty waterfall, but for Laughing Falls and Twin Falls, go northward instead, toward the campground and along the Little Yoho River. The trail is mostly in the forest, but intermittent clearings reveal the icy blue river and snow-capped peaks above the gorge, as well as some bonus waterfalls in the distance. A steady uphill over sometimes rocky terrain leads to Laughing Falls, which shoots out from a narrow slot in a cliff. Numerous flat spots provide places to relax and dip your feet in view of the waterfall.
Beyond Laughing Falls, the trail takes a winding ascent away from the river, upward through shady forest. To cut out the Whaleback and take the easier route to Twin Falls, turn right on the trail to Marpole Lake. Otherwise turn left, where a short distance of rolling terrain in the forest leads to an ascent of many tight switchbacks. Eventually, you’ll reach treeline on the plateau called the Whaleback. Up there, snow may linger into midsummer, so traction devices are recommended. After continuing over the hump and down, you’ll reach the top of Twin Falls and an incredible overlook on the rim of the gorge.
From there, it’s uphill again for a while, before a meandering descent leads to the bottom of Twin Falls. There you’ll find ample room to explore and view the side-by-side cascades, as well as a historic tea house that is worth seeing. You’ll thank yourself for resting up, because the trek isn’t over. When passing Marpole Lake, navigate carefully in order to bypass a huge rockfall that appears to swallow the trail. After that, it’s a relatively easy but long walk downhill, retracing the trail past Laughing Falls and on to the parking lot.
If you wish to break the circuit into multiple days, you can reserve a site at on a few [backcountry campgrounds]( along the route, or at the [Twin Falls Tea House]( You can also stay at the campground or the hostel near the trailhead to get an early start, avoiding the crowds that come for Takakkaw Falls later in the day.
Sources:
Written by Jesse Weber
The hike begins from the parking area and viewpoint for Takakkaw Falls. A separate trail leads closer to this mighty waterfall, but for Laughing Falls and Twin Falls, go northward instead, toward the campground and along the Little Yoho River. The trail is mostly in the forest, but intermittent clearings reveal the icy blue river and snow-capped peaks above the gorge, as well as some bonus waterfalls in the distance. A steady uphill over sometimes rocky terrain leads to Laughing Falls, which shoots out from a narrow slot in a cliff. Numerous flat spots provide places to relax and dip your feet in view of the waterfall.
Beyond Laughing Falls, the trail takes a winding ascent away from the river, upward through shady forest. To cut out the Whaleback and take the easier route to Twin Falls, turn right on the trail to Marpole Lake. Otherwise turn left, where a short distance of rolling terrain in the forest leads to an ascent of many tight switchbacks. Eventually, you’ll reach treeline on the plateau called the Whaleback. Up there, snow may linger into midsummer, so traction devices are recommended. After continuing over the hump and down, you’ll reach the top of Twin Falls and an incredible overlook on the rim of the gorge.
From there, it’s uphill again for a while, before a meandering descent leads to the bottom of Twin Falls. There you’ll find ample room to explore and view the side-by-side cascades, as well as a historic tea house that is worth seeing. You’ll thank yourself for resting up, because the trek isn’t over. When passing Marpole Lake, navigate carefully in order to bypass a huge rockfall that appears to swallow the trail. After that, it’s a relatively easy but long walk downhill, retracing the trail past Laughing Falls and on to the parking lot.
If you wish to break the circuit into multiple days, you can reserve a site at on a few [backcountry campgrounds]( along the route, or at the [Twin Falls Tea House]( You can also stay at the campground or the hostel near the trailhead to get an early start, avoiding the crowds that come for Takakkaw Falls later in the day.
Sources:
Written by Jesse Weber
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Segment | 0.99 mi | 879 ft | 16.8% |
| Yoho Valley Road Climb | 1.01 mi | 1,007 ft | 18.8% |
| Unnamed Road Climb | 0.37 mi | 259 ft | 13.1% |
| Segment | 0.45 mi | 285 ft | 11.7% |
| Laughing Falls to Takakkaw Falls | 2.83 mi | -351 ft | -1.9% |