Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 11:25 pm
If you are looking for a great base for exploring the Canadian Rockies, the Kicking Horse campground should be top of your list! Tucked in beside the Kicking Horse River just off of Highway One, you have easy access to Yoho and Banff National Parks and all they have to offer.
Whether you want a relaxing trip or an adventurous trip, you’ll be able to have both at the Kicking Horse campground. With delicious bistros in nearby Field or world class hiking right on your doorstep
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The Kicking Horse Campground
The Kicking Horse campground is a very popular spot! I’d been trying to get out here for a few years, but finally with not so ideal weather in the forecast I grabbed a cancellation. It is a reservation only campground and you’ll be hard pressed to get a site if you just show up. However if you don’t want to plan ahead, there is the Monarch campground just down the road which is first come first serve.
Operated by Parks Canada, you can reserve a spot through their online booking system, reservations typically open around January or February, make sure to check out all the reservation opening dates here as I’ll be updating them when the information becomes available. The Kicking Horse campground typically opens late May and closes mid October. A site at Kicking Horse campground will cost $30.50 per night in 2024, if you reserve through the website or over the phone there is also a booking fee.
There are 88 sites at the Kicking Horse campground and they are all unserviced. The sites are a range of different sizes and some are quite small or have a tight road to access them, make sure you check you can fit in the site you select before booking! Most of the sites offer a fair amount of privacy, although a few towards the end of the site are very open. They all have a picnic bench and some have fire rings.
Dotted throughout the site are some awesome open sided shelters, perfect for campers in the rain to cook in or relax and play card games in. They have powered lights as an added bonus and stoves in them to keep warm!
Washrooms all have flush toilets and there are a number of small, older buildings around the Kicking Horse campground that have toilets in and a wash sink for dishes outside. There is also a newer shower building towards the middle of the site, offering free showers, charging ports, and a few washrooms as well as sinks outside for doing dishes.
There are potable water taps located throughout the campground so you don’t need to worry about bringing a lot of water with you. There are also garbage and recycling bins dotted around the campground.
For entertainment while staying at the Kicking Horse campground there is a large kids play park, a short river side trail which loops along the opposite side of the river to the campground and back. There are also nightly interpretative programs at the theatre in the campground. We attended a few during our stay and they are great, especially if you have kids.
The Kicking Horse campground is located in a spot where there had been an original camp for railway builders, some of this history can still be see throughout the campground. Keep an eye out for the original camp oven located within the modern campground.
Where Is The Kicking Horse Campground
The Kicking Horse Campground is located just off of Highway 1 on the Yoho Valley Road. It is clearly signposted from the highway so you shouldn’t miss it. If you are heading East on Highway 1, it is approximately 62 kilometers from the Town of Golden in BC. If you are heading West on Highway 1, it’s a short 24 kilometers from Lake Louise.
What To Do Nearby
There are a lot of incredible hiking opportunities close by when camping at Kicking Horse campground. You’ll find the incredible Iceline trail nearby, this offers gorgeous views but is a full day adventure. For a shorter hike, check out the Hoodoos trail in Yoho, a short but steep hike up to a gorgeous viewpoint awaits you on this half day hike.
For a more relaxed time, head out sightseeing, continue past the Kicking Horse campground to Takakkaw Falls, the second highest waterfall in Canada. A short drive down Highway 1 is the stunning Emerald Lake, take in the view or enjoy a stroll around the lake. Stop at the Natural Bridge on your way to or from Emerald Lake, an incredible spot.
Head into the closest town of Field and enjoy a stroll around town, check out the visitor center and its fossil displays. Head to Truffle Pigs for a treat of a meal afterwards to round out a great day.
Other Campgrounds Nearby
Yoho and Banff National Park are home to many awesome campgrounds, so you are bound to find a spot somewhere which suits your needs. The closest campgrounds are:
- Monarch
- Takakkaw Falls
- Hoodoo Creek
- Lake Louise hard and soft sided sites.
Thing You Might Need
A good tent can go a long way to having a great time while camping, a bit of extra space and the knowledge that regardless of how much it rains, you’ll be able to stay dry can make or break a trip! I absolutely love my Marmot Tungsten 4 person tent. It fits our queen air mattress in with plenty of extra space for two people. I also really like the two vestibules for extra storage.
In case of rain, I always like to pack a tarp in the car, this is ideal to create a dry area to cook if the weather isn’t favorable. Don’t forget some good cord to tie it up.
You’ll be camping in bear country so make sure to have bear spray and know how to use it when camping in Yoho National Park.