Stanley Mitchell Hut via the Yoho Valley Trail

Located in BC's Yoho National Park

Location of Stanley Mitchell hut
Backdrop for the Stanley Mitchell Hut

The Stanley Mitchell Hut in Yoho National Park is the gateway to some fabulous fabulous backcountry hiking. It’s easiest to access by hiking the Yoho Valley Trail from the Takakkaw Falls parking lot in Yoho National Park. Your other option is doing it via the Iceline Trail but that requires more effort.

The Stanley Mitchell Hut – as you’ll see when you scroll down, provides a dry roof over your head but in summer when it’s busy, be prepared to be sleeping in a stranger’s armpit. If you want a bit of privacy, the nearby camping option would be preferable in my view.

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Takakkaw Falls on the way to the hut
Takakkaw Falls – meaning magnificent falls

Stats for the Yoho Valley Trail hike

Distance: Total one way mileage – 10.2 km

Elevation gain: 545 m or 1,788 feet

Time needed: It took us 3.25 hours with two stops at a moderate pace.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate, depending what shape you’re in and how heavy a load you’re carrying.

Dogs permitted: Yes on a leash, but not allowed at the Stanley Mitchell Hut.

Timing: Be sure to check with Yoho National Park if you’ve booked the hut for late June or early July  – before you go, on account of trail conditions.

Don’t forget: Tell someone where you are going, practice Leave No Trace principles and always pack the hiking essentials.

Personal responsibility: Take responsibility for your own safety. You might want to carry a Garmin inReach Mini 2.

Winter trip: There are people in the winter who take two days and ski into the hut – basically from the highway. You need to be in great shape and have the right winter touring skill-set to consider that trip, especially considering the avalanche danger on route.

Where to start the hike to Stanley Mitchell Hut

Begin the hike to Stanley Mitchell Hut on the Yoho Valley Trail at the Takakkaw Falls parking lot. Takakkaw Falls themselves are fantastic – and the second largest in western Canada.

There’s a very pretty backcountry campground within 10 minutes of the trailhead. Pushcarts are provided so you don’t even have to carry your gear.

Then it’s a mostly unremarkable walk along an old fire road to Laughing Falls. There are a few short side-trips you can do along the way – Angel’s Staircase, Point Lace Falls and Duchesnay Lake.

Most of the hiking is easy  on route to the Stanley Mitchell Hut except for one steep but short section. Look for an assortment of wildflowers along the way. They sure make the hike more colourful and interesting.

Our walk-in campsite near Takakkaw Falls
A walk-in campsite near Takakkaw Falls

A hike on the Yoho Valley Trail

The Yoho Valley Trail is not the most interesting trail and it’s not one I would do if I wasn’t planning to spend the night at the hut or camp out at the Little Yoho Campground. But it’s a far easier to hike into the Stanley Mitchell Hut on this trail than via the Iceline Trail.

If you can, do a loop and hike out on the truly spectacular Iceline Trail.

John standing beside the wild Yoho River
John standing beside the wild Yoho River
Laughing Falls is one stop on the way to Stanley Mitchell Hut
Laughing Falls is one stop on the way to Stanley Mitchell Hut

Laughing Falls

When you reach Laughing Falls – at the confluence of the Yoho and Little Yoho Rivers there’s another pretty campground.

About 100 m past the campground you arrive at a junction.

Head right for Twin Falls BUT stay left to continue to continue to Stanley Mitchell Hut. From here the going gets tougher. The topography steepens until you reach the turnoff for Marpole Lake, 1.6 km ahead.

Then it’s another 0.6 km to reach the turnoff to the Whaleback Trail and from there it’s a gentle 2.9 km to the Stanley Mitchell Hut through beautiful forest as shown in the photo below.

Laughing Falls
Laughing Falls throw quite a spray
The wooded Yoho Valley Trail
The wooded Yoho Valley Trail

A sampling of the wildflowers seen along the Yoho Valley Trail

Indian paintbrush in white
Indian paintbrush in white
Yoho Valley wildflower
I don’t know what this wildflower is
Pretty wildflowers on the way up tothe hut
Pretty wildflowers on the way up to the hut
Beautiful wildflowersalong the Yoho Valley Trail
Wildflowers along the Yoho Valley Trail
Pretty backdrop close to the hut
Pretty backdrop close to the Stanley Mitchell Hut

What it’s like at the Stanley Mitchell Hut

The Stanley Mitchell hut gets busy on summer weekends. On the weekend we visited the Alpine Club had booked 25 people into the place – and let me tell you – that makes it packed to the brim.

Kitchen space is at a premium and so is the sleeping space. It’s dorm style – with 19 people sleeping together upstairs and 6 downstairs.

My husband and I were so packed together on 1.5 mattresses instead of two that you didn’t dare roll over.

But it does give you a roof over your head if it storms – which it did on the Friday night.

Your other option – and one I would consider on another trip – is to pack in a tent and camp at the Little Yoho Campground – just 200 m further along the trail.

Stanley Mitchell Hut
Stanley Mitchell Hut
Dormitory style sleeping - a little too close for comfort
Dormitory style sleeping – a little too close for comfort 

Hiking options from the Stanley Mitchell hut

The views are truly stupendous from the Stanley Mitchell Hut and there are loads of day hiking options including climbs of The President and The Vice President, a hike to Kiwetinok Lake or exploring the waterfalls and glaciers just an hour from the hut.

Read: The President Range Hiking Trails in Yoho National Park 

View outside of the hut
View outside of the Stanley Mitchell Hut

Getting to the Takakkaw Falls Trailhead

Turn north onto Yoho Valley Road from the Trans Canada Highway. The turnoff is 7.8 miles from the Alberta – BC boundary and 2.3 miles from the visitor’s center in Field.

Follow the Yoho Valley Road for 8.2 miles to the Takakkaw Falls parking lot.

Make sure you have a valid National Park’s pass. In the summer months they are sold about a mile up the Yoho Valley Road and in fact the park people won’t let you continue without the proper pass.

How to book the hut

You need to email or phone the people at the Alpine Club of Canada website. They can be reached at 403-678-3200 ext. 0. It may be worth joining the club to get a discounted rate.

Where to stay nearby

If you’re after an upscale place to stay before your backcountry trip that’s on the access road check out my blog post on What it’s Like to Stay at Cathedral Mountain Lodge. You can check rates and book Cathedral Mountain Lodge online.

You’ll also find several B&B’s in Field, the Canadian Rockies Inn (adults only), and Emerald Lake Lodge on the shores of nearby Emerald Lake.

Beautiful Cathedral Mountain Lodge
Beautiful Cathedral Mountain Lodge

Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.

The hike to the Stanley Mitchell Hut via the Yoho Valley Trail

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