Emerald Lake Lodge, Yoho National Park

Set on the shore of, and named for the breathtaking Emerald Lake, this charming lodge is the perfect wilderness retreat. The lake itself was ‘discovered’ in the late 19th Century by one of the orginal Rockies guides Thomas E. Wilson, and just a few years later this timber lodge was built. The lodge is a great base from which to explore Yoho National Park which sits just over the provincial border from Banff National Park.

The lake is one of the Rockies' most famous natural attractions and therefore gets very busy. The best thing about staying here is the fact that you'll have the place to yourself before the day trippers arrive in the morning and leave in the afternoon.