Emerald Lake Lodge in Yoho National Park
A stay at Emerald Lake Lodge is perfect for a cozy, romantic winter wonderland getaway in an adorable little cabin nestled in the mountains.
At Emerald Lake Lodge you can disconnect from technology and truly re-connect with the special person in your life while savoring the beauty of the surrounding mountains. There’s something for everyone here, and I already can’t wait to return.
Where is Emerald Lake Lodge?
Emerald Lake Lodge is located in Yoho National Park about 20 minutes west of Lake Louise, and 2.5 hours from the Calgary International Airport. Learn about how to get to Emerald Lake Lodge here.
The entire area is gorgeous, and it’s very easy to combine a stay at Emerald Lake Lodge with a tour of the surrounding areas of Banff, Lake Louise, and Yoho National Park.
Continue reading to learn why Emerald Lake Lodge should be your next winter getaway, complete with plenty of photos from the recent trip here that Glenn and I immensely enjoyed!
Best Ways to Enjoy your Emerald Lake Lodge Getaway:
Get out for a cross-country ski or snowshoe
What better way to sight-see and take in your mountain surroundings than by smoothly travelling across a puffy blanket of snow?
The Emerald Lake Trail is an easy 5-kilometer trail that takes you around the incredibly picturesque Emerald Lake. It’s such a great experience taking in the views of the lodge and mountains from different perspectives as you get some exercise and fresh mountain air. Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing around Emerald Lake is an activity not to be missed!
Don’t have your own equipment? No problem at all! The Boathouse Trading Co. has on-site cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals. They are located in the adorable little boathouse close to Cilantro – you can’t miss it! Learn about their hours of operation and rental fees here.
If you’re just not into cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, there are plenty of other winter activities in the area.
Enjoy the stunning outdoor hot tub
Let’s be honest – is there a better place to relax than in a roomy outdoor hot tub with mountain view? The answer is clearly ‘no’!
Emerald Lake Lodge has a stunning steel outdoor hot tub that is open year-round (and late!).
It has panoramic mountain views, and is located just a couple of steps from the Clubhouse, so you’re not freezing on your way into the tub.
The Clubhouse features fitness equipment, weights, and a change room with showers and towels.
There is also a lovely dry sauna, but we only managed to slip in here once as we loved the hot tub so much (and used it at least twice a day!).
Tip: Cozy up in the hot tub after dinner and stargaze on a clear night – glorious!
Enjoy some downtime around the main lodge
The main lodge is beautiful. Seriously, it is something out of a dream. It is cozy as can be, with roaring fireplaces, comfy couches, soothing color palettes and simple touches that point to the history of the lodge.
Pop in here to relax in front of the fireplace, chat with other guests, enjoy a cheeseboard, a full lunch, or just to warm up with a hot beverage.
There is also a games room on the upper floor that offers Billiards, chess, board games, internet access, and the lodge’s only television (should you need to feel connected or catch up on world events).
Tips: Make sure to step out onto the balcony from the upper floor and look out towards the mountains – the view is breathtaking.
Also, order a Polar Bear from the bar if you’re in the mood for a hot drink – a sweet treat made with Peppermint Schnapps, Hot Chocolate, and Whipped Cream.
Admire all of the picture-perfect cabins
The styles of the cabins sprinkled throughout the property get me every time. They look as if they were plucked straight out of a fairytale!
You won’t be able to resist posing for a few photos in front of the front entrances, especially when the roofs are covered with thick snow!
Warm up around your in-room, wood-burning fireplace
If you’re looking for a cozy cabin to snuggle up in, you’ve come to the right place!
Emerald Lake Lodge offers 24 chalet-style cabin buildings of various room categories, designed to reflect the traditional architecture of the lodge. Rooms feature private baths, balconies, cozy feather duvets and pillows, and in-room coffee makers.
And the best part – rooms feature beautiful wood-burning fieldstone fireplaces that are stocked daily with complimentary firewood. Such a brilliant feature that we really enjoyed! Relaxing to the crackling sounds of the fireplace is a memory we’ll never forget.
One of my favorite things about Emerald Lake Lodge is that they are pet-friendly (score!). Being able to bring Lila with me on a getaway definitely makes the experience that much better.
Tip: Emerald Lake Lodge offers a limited number of pet-friendly rooms. These rooms must be booked by calling in (1-800-663-6336).
Enjoy some delicious dining and quality time together
Emerald Lake Lodge features some truly fabulous dining. Foodies, rejoice!
The dining room, lounge and bar at Emerald Lake Lodge offers Canadian Rocky Mountain Resort’s famed Rocky Mountain Cuisine. The roots of the creative menu offerings speak of hearty meals prepared by European mountain guides and Victorian cooking from the early CPR rail cars.
Their award-winning wine list features over 400 local and international selections. I also loved their cocktail list!
The highlight of Emerald Lake Lodge’s culinary scene is definitively Mount Burgess Dining Room, offering a warm atmosphere with large windows and stunning mountains views. Here, Chef Valerie Morrison’s seasonal menu consists of free-range elk, bison and caribou, along with seafood, pasta and a sophisticated array of desserts.
Tip: I ordered the free-range chicken for dinner and the grapefruit trifle for desert (seasonal), and I’m still dreaming of both! Their soups are also fantastic, as is their banana bread french toast (made with toasted walnuts and maple mascarpone).
Mount Burgess Dining Room Hours of Operation
Breakfast: Open daily: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (Breakfast buffet available Saturday & Sunday)
Dinner: Sunday to Thursday: 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Friday to Saturday: 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Contact the restaurant at 1-250-343-6321 to make a reservation.
Learn more about the dining options at Emerald Lake Lodge here.
Take in a sunset from one of the many beautiful viewpoints
We didn’t experience any vibrant sunsets during our visit this time; each day had super clear, perfect bluebird skies, which was beautiful in itself.
However, I’ve seen some fantastic sunsets here in the past, and it’s always worth staking out a spot at one of the many beautiful viewpoints around the property to watch the shadows change across the mountains as the sun goes down and the stars come out.
One of my all-time favorite views in the Canadian Rockies is taken from this section of water looking out at the Cilantro restaurant (pictured above). I get asked all the time on my Instagram account if this “cabin” is able to be rented 🙂
Spoiler: Our perfect, clear, bluebird skies made for some fantastic astro night photography – keep on reading!
Make s’mores around the outdoor fire pit
Emerald Lake Lodge offers a large outdoor firepit to enjoy, complete with beautiful mountain views!
You can purchase the fixings to make s’mores at the main lodge and use their roasting sticks to cook up everyone’s favorite treat.
This is a truly memorable experience you won’t want to miss – it feels like winter camping, but you can go into your cabin and warm up whenever you’re ready!
We enjoyed ours under the stars, but this experience would be memorable anytime of the day.
Watch the stars come out
If you’re into night / astro photography, there are opportunities aplenty at Emerald Lake Lodge!
The warm light from CIlantro and the cabins makes a perfect backdrop for a long exposure to capture the stars twinkling overhead. (For this shot, Glenn ran onto the bridge and light-painted the trees using a flashlight when I took this photo, for a really cool effect)
I guarantee you’ll adore your experience at Emerald Lake Lodge! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime getaway opportunity.
I’ve rounded up some great promotions that Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts is currently running at Emerald Lake Lodge and their other awesome properties, so you can save yourself a bit of cash! Check them out below:
- Stay 2 nights, get the 3rd night free
- Stay 3 nights, get the 4th free
- Book now, pay now to get 15% off your stay
- Bed & Breakfast package (includes one night accommodaton and breakfast for two)
- Gourmet getaway package (includes 1 night accommodation, breakfast and dinner for two – room rate 40% off when booking this special)
Disclaimer: Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts were generous enough to sponsor all elements of this getaway. However, as always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. I will continue to promote only properties, destinations, products and services that I truly believe in and would recommend to others. Thanks to CRMR for making this experience possible!
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Questions or questions about Emerald Lake Lodge or the entire Yoho National Park area? I’d love to hear from you – just leave me a comment below!
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