WALCOTT QUARRY
Yoho National Park
Field
Lake Louise
Burgess Shale Fossil Guided Hikes
Banff
MOUNT STEPHEN 93S
Kootenay National Park
STANLEY GLACIER Radium Hot Springs
Parks Canada offers guided hikes to three unique Burgess Shale locations in the mountains of Yoho and Kootenay national parks. Collect them all! Receive a souvenir pin on your Burgess Shale adventure.
Learn more! The Burgess Shale Online Exhibit on Google Arts & Culture provides an easy-to-understand introduction to the Burgess Shale. For more information or to book a hike: parks.canada.ca/burgessshale 1-888-773-8888 reservation.pc.gc.ca or 1-877-RESERVE (1-877-737-3783)
Mount Stephen: Stone bugs galore
Stanley Glacier: Kootenay fossils revealed
Explore everything trilobite. Journey through steep terrain and discover more fossils than you believed possible! This historic site is where railway workers reported finding ‘stone bugs’ in the 1880s.
Experience the ancient links to modern life on this familyfriendly hike. Travel through fire-swept forest and get up close to the Stanley Glacier, learn about new fossils discoveries being unearthed in nearby quarries.
DIFFICULTY
DISTANCE
ELEVATION
DURATION
DIFFICULTY
DISTANCE
ELEVATION
DURATION
Difficult
9 km
795 metres
7.5 hours
Moderate
10 km
385 metres
7.5 hours
Walcott Quarry: Classic expedition
Guided hikes run from June - September.
Start at the spectacular Takakkaw Falls and enjoy views of Emerald Lake from high in the mountains. Learn about the weird and wonderful Burgess Shale creatures, how they were fossilized and came to be found at the top of a mountain.
Small group sizes allow for plenty of opportunities to ask questions about geology or the local plants and animals.
DIFFICULTY
DISTANCE
ELEVATION
DURATION
Difficult
22 km
825 metres
11 hours
Due to the length and difficulty, not all hikes are suitable for all ages. Children and youth up to 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Please refer to website for more details.