Classic Hikes in the Canadian RockiesGraeme Pole
Walking guide
Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies
Graeme Pole · 2011
Well-regarded guide to the Rockies' best day hikes and backpacks, including Johnston Canyon and Yoho Valley routes.
Canada · Canadian Rockies, British Columbia
Takakkaw Falls
Its Cree-derived name simply means 'it is magnificent,' an apt description for one of Canada's tallest waterfalls, fed by meltwater pouring off the Daly Glacier above. A short, steep trail from the parking area reaches a spray-soaked viewpoint at the base.
UNESCO World HeritageOne of Canada's tallest waterfalls Essentials guide
Checked September 2026 by David Bussell
Takakkaw Falls drops 373 metres (1,224 ft) on the Daly Glacier meltwater, inside Yoho National Park. It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Field, with YYC the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
As a plunge waterfall, water leaves the rock entirely and falls free through the air.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Takakkaw Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Field are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forCampingHikingPhotography
When to go
Fed directly by the Daly Glacier, it's fullest on warm summer afternoons and can be reduced or frozen outside Jun-Sep.
Entry: Park entry pass required
Getting there
- Base town Field
- Airport YYC
- Country Canada
- Region Canadian Rockies, British Columbia, Northern North America, North America
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Takakkaw Falls
Canada
Height373 mWidth—
Most similar
Crabtree Falls (Nelson County)
United States
Height366 mWidth—
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in the United States
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
108 m
330 m
366 m
373 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerCrabtree Falls (Nelson County)Takakkaw FallsAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 2.6× taller than Takakkaw Falls. It drops 3.5× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Takakkaw Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Takakkaw Falls
6:22
4:00
4:31
Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
Books worth packing
Walking guide
Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies: The Opinionated Hiking Guide (6th edition)
Kathy and Craig Copeland · 2009
Opinionated hiking guide rating Rockies trails, handy for picking day hikes beyond the busy falls boardwalks.
Lonely Planet Banff, Jasper and Glacier…Lonely Planet
Guidebook
Lonely Planet Banff, Jasper and Glacier National Parks
Lonely Planet · 2024
Latest Lonely Planet Rockies guide covering the Icefields Parkway, Johnston Canyon and Yoho's Takakkaw Falls.
Guidebook
Moon Canadian Rockies: With Banff & Jasper National Parks
Andrew Hempstead · 2022
Banff-based author's Rockies guide with Yoho, the Icefields Parkway and Johnston Canyon, plus lodging and road-trip plans.
On the map
51.5002, -116.4735
Quick answers
Where is Takakkaw Falls?
Takakkaw Falls is in Canada (Canadian Rockies, British Columbia), inside Yoho National Park. The nearest base is Field and the closest airport is YYC. Its coordinates are 51.5002, -116.4735.
How tall is Takakkaw Falls?
Takakkaw Falls drops 373 metres (1,224 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall on the Daly Glacier meltwater.
When is the best time to visit Takakkaw Falls?
Peak flow is June to August. Fed directly by the Daly Glacier, it's fullest on warm summer afternoons and can be reduced or frozen outside Jun-Sep.
What can you do at Takakkaw Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: camping, hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
Is Takakkaw Falls a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Yes. Takakkaw Falls lies within a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Yoho National Park. Expect park fees, marked trails and rules on where you can walk, swim and fly drones.
How do you get to Takakkaw Falls?
The usual base is Field, and the closest airport is YYC. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there. Park entry pass required.
Nearby
Closest to Takakkaw Falls
Bow Glacier Falls
Canada · 17 km away
Bow Glacier Falls is located near Banff, AB. The falls originates from meltwater from the Bow Glacier and…
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Wapta Falls is a waterfall of the Kicking Horse River located in Yoho National Park in British Columbia…
Full guide Johnston Canyon Falls
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Ice climbing
Bow Falls
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Bow Falls is a major waterfall on the Bow River, Alberta just before the junction of it and the Spray River.…