The Natural Bridge
Yoho National Park, British Columbia, BC, Canada
The Natural Bridge Canada Photography Location
This is undoubtedly one of our TOP 10 Spots to photograph in this lifetime! Go early when no one is there, and you can connect with nature like you never have before. It’s a spiritual place for some, and you feel connected to the Universe at this Photography Hot Spot.
The Natural Bridge is located in Canada’s Yoho National Park. One of our previously visited Hot Spots was Emerald Lake; However, several lakes exist in and throughout the Yoho National Park. The Natural Bridge spans the width of Emerald Lake! The Natural Bridge is just that; it is a solid mass of rock hewn by Mother Nature, utterly untouched by human hands or man’s machinery. Yoho comes from the Cree word for ‘awe and wonder.’ This pristine, unadulterated area can be found near the small village of Field, British Columbia. Field, B.C. offers breathtaking mountain scenery, plentiful wildlife, comfortable accommodations, world-class outdoor recreation, the perfect setting, and a photographer’s heaven.
Getting here
Highway 1, known as the Trans-Canada Highway, stretches 45 km through the heart of Yoho National Park, serving as the sole main route. Public transportation is unavailable, so most visitors use personal vehicles, with rentals offered in Golden, B.C., Banff, and Lake Louise, Alberta. Check 511 Alberta and DriveBC for road updates.
Air travel, Calgary and Vancouver are the nearest major airports, with connections to Cranbrook, 245 km south of Golden, B.C. Shuttles from Calgary head to Lake Louise near the park’s east entrance.
Limited sightseeing rail service is available; contact Rocky Mountaineer for more information.
The Natural Bridge Photography Information:
Plan to spend a whole lot of time at this location. Morning and late days are best, only to avoid the bus people. Yeah, we call them the bus people. It’s the main tourist attraction, and the people will get off the bus, walk right in front of your long exposure, and not even blink an eye. Bring your tripod and your neutral density filter for this fast-moving water.
Award-winning images can be taken at this location. This location will amaze you. We are still in awe over this spot, and it’s been a year since we were there. We run a photo tour here in June and help you get that award-winning shot—ExtraEyesPhotoTour.com. We are considering a fall tour to get the Northern Lights in our shots.
Plan to do a lot of photo stitching at this location. You can’t get back far enough. If you can afford a motion parallax tripod head, this is the time to buy one. If you can’t afford the more expensive ones, you can get the $100 version. That’s all you need, along with your ND filter, to get some award-winning shots.
Camera Settings
Manual Mode: You must use a tripod for your long-exposure running milky water shots. Your settings will vary depending on the lighting and the neutral density filter you use. A good ND filter is imperative. Do NOT go here without one.
You will shoot in manual mode for the milky waters. ISO is always 100 or as low as your camera will allow.
The aperture is f/22 or as high as it will go on your camera. Your shutter speed will vary depending on the light. Take some test shots to decide on your shutter speed after you put your neutral density filter on. (It’s like sunglasses for your camera to stop light from coming in).
Use your shutter release or your 2-second timer to prevent camera movement. Voila. You now have your milky water exposure. You want at least a 2-second exposure for running water. If you don’t have a neutral density filter, you may not get more than 1/15th of a second in the sun. Go to our store to buy your ND filter. We show you our absolute favorite filters that we use.
See our How to Shoot Waterfalls Page. It is a lot easier than you might think.
Banff Rocky Mountain Resort
This is where we stay when we go to the Canadian Rockies.
The Natural Bridge Park Information:
The Natural Bridge is in Field, British Columbia, Canada, on the road to Emerald Lake. There are no gates to this location, so it is always open.
YOHOO NATIONAL PARK
Visitor Centre
Trans-Canada Highway
Field, British Columbia V0A 1G0
Phone
1-250-343-6783
Email
yoho.info@pc.gc.ca
Restaurants Near The Natural Bridge
KICKING HORSE LOUNGE
Emerald Lake Lodge, 1 Emerald Lake Road, Field, Yoho National Park, British Columbia V0A 1G0 Canada
Kicking Horse Lounge offers a cozy and relaxing retreat with breathtaking mountain views. Enjoy a mixology-forward cocktail list with bold flavours and a seasonally-inspired menu of dishes that highlight the best Rocky Mountain cuisine.
Hours of Operation
Lounge • Open daily: 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Bar • Open daily: 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Hotel Information The Natural Bridge :
Banff Rocky Mountain Resort -1029 Banff Ave, Banff, AB T1L 1H8, Canada +1 403-762-5531
Make your reservation in the best resort in The Canadian Rockies. Reservations
This hotel offers outstanding service and immaculate, comfortable units. The Banff Rocky Mountain Resort is the perfect rocky mountain getaway for any traveler. They feature suites and condo-style accommodations in Banff National Park. This picturesque location has a dining room, a deli, tennis courts, health facilities, a swimming pool, squash courts, and conference facilities. Take your vacation to Banff and live the mountain lifestyle.
Field Hotels – For enjoyable, rustic and extremely comfortable accommodations, Field, British Columbia, has more than an adequate number of guest houses, guest cabins, and Inns for you to choose from. Below I have listed one that caught my interest. There is a hostel here that I stayed at. I was the only one in the room mid-week in June, so snoring was not part of the deal. The kitchen was clean, and it was a great place. I stayed at it twice in 2 weeks. I have listed the name below.
Canadian Rockies Inn – $125/185 (low/high season) Extra Guest $25 It’s been a while, so check for updated prices.
308 Stephen Ave, Field, BC V0A 1G0, Canada
Canadian Rockies Inn is exceptionally clean, comfortable, spacious and quiet. Our self-contained suites have king-sized beds and spectacular views of the surrounding mountain peaks. They have free Wi-Fi internet access in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. It’s best to book in advance here since they only have four rooms.
Contact :
Phone: 1 (250) 344-1546 Text Message friendly
Phone: 1 (250) 343-6046
Fireweed Hostel
313 Stephen Ave, Field, BC V0A 1G0, Canada
+1 250-343-6999
Where to Camp
Reserve your campsite here at the government website.
