500 million years old fossil, incredible views – the Burgess Shale hike is mindblowing in a number of ways
Off Track Travel has a piece about the Burgess Shale. Located in Yoho National Park in British Columbia, Canada, the Burgess Shale is one of the most important fossil localities ever discovered. The post is a guide to taking a tour of the famous site.
I was in Walcott Quarry, considered to be a paleontologist’s treasure trove. The Burgess Shale rock formation here contains some of the rarest and most exceptionally well preserved fossils in the world.
Accessible by guided hike only, we recently had the opportunity to visit the Burgess Shale with Parks Canada. We were joined by our good friends Leigh and John, both of whom have a geology background. Leigh is also the blogger and outdoor adventurer behind HikeBikeTravel.
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Parks Canada runs Walcott Quarry guided hikes from mid June to early September each year. The 2021 operating season is 12th June to 6th September.
Reservations are required. Reservations usually open in January each year.
In 2021, however, Walcott Quarry reservations will open on 13th April at 8am MDT. Reservations can be made by phone (1-877-737-3783) or online. The reservation fee is $13.50/party by phone and $11.50/party online.
Guided hike prices for 2021 are:
- Adult $70.00
- Senior (64+) $59.50
- Youth (8-16) $35.00
Children under 8 are not allowed to join this guided hike.
All hike participants must have a valid National Parks pass (day use or Discovery Pass). This must be obtained at least one day before the tour since there is nowhere to buy one in person before the 7am start time!
