Banff National Park, AB
A full-day valley hike to Lake Annette and Giant Steps waterfall.
Overview
Near Giant Steps, the path drops about 100 m to Paradise Creek. The water spreads across broad, unusually flat rock slabs, making this a more distinctive stop than a single plunge over a ledge. The descent means a climb back out before the long return. Give yourself time here rather than treating the falls as a quick turnaround; from the creek you can see the glacial valley and the high wall of peaks along the continental divide.
Parkwolf’s verdictThe waterfall is the payoffMap & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Banff National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Banff audio tourRecorded for this area
Walking on Water“The little insects skating across a pond are using a property of the water itself. Water molecules pull toward one another, creating surface tension that can support a water strider's weight.”
Plays on the road 1.6 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“…Loved the commentary as you drove thru. I’m sure the app can do more than I know but the tips were very helpful. I’m gonna use it when we go to Banff next month.”
Trail guide
Paradise Valley and Giant Steps is a long out-and-back day hike from the Paradise Valley Trailhead on Moraine Lake Road. The best-supported full itinerary is about 19.6 km (12.2 mi) round trip: roughly 9.8 km into the valley to Giant Steps, then back the same way. Plan on 7–8 hours. It starts under conifers, follows Paradise Creek over a string of wooden bridges, passes Lake Annette below Mount Temple, and continues through larch and pine to the stepped waterfall. Go all the way if you want a proper day in the valley; Lake Annette makes a good shorter turnaround.
There’s no private-car access on Moraine Lake Road. Day hikers need a Paradise Valley access pass from the Lake Louise Park and Ride and travel by Parks Canada shuttle. The shuttle runs seasonally, so confirm current access and return service before planning. Don’t count on parking at the trailhead. Leave enough time for the ride back after a long hike.
The first roughly 3 km climb gently through dense conifer forest. Views open at the first bridge over Paradise Creek, with Mount Temple ahead, and the trail crosses the creek several more times on wooden bridges. A short, steeper rise through the trees brings you to Lake Annette. It sits beneath Mount Temple, whose summit reaches 3,544 m. The lake is named for Annette Astley, whose husband managed the early Lake Louise chalet.
Lake Annette marks the start of the subalpine larch zone. From here the trail keeps climbing gently through mixed larch and pine. About a kilometre beyond the lake, a gap in the trees gives you a distant view of Giant Steps and the mountains at the head of the valley. In late September, the larch needles turn gold; that color is a real payoff, but shoulder-season snow and ice can complicate the route.
A Horseshoe Meadows return loop is also described, crossing glacial outflows and opening mountain views. Its exact junction and current line are less clear than the main corridor, so this route entry uses the out-and-back and doesn’t rely on that alternative. Confirm a current map before choosing the loop.
Wildlife
123 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
150 sightingsBrown BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
44 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
12 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
69 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
466 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateLake Annette Trail11.4 km · 4 hr · At the trailheadFollow Paradise Creek to a lake beneath Mount Temple.
ChallengingSentinel Pass from Paradise Valley Trail28.4 km · 9.5 hr · At the trailheadA long climb to the saddle above the Ten Peaks.
ChallengingMoraine Lake Highline Trail9.3 km · 4 hr · 0.9 km awayA rugged one-way traverse to Moraine Lake below Mount Temple.
EasyLouise Creek Trail2.4 km · 1 hr · 3 km awayA short creek path linking the Bow River and Tramline trails.
ModerateGreat Divide Trail at Lake Louise19.6 km · 6.5 hr · 3.3 km awayA long, gentle return along former Highway 1A into Yoho.
ChallengingDevil’s Thumb Trail12.1 km · 6.5 hr · 3.6 km awayTwo lakes, one rocky summit, and a steep, unmarked finish.
ChallengingFairview Mountain Trail10 km · 5.5 hr · 3.7 km awayA steep larch climb to an exposed summit above Lake Louise
ModerateLake Agnes Trail7.8 km · 3 hr · 3.7 km awayThree alpine lakes and a historic tea house beneath sharp peaks.
Campground · 1.7 km awayLake Louise Hard-sided CampgroundRV base with electric sites near Lake Louise; trains run nearby.
Campground · 2.4 km awayLake Louise Soft-sided CampgroundA fenced, unserviced tent base for Lake Louise outings.
Picnic area · 2.4 km awayCorral Creek Picnic AreaTables and outhouses make a useful Bow Valley Parkway pause.
Sight · 3.1 km awayMorant’s CurveA river, railway curve and high peaks in one frame.
Visitor center · 3.4 km awayLake Louise Visitor CentreGet local advice and shuttle options before heading to the lake.
Sight · 3.8 km awayFairview LookoutA steep climb pays off with Lake Louise and the Chateau
Sight · 3.9 km awayLake LouiseGo early for turquoise water beneath Victoria Glacier.
Lodging · 3.9 km awayFairmont Chateau Lake LouiseSleep beside Lake Louise, with a glacier-facing path at the door.Parkwolf’s Banff ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
