Parking
Parks Canada directs hikers to transit to the Paradise Valley trailhead. The limited Paradise Valley shuttle seats are first come, first served; the small parking area can fill early. Use designated parking only.
Overview
About Sentinel Pass from Paradise Valley Trail
Why go
- Crosses Lake Annette before opening to two distinct alpine valley views.
- The pass and Minnestimma Lakes make a memorable high-country payoff.
Heads up
- A very long return with 1,160 m of climbing.
- Steep loose scree and fading tread make the upper route demanding.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,726–2,586 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area closedJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, because construction work requires protecting public and workers’ safety.Official details
- ClosureBaker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds closed to campingCamping is prohibited at Baker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds through December 1, 2026, because a grizzly bear entered campsites and investigated tents and gear; the closures reduce risk to…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Sentinel Pass from Paradise Valley Trail, narrated.
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 Water0:00 / 0:31
“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
- The Tiny Teeth on a Moss Capsule
- Ice Beneath the Boulders
- Lake Louise Campgrounds: Choose the Right Section
- The Sea Duck in the Mountains
- 185 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 162 trails, 90 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…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
Hiking Sentinel Pass from Paradise Valley Trail
The full dayThis is an out-and-back from the Paradise Valley trailhead, over Sentinel Pass and down into…
This is an out-and-back from the Paradise Valley trailhead, over Sentinel Pass and down into Larch Valley before returning along the same route. Parks Canada lists 14.2 km one way, so plan on 28.4 km (17.6 miles) total and 9 to 10 hours for the return hike. The route gets harder as it climbs: forest and Lake Annette give way to open alpine slopes, then steep scree and boulders near the pass. It is a demanding day for experienced hikers, with a dramatic view into Paradise Valley on one side and the Ten Peaks on the other.
Getting to the startParks Canada directs hikers to transit to the Paradise Valley trailhead.
Parks Canada directs hikers to transit to the Paradise Valley trailhead. The limited Paradise Valley shuttle seats are first come, first served. The small parking area can fill early, so check the access plan before setting out and use designated parking only. There is no food service along the hike; bring what you need for a long day. The route recorded here turns back from Larch Valley. Moraine Lake is farther along that trail network, but reaching it makes a different, longer through-hike that needs its own transport plan.
Through Paradise ValleyThe first stretch climbs through spruce and fir forest on a broad dirt path.
The first stretch climbs through spruce and fir forest on a broad dirt path. Openings between the trees bring Mount Temple into view, and wooden bridges cross Paradise Creek. Lake Annette arrives about 5.6 km in, tucked beneath Temple’s north face. It is a striking place to pause, but the hard part is still ahead. From the lake, the route crosses rocky slopes and climbs into a high basin with views toward the peaks at the head of the valley.
Finding the upper routeThe path leaves the forest and becomes rougher as it crosses a rockslide and open alpine ground.
The path leaves the forest and becomes rougher as it crosses a rockslide and open alpine ground. Around 8 km, a branch leads to the Giant Steps waterfalls; that is a separate destination, so stay on the Sentinel Pass route. Above the junction, larches and rocky meadows lead toward the pass. The final approach is steep, with loose scree and boulder fields; the tread can fade and route-finding is required. Snow makes the line harder to follow, so turn around if you cannot confidently pick it out.
At Sentinel PassThe pass is a high saddle, about 2,611 m, between Mount Temple and Pinnacle Mountain.
The pass is a high saddle, about 2,611 m, between Mount Temple and Pinnacle Mountain. To the north, the route drops back toward Paradise Valley; to the south, the Ten Peaks rise above Minnestimma Lakes and the head of Larch Valley. The recorded line continues down from the saddle into Larch Valley before turning back. This is the route’s signature view: from the pass, frame the pinnacles and scree close by with the lakes and jagged skyline beyond.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
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.
