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Paradise Valley & the Giant Steps
Brief Description:
This trail loops through an entire valley providing great scenery and a variety of landscapes, from an old-growth forest and alpine meadows to rocky talus slope. The Giant Steps waterfall is a nice highlight.
Trail Access:
The trailhead is located a five minute drive up the Moraine Lake road from Lake Louise Drive.
Detailed Trail Information
| Duration | Distance | Level of Difficulty | Elevation Gain |
| full day | 18 km / 11 mi loop | difficult | 396 m / 1300 ft |
The Paradise trail begins with a long forested section that opens up for short glimpses of the creek and the surrounding mountains. The loop begins partway in and starting on the right hand side of the valley. Following the right hand side keeps the hiker mainly in the forest until the Giant Steps waterfall. The falls cascade over giant square blocks of dark pink quartzite and make a good lunch stop.
After the falls, the trail crosses alpine meadows below the Horseshoe Glacier and then climbs up onto the opposite side of the valley. From this higher ground, the views remain good. Look for pikas in the rocky talus and marmots in the open meadow. The hanging glacier on Mt. Temple looms overhead. Eventually the trail begins its descent towards Lake Annette and the junction with the original trail. This section includes an open larch forest that can be beautiful when the larch needles turn gold in mid to late September.
This area is also great grizzly bear habitat and may have a warning posted or a trail restriction requiring hikers to hike in tight groups of six people or more. A warning means that a bear has been frequenting the area regularly. The trail restriction is there to protect both hikers and bears. Be sure to hike bear aware and take precautions to prevent encounters on the trail.
Trail Information Courtesy Of: Great Divide Nature Interpretation
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