A secluded, ecologically sensitive valley between the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake basins, beneath the north face of Mount Temple. Paradise Creek flows through the valley; Paradise Valley parking is on Moraine Lake Road. The valley is framed by glaciated peaks: Mount Aberdeen (3,152 m), Haddo Peak (3,070 m), and Sheol Mountain (2,779 m).

History. Samuel Allen “put the valley on the map” in 1894. He first named it Wastach (Stoney Nakoda for “Beautiful”) but, after exploring the wildflowers and hanging glaciers, changed it to Paradise Valley. From Sentinel Pass he named the Valley of the Ten Peaks, using Stoney numerals (Heejee through Wenkchemna). The Alpine Club of Canada held its 1907 Annual Camp here; Elizabeth Parker called it the “altar and hearthstone” of the club. The CPR’s Swiss guides favoured Paradise Valley as an alpine excursion; Edward Feuz Jr. and Rudolf Aemmer cut the trails still walked today. The Giant Steps are quartzite ledges; unlike typical fault-line waterfalls, resistant rock fractures into blocky “stairs,” a descriptive name that stuck in early 20th-century guidebooks.

Landmarks. Lake Annette 5.7 km one-way, 345 m gain (reflection of Mount Temple); Horseshoe Meadow 8 km (historic campsite); Giant Steps 10.3 km, 385 m (cascading rock-ledge waterfalls resembling oversized stairs); Paradise Backcountry Camp Pa10 10.6 km (reservable tent sites). The Giant Steps are the primary aesthetic draw.

Connectivity. Paradise to Lake Louise via Sheol/Paradise Connector and Saddleback Pass. Paradise to Moraine Lake via Sentinel Pass. The Horseshoe Loop combines multiple high-altitude connectors; a strenuous day for experienced alpine travelers; vehicle shuttle typically required between parking areas.

Bear management. High grizzly activity. Pa10 was relocated in the 1990s from Horseshoe Meadow to lower-quality habitat near the Giant Steps to separate humans and bears. Group access and bear spray required. See Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Trail Systems for full details.