Panther Falls is a bit of a hidden gem very near the border between Banff and Jasper National Parks. An unassuming parking lot meant for Bridal Falls (which you can see across the valley) with very few signs hides an absolutely amazing waterfall right below your feet!
Once in the parking lot, you can take a walk to the left to find some raging rapids that lead to the very top of Panther Falls. Be careful walking around here, as a lot of the ground is uneven. When you get to the edge of the falls, the rocks slope down to certain death if you were to fall.
Once you’re done here, cross over the large parking lot to the right hand side to find a small trail to lead to the falls. This is an easy, short trail that should only take around 5-10 minutes. After the first switchback, head straight into the forest on a fainter trail instead of continuing down. You’ll pass through a small, rocky outcrop, after which you can shimmy around a cliff to get right up close to the top of the falls! Be careful here as well, because the ground slopes downward and is also covered in loose gravel!
When you’re finished taking in the views, you can backtrack to the main trail and follow the switchbacks down. Despite some logs and a boulder or two, it’s an easy walk through the forest along some cliff bases. After a few minutes, you’ll turn the corner and be confronted with the roaring falls. Be prepared to get wet by the spray! If you get there earlier in the morning on a sunny day, you’ll also be greeted by bright rainbows!
You might be tempted to head even further down to try to cross the river for a closer look at Bridal Falls. It’s not maintained past this point, and the river is raging harder than it looks. It’s better not to risk it unless you are very experienced in that kind of travel and self rescue.
