Crescent Falls — Local services in Alberta

Crescent Falls, located 22 km west of Nordegg, is a great option for those who want to see an easy-to-access waterfall without the crowds of the Banff/Lake Louise/Kananaskis areas. I had been here a few years ago in the summer and recall a stairwell just off the parking lot that took you directly to the falls. The site has since been upgraded with a safer stairway that leads to a viewing area. However, you have to venture out on a small hike of 0.9km from the parking lot to the waterfalls (average time of 16 minutes one way). They say it's a moderate to expert skill level but I'm more of a beginner to novice when it comes to hiking and I found it manageable. The signage is well placed. Halfway there, you can take a turnoff to Isaac's Ice Climb (also known as Isaac's Wet Dream) where you could climb an ice fall (or watch others doing so). However, on this Thursday afternoon at the end of January, I was the only person out here! I wanted to see the waterfall in a frozen state. To me, these look even more beautiful than waterfalls in the summer!

The hike was a good workout as there are many hills to climb. The stream water was frozen into a beautiful cloudy yellow/green color. The signage could've been better once you hit the parking lot area. It took me a while to figure out that the falls were on the other side of the parking lot! The trail just comes to a dead end, except for the horse trail.

The newly renovated stairway structure seemed more imposing than the old stairway but safer, so kids could access the waterfalls easier. The frozen falls were quite the sight to behold! You can see and hear water flowing beneath the ice, and at some points, opened up completely into small pools. It was breathtaking, viewing the falls from the various levels of...

If you are up in the area .. it’s a short drive off Hwy 11 … worth the stop … pack a lunch stay a while … very relaxing … we visited on a Friday Oct 1, therefore not busy at all … if you have small children or difficulty walking you can use the drop off close to the falls … and then park above in the designated parking area which has bathrooms… the drive down to that section for small cars could be difficult to navigate .. in a truck no issues and the walk up is literally up that road .. it seems like weekends especially in summer it’s very busy … for us it was a wonderful autumn day with only a few visitors so we just parked down below and enjoyed the beauty of these falls … yes, in the shape of a crescent … very beautiful and nice to meander up the river and enjoy the sights … the campsites are very close to the river, small but very nice and depending on what you are camping in could be difficult to get to as you actually drive through the stream to get to the ...

Update, RIP to crescent falls, one of my previously favourite spots. Alberta Parks has gone and eviscerated this formerly pristine and naturally beautiful environment with a structural steel and wooden eyesore, in the name of safety, I believe. Now, instead of a quiet place that’s moderately challenging to access, it’s been overrun by throngs of lazy and physically inept people who can easily and conveniently tromp down the stairs to the viewing platforms. I get that it’s sad that some people fell over the edge and died, but is this really the answer? Are we going to storm in with engineering controls every time nature claims a life? I want to know how many millions of taxpayer funds went into this dubious project. I can’t help but feel it would be better spent educating the ignorant on respecting the forces of nature they’ll encounter in...