A parking assist apparatus includes a guidance mode setting portion specifying a forward turning guidance controlling portion to perform a control when determining that a direct guidance control for driving a vehicle rearward to a target parking position without once driving the vehicle forward is unachievable. The forward turning guidance controlling portion includes an auxiliary guidance controlling device generating an auxiliary guidance path and driving the vehicle rearward by an automatic steering along the auxiliary guidance path and a guidance possibility determining device determining whether or not the vehicle is directly guided rearward to the target parking position based on a position and a steering angle of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving forward by a manual steering. The forward turning guidance controlling portion includes a final guidance controlling device guiding the vehicle to the target parking position.