While laying track for the Pacific National Railway in 1883, some workman noticed steam rising from a fisure at Sulphur Mountain near present day Banff. Baffled, they decided to investigate. In a cave, they found sulfurous springs. Immediately, they built bathhouses near the springs.
An ownership dispute brought the federal government into the fray. In 1885, an order in council was passed, stating that the springs must be preserved for the “advantage of the public.” A 26-kilometer area surrounding the park was declared Hot Springs Reserve. Later, this area became Canada’s first national park – Rocky Mountain Park. In 1930, the name was changed once again to Banff National Park.
Present day Banff consists of over 6500 kilometers and is about half the size of Jasper National Park, which lies to the north. Banff adjoins Yoho and Kootenay Parks at its western boundary. These four national parks make up a World Heritage Site.
The combination of the parks has assured that endangered species have enough area to roam within the boundaries. For instance, the grizzly bear has begun to recover its numbers. There are between 190 and 200 grizzlies in Banff and Jasper alone. If visiting the area in spring or summer, you have a good chance of spotting these large creatures looking under rocks and logs along the remote roads within the park’s boundaries.
Waters that come from beneath Sulfur Mountain feed the hot springs that make Banff so popular. Surface water trickles two kilometers under the earth where it is heated by the earth’s core. Because it is under pressure, the steam is pushed through a fault in the rocks at the hot springs. A swimming pool, a stone bathhouse, which was erected in 1887, and the original stone structure of Cave and Basin are all open to the public.
Another place to rest a weary mind, body or soul is Upper Hot Springs. Warm water flows down Sulfur Mountain and creates a microclimate where lush vegetation can be enjoyed year round. The streams here very seldom freeze and birds that have given up migration call the hot springs home. Banff residents have also stocked the mountain stream with exotic species of fish that have thrived in the warm, humid climate. Here, a deck has been built into the marsh so visitors can watch the diverse wildlife in the wetland.
Banff’s glacial beauty is breathtaking. Long ago, during the last ice age, glaciers carved deep valleys and jagged peaks into the landscape. This picturesque scenery is what makes Banff so awesome. The melting ice still flows down the slope to feed the milky lakes and icy rivers. The best route to take to see this awe-inspiring site is the Bow Valley Parkway.
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