Cave and Basin National Historic Site

The Cave and Basin National Historic Site in Banff, Alberta is a unique destination that offers a glimpse into the history and geology of the area. The interior of the cave is dominated by a circular pool, filled with warm spring water that bubbles up from the bottom and flows in from a stream. The water has a strong sulfur odor and is moderately high in mineral content, mostly sulfate, calcium, bicarbonate, and magnesium. The cave was once home to a rich collection of stalactites, but these have long since been snapped off by souvenir hunters. The Basin spring at the west end of the aquacourt is a highlight, with its warm, blue, and clear water, and bubbles and gas rising from the bottom.

Visitors can also explore the Discovery Trail, a wooden boardwalk that leads to the Pool springs, and the Marsh Trail, a loop across the swampy area between the hot springs and the Bow River, home to tropical fish including guppies, mosquitofish, sailfin molly, and jewelfish. The building houses exhibits, a gift shop, and a coffee shop, and the site is accessible to wheelchairs. Cave and Basin is open daily, with shorter hours in the winter, and admission is charged for the building, cave, basin, and exhibits. The Discovery and Marsh trails are free.

In 1996, biologists started studying the unique life in the springs, including a special species of snail called the Banff Springs Snail (Physella johnson). These snails are only found in one of the Middle springs and four of the springs at the Cave and Basin site, and are the most at-risk wildlife species in Banff National Park, classified as "threatened." The threat to their survival comes from human activity such as illegal swimming and bathing, which can break up the algae mats that the snails rely on for survival.

photos courtesy of Lynn Fontaine and Glenn Barrron