The three men saw an opportunity to make some money and set out to find out how to get rights to develop the area. Over the next two years, surveyors came to have a look and eventually the Federal Government bought the land. The Rocky Mountain National Park was founded and people started coming west to visit the thermal spas. The Rocky Mountain National Park, later known as the Banff National Park, is the first and oldest National Park in Canada; the third in the world after Yellowstone National Park in the USA, and the Royal National Park in Australia.
The cave and thermal pool that was discovered in the Canadian Rockies eventually became known as the Cave and Basin. It is located within walking distance of Banff town centre or the Banff Springs Hotel. This attraction was closed down for renovations, but recently opened again in the Spring of 2013.
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| The Cave |
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| The hole where the railway workers entered the cave |
One of the main renovations to the Cave and Basin is that the former thermal swimming pool was bricked over to create a courtyard with a movie screen at one end. The decision to close the pool was made in part to the fact that people from all over the world were coming to Calgary for the Calgary Winter Olympic Games in 1988. As a result, a lot of hotels in Banff, Alberta built their own pools. Also the hot springs in Banff are hotter than the thermal pool at the Cave and Basin. So the pool was closed for good in 1994. Just outside of the courtyard is the Basin, a small thermal pool that is home to a rare and endangered snail. You are not allowed to touch the water, but our guide was nice enough to fill a bucket so that we could feel the temperature of the water. Entrance fees to the Cave and Basin are: Adult: $3.90; Senior: $3.40; Youth: $1.90
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| The Basin |
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| The Courtyard |
If you get the chance to visit Banff, Alberta, Canada, be sure to visit the Cave and Basin, National Historic Site. It is very interesting.
~Angie
