Cave and Basin National Historic Site

The Birthplace Of Canada'S National Park System, Where Hot Springs Were Found In 1883 By Railway Workers, With A Cave, A Basin Pool, Boardwalks, A Museum, A Marsh Trail With Rare Banff Springs Snails And A Story Of Indigenous And Settler History. A Short Historic Stop In Banff · Banff, Alberta

Cave and Basin National Historic Site stands at the foot of Sulphur Mountain, about 2 km south-west of Banff townsite, and is regarded as the birthplace of the national park system of Canada. Railway workers found the warm sulphur springs here in 1883 (confirm), a dispute over who owned them led the government to set the area aside in 1885, and from that reserve grew Banff National Park. Visitors can step into the steamy cave through a tunnel, look down into the old basin pool, walk the marsh boardwalk where the rare Banff springs snail still lives, and read the exhibits that tell the stories of the Stoney Nakoda and other Indigenous peoples, early tourism and the people who worked at the pools. It is a compact, thoughtful stop of one to two hours that pairs well with the trails, the Bow River, the town shops and the hot springs on the mountain above, and it suits all ages and every season.

Cave and Basin National Historic Site, at the foot of Sulphur Mountain on Cave Avenue about 2 km south-west of Banff townsite; coordinates approximate, Banff, Alberta, Canada

The site is generally open daily in summer from about 9:30 to 6 and on a shorter schedule, with some closed days, from autumn to spring (confirm hours and closed days for the season). The cave, basin and exhibits are indoors, while the Marsh Boardwalk and trails outside stay open in daylight. Parts of the cave can close without notice for maintenance, rockfall or wildlife protection, and the site closes early on some holidays. Check the Parks Canada page the day before you visit.

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