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Hot Springs in the Canadian Rockies
There is a mystical allure to hot springs. They offer a sense of sanctity which inspires calm and relaxation. One of the best ways to kick back and blow off the world, the mineral hot springs of the Canadian Rockies offer soothing to the muscles of visitors after a day of adventure in the mountains.
The Canadian Rockies have been synonymous with natural hot springs ever since their discovery by railway workers in the late 1800's. The discovery of natural hot springs, with their perceived healing powers, was crucial to the development of many of the region’s tourist destinations.
One of the first major hot spring discoveries was just outside of Banff in what is known as the ‘Cave and Basin’. Developments at the Cave and Basin began the year after the reserve was proclaimed and in 1887, bathhouses were installed and a tunnel was blasted to reach the cave. An expansion conducted between 1912 and 1914 at a cost of $200,000 made the Cave and Basin the largest swimming pool in Canada at the time. Due to unfortunate natural decay and amidst many efforts to save the swimming facility, the Cave and Basin was permanently closed in 1994. While swimming is a thing of the past, a Centennial Centre that was erected at a cost of $12 million in 1985 draws more than 600,000 visitors annually and is the trailhead for several of Banff National Park’s most popular hiking trails. You must pay a fee to enter the Cave and Basin complex, but you may walk the trails free of charge. If swimming is a must for your trip to Banff, the Upper Hot Springs located just minutes from Banff Springs Hotel and a short walk from the Rimrock Resort hotel is Banff’s most frequented hot pool.
Of the developed hot springs in the Rockies, Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park are by far the hottest, averaging nearly 54 degrees Celsius. They are also the highest in dissolved mineral content and the most pungent in sulphur odour. These springs were well known to natives, traders of the Hudson’s Bay Company and early settlers. However, it was miners who began development between 1910 and 1919. The full development of the springs took place in 1937 with the current bathing facility built in 1986. While visiting Miette Hot Springs, the Sulphur Skyline trail is recommended to strong hikers who have half a day to obtain a splendid view of remote valleys in Jasper’s front ranges. A less strenuous outing is to walk the Miette Hot Springs boardwalk to the hot springs outlets. Be sure to bring your camera, you may see bighorn sheep and mule deer at the hot springs parking lot.
The Columbia Valley also offers a variety of hot spring experiences – from rustic to full-blown spas. The two largest and most popular are Radium Hot Springs and Fairmont Hot Springs. Both facilities offer a large cool pool as well as the traditional hot pools that work wonders on tired, aching muscles and joints. Both facilities also feature exciting new additions. Radium recently opened a 4,000 square foot spa located in the basement of the heritage pools building. Massage, reflexology, Shiatsu and more are offered in this great new addition. Fairmont has also added an attraction in the form of a spillway pool, located at the base of the hill where the hot pool is located. The Fairmont pools offer bathers stunning views of the chiseled Fairmont Range of the Rockies, and at sunset, spectacular views of the gently rolling foothills of the Purcell Mountains to the west.
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