Cave and Basin National Historic Site

About Cave and Basin National Historic Site

The Cave and Basin is where Banff National Park began. Three Canadian Pacific Railway workers found the hot springs in 1883 and the federal government's decision to protect them led directly to the creation of Canada's first national park in 1885.

The springs themselves are no longer accessible for bathing due to a rare snail species that lives in the thermal water, but the cave and the original basin pool are viewable and the interpretive exhibits tell the origin story of the park in enough depth to be genuinely engaging. The building itself dates to 1914 and the architecture reflects the ambitions of the early national parks movement.

Budget 90 minutes to do it properly. The Discovery Trail boardwalk that loops through the surrounding wetland is the most underrated part of the site. The thermal water creates a microclimate that supports species not found elsewhere in the park, and the interpretive signage on the boardwalk is well-written and specific.