Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
morethan5,000animalandplantspecimensattheBanffParkMuseum,whichrepresented
an almost complete collection of wildlife found in the park when first established in 1895.
The visitor information center on downtown Banff Avenue disperses information on area
lodging, dining, and shopping, as well as the performing arts center, museums, and park
attractions.
2. Banff Upper Hot Springs
Banff has been a tourist destination since its inception in the 1880s when railroad workers
first staked a claim to nearby hot springs, now open for visitors as the Cave and Basin Na-
tional Historic Site. Boardwalk trails lead throughthe surroundingwoodsandmarshes, but
no bathing is permitted. To “take the waters” year-round like the 19th-century bathers who
flocked to the region, head south along Mountain Avenue to the Banff Upper Hot Springs,
the highest in Canada. Pressure from the Sulphur Mountain thrust fault jets 116°F water
5,200feetabovesealevel,whichflowsintoresortlikepoolssetintothealpineterrain.Look
for the tiny, endangered Banff Springs snail, the most at-risk species in the park, clinging
to algae and bacterial mats at the water's surface.
Ashortdistancefarther,theBanffGondolawhisksvisitorstothetopofSulphurMoun-
tain for hiking, an interpretive walkway, and rocky observation points offering 360° views
of six mountain ranges.
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