My Alberta Clipper

Perhaps the best part of the Cave and Basin Historic Site is the cave itself. You can go into the original small round cave through a low upward sloping tunnel and see the pool that started the fight over how to develop the area (resulting in the government's decision to form a park). But be careful not to touch the water, as it is home to an endangered snail species!

Having seen the start of Banff, we decided it would make sense to next see the second step in the development of this park area, another one of the great mountain lodges of North American, the Fairmont Banff Springs (built 1888).

Banff

	We opted to drive the "old road" 1A down to Banff, hoping to spot more wildlife (but with no luck, photo above). But the scenery continued as beautiful as ever. Upon reaching Banff, we quickly found the gondola (chair lift), but the line was too long for our taste, so we went to the Park Administration Building (left, housing Canada Place) and the lovely Cascade Gardens. Before too long, since downtown Banff was undergoing street construction, we decided to avoid the heavy traffic, check into our hotel (which had a parking lot), and walk around and do a bit of souvenir shopping.
But first, we did some sight-seeing at nearby locations. We spent an hour exploring the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, which is the "birthplace" of Banff National Park. It is an underground sulphur hot water pool, fed by natural springs, which inspired the creation of the park. The original building, where visitors would come for the water in the 1890s, has been nicely restored, and the grounds have been opened with a nature walk to the other (slightly smelly) pools in the vicinity.

	Perhaps the best part of the Cave and Basin Historic Site is the cave itself. You can go into the original small round cave through a low upward sloping tunnel and see the pool that started the fight over how to develop the area (resulting in the government's decision to form a park). But be careful not to touch the water, as it is home to an endangered snail species! Having seen the start of Banff, we decided it would make sense to next see the second step in the development of this park area, another one of the great mountain lodges of North American, the Fairmont Banff Springs (built 1888).
	This hotel looked like I expected it would: grandiose and elegant, majestic in its wonderful setting, with breath-taking views from its back loggias, and stunning dining rooms in a Scottish baronial design. At one point in its history, this was the largest hotel in the world. It was built under the direction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which played a large role in opening up this part of Canada.
Towering over everything in Banff is the enormous Rundle Mountain.