Cave and Basin National Historic Site — Attraction in Alberta

Best priced exhibit in Banff It’s Free with your “Park Pass” as in it’s free at the door!!!! In a town where every thing seems to cost more then you expect. This is a Must see on everyone’s bucket list!!!! The museum is built around the primary exhibit and it is the only place in the world to see what is here in person!!! The main hall has a streaming video playing across three full wall screens with different visual content related to the audio (making for the opportunity for my nine year old to want to see it three times) along with other full sized displays discussing the history of the site.

Pro: Having rediscovered this place as an Adult from a longing to see it again from memories of seeing it as a child it will now be a “Benchmark experience” EVERY trip back to Banff!!!!

There truly is no other place anywhere like it!!!!!!!

Con: With children it is quite the hike from parking to the museum door. Average adult not to bad. Senior will definitely want to use the Drop Off Loop however the driver will still have to make the hike.

Pro: The gift shop is an entirely different building then the museum, and thus with children you don’t have to “EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP”

Con: They keep bankers hours so go earlier in the day as they close early even on a Saturday

Pro: Lots of Parking, Even to use the area as a starting point for hikers.

Con: It is NOT (for most people) walking distance from the downtown core area, or really any thing other then the Stables (horseback) Thus parking twice to see this and any thing else... but on/at this site it’s not to bad to get a spot.

Three years since I first wrote this and still my...

Loved everything about it! Visitors center has great exhibits and friendly staff. Marsh boardwalk is lovingly done and informative. Hiking trails are well marked and easy to follow with one exception. (More later. Read on...) The hiking is first class - past turquoise water with canoes, close to forests where humans are not allowed to enter, down paths alive with fauna and bright with flora. An unexpected display and mini-museum about wartime internment was a surprise on the approach to the Sundance Trail, beyond the visitors center were most of the other education & interpretation signage is. Abundant wildlife gave me glimpses of deer and elk. The falls on the Sundance trail are nice, appreciated all the more thanks to the bridge you climb to and the minor rock scramble you do to get there! In early September crowds were delightfully thin and the hiking was wonderfully peaceful. Even the occasional horseback group and one horse-drawn buggy were not an annoyance. Along many of the paths/trails, a separate horse path assures that hikers can avoid the "trail gifts" deposited. The one exception to the excellent trail markings was on the Sundance Trail, after the first 1.5 or 2 miles. I'm not a fan of overmarking a trail; I like to feel that I'm in nature, not on a curated Disney ride. Nevertheless, just one additional sign at about the 2/3rds point is needed to provide comfort that you're still...

A must see National Historic site, its the birth place of Canada's National parks. Kids had lot of fun to get them engaged staff provided a book to find all the items and at the end kids got explorer tags and a cute ceerificate, there were interactive board to fill out and take pictures. At the time we visited kids went free and adults ticket was 9$ however we had discovery pass and I showed it to the reception & hence there was no charge and our group of 6 went for free. Staff were so friendly and they answered my kids curious questions. Some of you may find basin stinky but its all natural due to geothermal phenomenas. Ample parking and washroom. There was a gift shop at entrance, a mini theatre and upper and lower basin, there was a trail which we didnt do. There are elevators hence you can take stroller or wheelchair bit doesnt go all the way at top to the red chairs. Over all its totally worth it and magnificant. Plan about 3 hours if you intend to go though in depth. There were benches and picnic tables to sit and eat in nice weather. Not sheltered though. Check out images and videos & follow for more...