Banff on a Rainy Day

Continued from Yoho National Park, BC (During a Forest Fire!)

It is well known that the one thing you cannot really plan for, on your vacation, is the weather. Does not matter if you go to the beach or the mountains, you pray for good weather and it sucks when it rains. Despite that, there are plenty of things to do in Banff on a rainy day.

And no, I am not talking about going bowling, having a steak dinner or going to the movies. Yes, of course you can do all that. But we wanted to do some real things. After all, this rain was clearing away all the forest fires, and from tomorrow the weather was supposed to be great. So what could we do today?

Cave and Basin

If you want to learn about the cultural history of Banff National Park, this place is for you. And if you have the annual National Park Pass for your vehicle, entrance is free (for all members of your vehicle). This historic site is the reason Banff National Park, and indeed the Canadian National Park system, exists.

You can see (and sense) the heat from the water. The water is heated by geothermal activity from a depth of several kilometers within the ground. Imagine being the first explorers to discover this mysterious hot spring!

There's also small snails living in these waters that are now endangered, hence many of these hot springs are now protected property. See if you can spot the snails in the pictures above.

This poster was quite illuminating. It showed just how much our human activities have resulted in climate change, and the slow death of the glaciers.

Then it was time to descend into the Cave.

A short tunnel leads to the hot springs cavern. Be warned that the sulphur smell can be quite strong at times, especially when it rains.

The Cave and Basin is just one component of nine sulphurous hot springs on the northeast flank of Sulphur Mountain (the same mountain the Banff Gondola operates on). This very cavern is one of the first hot springs discovered in Banff by Canadian explorers early on in the last century.

Once you are done exploring the cave and the hot springs, you can climb out ... and up.

From above, enjoy the panoramic view of the mountains. We could already see some of the rain lessening, and the overcast clouds made for some dynamic pictures. Gone was the smoke and the orange hue - the skies were returning to normal.

This is the hole that let sunlight in, and below is the cave. You can see a small train that goes up the hill (it's really very small climb) to show some of the other hot springs here.

Can you see the plumes of steam from the other hot springs?

This greenish water - full of Sulphur and other minerals - was often marketed in the early 19th century as "magic water" or "healing water".

Despite the rain, the views from the trail were awesome and it was a nice walk.

This small structure was where the very first hotel was built to accommodate the increasing number of visitors to the hot springs, and soon to Banff. Which ultimately led to the creation of Banff National Park and the whole National Park system. Today, all that remains of the hotel is this indicator.

It doesn't require a lot of time to visit the Cave and Basin.  You can allow up to an hour to see the hot springs, watch the film presentation, walk through the displays and check out the upper decks that offer panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. 

Cascades of Time Garden

The Cascades Of Time Gardens are a little oasis just minutes walking distance from downtown Banff. It’s the perfect place to get off the beaten path and escape the crowds of Banff Avenue.

The gardens are built onto the hillside with pathways. They sort of "cascade" down rock steps on a trail that leads visitors through trees and flower beds, hence the name.

Entrance is actually free for this garden, which is always great. It's something to do when the skies are not clear (and of course would look even better if there was no rain).

Lunch in Canmore

Canmore is only 15-20 minutes drive away. If you want halal options, there's a few. This is Lamb Tikka Masala at one such place. 

Vermilion Lakes

If you want some solace from the busy town of Banff, the Vermilion Lakes are a perfect getaway.

You get spectacular views of Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain, and can get clear reflections on the huge lakes on days there is no wind. The lakes are 2.4 km (1.5 miles) from the town of Banff, and easily accessible by walking, cycling, or driving. 

Many come here to relax, or watch the sunset (pack warm clothes as the temperature falls in the evening).

Bow Falls

The song Haila Haila Hua Hua from the Bollywood movie Koi Mil Gaya was shot in and around Banff. This was of course waaaay before Banff became a popular tourist attraction, and everything going spoiled. As I am often fond of saying, even 2016 when we visited it was pristine and untouched.

This is Bow Falls. This was the first time I visited this particular location that it was NOT raining. Even on my previous visits, it happened to rain heavily the time we were visiting Bow Falls.

These are some of the few excursions you can do in and around the city of Banff on a rainy day. Tomorrow, the weather forecast is calling for bright, sunny, and 22+ degrees Centigrade. Here's hoping for a magnificent day.