I was eyeing the Banff Hot Springs from the second I knew they existed. I needed to give them a visit and smell the sulphur waters.
We got up bright and early in the morning to be there as when we’d driven by the hot springs the day before, they were so busy! The line-up was so long and car parking was practically impossible. However, when we got there in the morning, we arrived before it had even opened. We attempted a small hike on Sulphur Mountain, but we were so exhausted and so excited to get into the hot springs that we came down quickly and opted to wait in line for the springs to open.
A small stream of hot water was coming out in a mini-waterfall outside by the facilities and the scent of rotten eggs wafted towards us. Ah… sulphur.
The Banff Hot Springs
When we got into the Banff Hot Springs, we were given tokens to use in the locker rooms as well as towels. We promptly went to change and then wash before wading into the hot waters.
The first thing I noticed was that it didn’t smell of sulphur. I was slightly disappointed but also understood why it was clearly logical that it wasn’t the case! The water was 39 degrees celsius (ie VERY HOT). They don’t call ‘em hot springs for nothing! We stayed in the water for quite a while, getting out every few minutes to allow ourselves a breather. We were soaking in the heat of it all and letting our muscles rest after so much walking and hiking.
The Bear Street Tavern
Having gotten hungry after our morning activities, we went for lunch at the Bear Street Tavern. The go-to here is pizza! Although I enjoyed the food I ate, it wasn’t the most riveting pizza I’ve ever had.
Lake Minnewanka
For our afternoon, we headed to Lake Minnewanka. To be sure, it was one of my favourite lakes we visited. The blue waters, surrounded by mountains so close, were amazing. (Bonus: it wasn’t as busy as other lakes, like Lake Louise). We attempted a swim in the water, but once again, the lake sourced by glacial waters was obviously freezing. Walking in, I highly recommend using water shoes, as the rocks are excessively unpleasant to the feet.
We wandered around for a bit and hiked around the lake a little as well (going far was not an option as the recommendation was to be a minimum group of 4 due to bear presence). We found a dear sitting peacefully in the bushes as well as a very obese chipmunk that we dubbed “Donuts” as it seemed to want to answer to that name.
Supper at Balkan Restaurant
We had supper at Balkan’s to end our day. Sadly, it didn’t live up to my expectations, the meat making me feel a little nauseated. Nonetheless, the vegetarian option with halloumi cheese was good. Can one ever go wrong with halloumi?
Number of steps taken and km walked: 21 620 steps and therefore 15,9km
Liked our adventures in Banff? Be sure to check out our other articles pertaining to our Canadian West Coast road trip.
Good post!