Every time we go to Banff I look forward to this part of the highway where the view just opens up and the mountains are there in all their glory.
The fall is a great time to go as it is sort of an in between time for the tourists. Mid week is the best as the one attraction that draws people here in the fall are the larch forests that are beautiful and golden.
Getting closer.
This is a lovely meadow between Banff and Lake Minewanka. There wasn't much traffic so we were able to stop and take this picture.
Interestingly enough this is the same set of mountains in the above picture but this one was taken 20 km. away from the first location. I`m on the balcony of the Cave and Basin this time.
The government recently opened the Cave and Basin area renovation. It used to be a swimming pool with this part as an aside display explaining the history of the pool. Now the swimming pool has been tiled over and the whole place is an interpretive area with videos and written explanations of every aspect of the sulphur pool.
It`s quite dark in the pool area and hard to get a wide view as the viewing area is right on top of the water pretty much. There are some tiny snails that live in this water and no where else so a lot of care has been put into ensuring their survival.
Like most caves when seen in photos, you can find animal features in the rocks. There`s a bear in this one, wolves and bigger animals (perhaps elk or bison) in the first picture.
There are a few waterfalls in this one. For the best views of the details it is better to do the enlarged slide show by clicking on the first picture in the series.
This is the pool on the outside.
The hole in the ground which is the roof of the inside cave/pool. This is how the hot pool was discovered by explorers who noticed the hot steam coming out. They put a dead tree down the hole, climbed down and discovered the cave.
The area around the pool and up the mountain is marshy.
Despite the sulphur and heat to the water, there are minnows swimming around in the small pools.
Marsh grass and some fall leaves.
I have no idea what this white algae is but it looked like feathers floating in the streams.
Another underground basin of heated water further up the mountain.
The whole area and interpretive center is quite well done and interesting and the entrance fees are very reasonable so if you are in Banff it is well worth the visit.
