BANFF, Alberta - For more than a century, travelers have taken the waters at Banff Upper Hot Springs, a hot mineral pool on Sulphur Mountain in the Canadian Rockies. In a resort town renowned for spectacular scenery and fancy spas, the springs let those on a budget soak in the experience, without getting soaked, and after a morning skiing or hiking, little feels better than lounging in the 104-degree waters.
It was the discovery of hot springs by workers building the Trans-Canada Railway that eventually would lead to the creation in 1855 of Banff National Park, the country's first. The current bathhouse was constructed in 1932 from hand-hewn logs and stone from Mount Rundle, which looms in the distance. It was restored to its Queen Anne Revival appearance in 1995. In keeping with the setting, it's possible to rent (or purchase) heritage bathing suits - a plus, for anyone trying to cover a few, ahem, body flaws.
