In November 1883, three Canadian Pacific Railway workers, Frank McCabe, William McCardell, and Thomas McCardell, stumbled upon a series of natural hot springs on the lower slopes of Sulphur Mountain. Descending through a skylight, they discovered a cave containing a warm, mineral-rich pool, known today as the Cave. This discovery quickly sparked public interest and, more importantly, caught the attention of the Canadian government. Recognizing the unique value of the springs, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald quickly moved to protect the area. On November 25, 1885, an order-in-council set aside 26 square kilometers around the hot springs as a federal park, initially called the 'Banff Hot Springs Reserve.' This act is widely considered the genesis of Canada's national park system, marking a foundational moment in Canadian conservation history.
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Historic site · Cave and Basin National Historic Site
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
The Cave and Basin National Historic Site is where the first Canadian national park was established, following the discovery of hot springs.
Banff, AB 112
Community memory · 1907 · Aug 19, 2026
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