Banff Upper Hot Springs
The water
Each Rocky Mountain Hot Spring has its own unique blend of minerals, gases and temperature.
At 1,585 meters of elevation (5,200 feet), Banff Upper Hot Springs is the highest operating hot spring in Canada and is the hottest of Sulphur Mountains’ hot springs. Banff Upper Hot Springs is the only hot spring accessible to visitors in Banff National Park; entry to all other thermal spring waters is prohibited to preserve the habitat of the endangered Banff Springs Snail.
For over a century, visitors have travelled here to “take the waters” for their believed therapeutic properties. When flowing, Banff Upper Hot Springs mineral-rich waters include sulfate, calcium, bicarbonate, magnesium and sodium.
Current water conditions
100% natural mineral water is flowing at Banff Upper Hot Springs.
Water temperature: 37-40 oC / 98-104 oF
Water flow
The Banff Upper Hot Springs water flow is affected by its unique mountain-side location and local precipitation. Rainwater seeps into the earth, where it is heated, pressurized, and infused with minerals before returning to the surface of Sulphur Mountain.
In spring, the water flows at over 900 litres per minute. However, in late winter the water flow slows due to a seasonal drought. Heated municipal water is used in winter when the seasonal flow is reduced.