Banff Upper Hot Springs

What to expect

Banff Upper Hot Springs is a single outdoor hot pool run by Parks Canada, set into the side of Sulphur Mountain at the top of Mountain Avenue. Parks Canada calls it the highest outdoor pool in Canada. From the water you look straight across the Bow Valley to the grey limestone wall of Mount Rundle, with the Cascade Mountain massif behind the town.

This is a staffed public pool, not a wild spring. Hot mineral water from the mountain feeds a large tiled pool with a viewing deck, a bathhouse with change rooms and lockers, a café on the second floor and an outdoor picnic area on the Upper Terrace. Lifeguards are on duty. Parks Canada keeps the water between 98 and 104°F37 and 40°C. Sulphate and calcium make up most of the dissolved minerals, and you may notice a faint sulphur smell.

Expect company. This is one of the most visited sights in Banff, and on a winter evening the pool can feel like a busy party with steam on top. It is still a good soak, especially when snow is falling and the water is at the warm end of its range.

Current status

Parks Canada closes the pool every autumn for maintenance. In 2026 it shut on October 13 and is due back in early November. If you are in Banff during that window, there is no soaking here.

That annual closure follows a longer one. The facility closed on September 2, 2025 for repairs, including a new waterproof membrane under the viewing deck, taller fencing, an updated accessibility ramp and extensive tile work. Parks Canada pushed the reopening back once, and the pool opened again in early April 2026.

Getting there

The hot springs are about 4 km (2.5 miles) south of downtown Banff.

• By car: From downtown, follow Banff Avenue south across the Bow River and turn left at the last set of lights onto Mountain Avenue. Follow the signs for 3.6 km (2.2 miles) to the lot. Calgary is 128 km (80 miles) east on the Trans-Canada Highway.
• By bus: Roam Transit Route 1 (Sulphur Mountain) leaves from downtown Banff about every 20 minutes during operating hours. Parks Canada recommends the bus over driving.

Parking is limited and fills fast. Parks Canada charges for parking in both its upper and lower lots daily from May 15 to October 12, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; its fee table lists the Sulphur Mountain area at C$17.50 per vehicle for 2026. From the main lot it is about 200 m (650 ft) on a paved sidewalk to the bathhouse. Three accessible parking spots sit up the hill next to the building.

The Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain leaves from the same area, which is part of why the lots are so busy in summer.

Prices and booking

Single-entry pool admission, as listed on the Parks Canada fees page in October 2026 (each includes a locker token):

• Adult: C$19.75
• Senior (65+): C$17.25
• Youth (3-17): C$17.25
• Family (four people, no more than two adults): C$64.25
• Extra youth on a family ticket: C$9.75
• Children under 3: free

Annual pool passes run from C$216.50 (senior or youth) to C$753.75 (family). Rentals: swimsuit C$5, towel C$3, extra locker token C$2.

You also need a park pass. The hot springs are inside Banff National Park, and pool admission does not cover park entry. In 2026 the daily park fee was C$12.25 per adult, C$10.75 per senior and C$24.50 for a family or group in one vehicle; youth 17 and under enter the park free. A Parks Canada Discovery Pass (C$83.50 adult, C$167.50 family in 2026) covers a year. Note that the free youth park entry does not extend to the hot springs, where youth tickets still apply.

There are no reservations or online tickets. You pay at reception, and when the pool reaches capacity, new visitors go in only as others leave. If the pool closes unexpectedly within 30 minutes of your purchase, staff give a rain check valid for a year.

When to go

The pool is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with last entry at 9:30 p.m., including statutory holidays such as Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Hours can change.

Winter is the classic time: cold air, snow on the pines and hot water. Summer is busier because of tour traffic and gondola visitors, and the parking fees apply. Weekday mornings right at 10 a.m. are usually the quietest. The last hour of the evening also thins out.

Thunder, lightning or a drop in water temperature can close the pool at short notice.

Rules and etiquette

Parks Canada runs this like a public swimming pool, with a long rule list. The ones that catch people out:

• Swimwear: bottoms are required, tops are optional. Long-sleeved shirts, T-shirts, shorts and other modest swimwear are fine. Underwear is not, and your swimwear must be different from the clothes you arrived in.
• Children: kids 13 and under need an adult with them. Children under 8 and non-swimmers must stay within arm’s reach of an adult. Youth 14 to 17 may come alone. Children under 3 must wear a swim diaper.
• No alcohol, cannabis or tobacco anywhere on site, including the decks and walkways. Intoxicated visitors are removed for the day.
• No glass, including glass water bottles. No food or drink on the pool deck except water in a plastic or metal bottle. Eat in the café or at the Upper Terrace picnic area.
• Photos: limited photos of the scenery and your own group are allowed from the deck and pool. No underwater filming, no selfie sticks or tripods, and no filming in change rooms. Drones are banned, with fines up to C$25,000.
• No diving, no inflatables, noodles, snorkels or speakers. Outdoor shoes stay out of the wet areas.
• Shower with soap before you get in.

Accessibility

The entrance has a ramp and a push-button door. An elevator serves all three levels, though some large motorized chairs may not fit. A sloped wet hall with handrails on both sides leads into the pool. Two separate accessible change rooms have a shower seat and handheld shower. Personal wheelchairs cannot go in the water, but staff can provide an aquatic wheelchair on request.

Where to stay nearby

There is no lodging at the pool. The town of Banff, about 4 km (2.5 miles) away, has everything from hostels to large hotels, and the Rimrock Resort Hotel sits further down Mountain Avenue. Parks Canada’s Tunnel Mountain campgrounds on the other side of town are the closest camping. Canmore, just outside the park boundary to the east, is the next town with a wide choice of rooms.

Safety notes

• Heat: Parks Canada advises getting out to cool down every 10 minutes and drinking water while you soak. Talk to a doctor first if you are pregnant or have heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or a seizure disorder.
• Illness: Do not use the pool if you have had diarrhea in the past two weeks or have open wounds.
• Winter roads: Mountain Avenue climbs steadily and can be icy. The bus avoids the problem.
• Altitude and sun: Banff sits high, so the sun is strong in summer. Parks Canada asks that waterproof sunscreen go on at least 30 minutes before you enter the pool.