Jasper National Park, Alberta
I am the kind of person who believes that for every tough thing the body does, it deserves a reward. If you have had a hard days working, grab a beer. If you have been skiing all day then hell – why not take a well earned break and jump into some natural hot springs. Banff boasts its own hot springs but the Miette springs are something special. These are the hottest springs in the Rockies and have been around for a long time. The serenity and relaxation you feel in here is second to none.
When it was originally founded, the waters were a scalding 54 degrees Celsius. Realising that only Humpty Dumpty might be interested in a dip at this temperature, the water was eventually cooled to what is it now – a much more respectable 32 degrees. It is not the springs themselves that first catch your attention but rather the extraordinary views all around the pools. Snow tipped mountains shelter this natural beauty. Once you get yourself settled in the pool, it feels like you are in an incredible old fashioned painting. The image stays in your mind for a long time afterwards.
If you had only planned to come up here for a look, you may well get tempted by the steaming water. Well fear not, there are bathing suits, towels and lockers for rent so you can jump in and enjoy yourself with everyone else. If you are feeling especially brave, jump into the pool that sits adjacent to the hot springs. This is a cool pool and good for the body though you may not be thinking this at the time when certain parts of the body migrate inwards for this temporary winter! A trip to the Canadian Rockies wouldn’t be complete without a dip into the hot springs of either Banff or Jasper.
Check out local weather and conditions with this live, user-controlled Jasper web cam.