When you walk around the Cave and Basin history exhibits, you have to take some time and look at the old photos. Entire families, including grandma and grandpa, were in the hot springs, all dressed in their old fashion swimsuits, smiling and laughing and crowding together. I thought about how many thousands of families have carved special memories out of their lives by coming to this very place. We've done right to recognize this spot as a place of national historic significance. The government did right to create the park as a protected area, to be managed and shared by all Canadians and all visitors, rather than to allow it to become consumed by private interests. These four interconnecting national parks in BC and Alberta form the largest protected wilderness area in the world.
The upper hot springs were really cool. I mean, they were neat. Actually, 40C is definitely NOT cool. It's a peaceful sort of place, everyone is moving slowly, unwinding, enjoying. One little girl just had to vomit but the staff were onto it really quick. Our two youngest enjoyed spraying the cold tap water on themselves and then getting back in, while the oldest found that the hot water drained her strength. It took her about half an hour to come around again.
