The combination of the parks has assured that endangered species have enough area to roam within the boundaries. For instance, the grizzly bear has begun to recover its numbers. There are between 190 and 200 grizzlies in Banff and Jasper alone. If visiting the area in spring or summer, you have a good chance of spotting these large creatures looking under rocks and logs along the remote roads within the park's boundaries. Waters that come from beneath Sulfur Mountain feed the hot springs that make Banff so popular.
Surface water trickles two kilometers under the earth where it is heated by the earth's core.
Because it is under pressure, the steam is pushed through a fault in the rocks at the hot springs. A swimming pool, a stone bathhouse, which was erected in 1887, and the original stone structure of Cave and Basin are all open to the public. Another place to rest a weary mind, body or soul is Upper Hot Springs. Warm water flows down Sulfur Mountain and creates a microclimate where lush vegetation can be enjoyed year round. The streams here very seldom freeze and birds that have given up migration call the hot springs home.