Winter Camping With Kids - Warmer Than You Think

I love camping and I’d camp all year long if I could get past the idea of camping in the snow! Once the first snowfall comes, I need a certain number of amenities before I’ll spend a night in the wilderness. Add children to the adventure, and most of us are not going to jump at the thought of pitching a tent in a snowdrift. Fortunately for us (hardy Canadian families wanting to get into the great outdoors year round) Hostelling International (HI) has the perfect solution with private rooms and cabins at several of their wilderness hostels. Here are our family’s favorite hostels to bunk down at in the winter.


Mosquito Creek, Banff National Park

The Mosquito Creek Wilderness Hostel is located on the scenic Icefields Parkway, 20 minutes away from Lake Louise. There is a private cabin on-site affectionately known as the “family cabin”. The cabin is divided into two private rooms with a sitting area and kitchen in the middle. Each bedroom sleeps five and has two bunk beds, one of them a double on bottom.

To read more about Mosquito Creek along with the other wilderness hostels I recommend visiting this winter, please visit my newest story for Calgary's Child.  The story is in print right now in magazines around Calgary as well.

Mosquito Creek in January

Note that private rooms in hostels fill up very quickly so if you are interested in staying at a hostel this winter, you will need to reserve now at the very latest.  :)