HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel : Our Honest Review

Did you know there are 10 rustic wilderness hostels in the heart of the Rocky Mountains? They’re located in the National Parks of Banff, Jasper and Yoho; and Kananaskis Country. Today, we are sharing our experience at the HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel.

This hostel is where you and your family can have a digital detox and go away for a (mostly) calm weekend. 

Let’s dive right in!

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Where is the HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel

Located exactly halfway between the town of Banff and Lake Louise in Banff National Park, HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel is one of the 10 wilderness hostels in the Canadian Rockies. 

The Castle Mountain Hostel is located at the Castle Mountain Junction on the Bow Valley Parkway.

If you’re anywhere near Banff, it’s super easy to get to the hostel. It’s only a few minutes from the Castle Junction, between Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway), Highway 1A (Bow Valley Parkway) and Highway 93S (Banff-Windermere Parkway).

It’s an ideal location to explore the Canadian Rockies fully. 

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What Type of Hostel is the HI Castle Mountain Hostel?

The HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel is known as a Wilderness Lite Hostel, along with HI Kananaskis and HI Yoho National Park.

I know what you’re probably thinking: “What is a Wilderness Lite Hostel?”

And it’s a fair question. Because usually, when you think about “hostels,” you’ve probably got fond memories from backpacking in your college days. 

These are the kinds of trips that led to some of the best memories you’ll ever remember. But now, as a parent, it’s likely been a while since you’ve stayed in a hostel. 

Note:
We actually wrote a post on the topic of staying in hostels as a family. If you have a moment, you might want to check that out by clicking here. 

So what is a wilderness lite hostel?

When staying in a wilderness lite hostel, it means that you’ll get:

• electricity,
• indoor toilets and
• hot showers

But these hostels are still surrounded by nature and provide a true getaway from the city.

The HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel probably doesn’t match up with your time wandering around Europe. In fact, it’s the *perfect* rustic get-away with enough calm to recharge your batteries, and enough nature to entertain your kids–especially when they see a real bear… but more about that in a minute.  

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What are the amenities at HI Castle Mountain?

This hostel is perfectly located in the wilderness of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, but there are a few amenities that make the stay a bit more comfortable, such as: 

• Electricity;
• Indoor toilets;
• Hot showers;
• Nice kitchen to prepare your meals;
• Cozy lounge and living room with a wood-burning fireplace;
•  Dormitories with bunk beds;
• Cell service (but no wifi).

Now, I won’t lie: that last part had me a bit nervous. Since I was with the kids, I usually look forward to getting some work or writing done in the evenings.

But, as you can imagine, most of my writing involves Google Docs and research. In other words, it’s ALL the things that require wifi. 

Looking back on the experience, I think it’s safe to say that the digital detox did me more good than harm. It was the perfect way to decompress, and I found that it let me relax more deeply than I had in months. 

Rather than pushing through the day with the kids, I could sit back and have great conversations with my mom, who was also along for the ride. 

In terms of nature, the HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel is ideally situated. It’s close to Castle Mountain and a small rocky beach by the Bow River. 

Plus, it’s located IN a wildlife corridor. If you’re not sure what that is, no worries. To be honest, I wasn’t either. But a wildlife corridor is a protected path that allows wildlife to move safely between areas inhabited by people. 

If you’re driving along Highway 1A, you’ll likely see a few bridges over the roads that don’t have anything but grass and trees on top. These connecting parts of the corridors allow animals to pass over the highway without the risk of getting hit by a car (and keep drivers safe from high-speed accidents). 

Fun Fact: HI Castle Mountain was established by the Canadian Youth Hostel Association in 1949 in three restored WWII prisoner-of-war camp buildings, offering dormitory-style sleeping arrangements alongside a communal kitchen and a wood-fireplace lounge.

But now, 70+ years later, the hostel is an excellent place for families, skiers, and nature lovers to return to the wild. Plus, as of 2020, it became a ‘rent-a-hostel.’

This leads back to my question when I’d first read the term…

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…What Is a ‘Rent-a-Hostel’:

The idea of a “rent-a-hostel” is precisely what it sounds like: you rent out the entire hostel for your family to have a private location just for you. 

It started last year in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and gives you an exclusive private getaway in the Rockies. 

It costs more than your average hostel rates, but you can understand why. Rather than paying for a single bed in a 6-bed dormitory (even a 14-bed dormitory at HI Castle Mountain), you’ll get the entire place to yourself.

You can rent the entire hostel for group events like family reunions, birthday weekends, etc. 

But now, let’s talk about what the actual hostel was like. 

Our Stay: HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel Review

When we arrived, the hostel manager on-site (Shauna) helped us do our check in and took care of any questions we had during the stay. The staff stays in the cabin next to the main building, so you’re not completely isolated.

This isn’t just nice for when you run out of amenities but gives you some added peace of mind when staying in the wilderness with young kids. You never expect an emergency, but it’s good to know someone is available to help in case of one. 

❤️ You may also like to read: ❤️
HI Jasper Review: 5 Reasons Why We Love This Hostel

There are 2 dormitories, each with 14 beds. One dorm is for women, and the other is for men. We had access to the entire women’s dormitory. It also had a bathroom with 2 hot showers, 2 toilets, and a fully equipped kitchen with a long dining table. 

Plus, there was a beautiful wooden lounge with a central fire pit. We got lucky with the weather and didn’t need the fire, but it was a great way to unwind after a long day of hiking and chasing toddlers around. 

Remember that children under 5 years old usually aren’t allowed to stay in shared dormitories. Without the ‘rent-a-hostel’ agreement, we wouldn’t have been able to stay at the HI Castle Mountain. 

Be sure to check beforehand if you stay at other wilderness hostels, as the rules change from location to location. 

For example, HI Mosquito Creek has a family cabin with two sleeping rooms and a kitchen. Or HI Rampart Creek and HI Beauty Creek have smaller dorms (6-bed dorms) that can be all booked for the family.

But, to be perfectly honest, the dorms are just there to crash in. With everything to do in the area, your family will be busy from dawn to dusk. 

Let’s look at a few things you can do when staying at HI Castle Mountain.

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What to Do While at HI Castle Mountain

One of the biggest questions you might be wondering is, “What will I do with all my free time now that I don’t have wifi?” 

Luckily, HI Castle Mountain has many activities to keep your family busy for days. 

Here’s a short list of things you can do in the surrounding areas: 

• Hike at Johnston Canyon;
• Relax by the little rocky beach at the Castle Mountain bridge;
• Hike at Marble Canyon in Kootenay National Park;
• Drive to downtown Banff and explore the town;
• Visit the iconic Lake Louise;
• Drive along the Icefields Parkway;
• Soak in one of the hot springs (Upper Banff or Radium Hot Springs).

Planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies? Here is what you need to know!

Again, we enjoyed visiting HI Castle Mountain to take a break from screens and technology and get back into nature. 

Our boys (aged 2 and 4 at the time) had a great time, too! They enjoyed playing on the rocky beach, and Marble Canyon is still one of our family’s favourite hikes. 

You should know 2 things before heading that way, though:

1. There are ticks in the area which can carry Lyme disease. While it’s rare that it would lead to serious harm, it’s best to check your kids after playing outdoors.
2. The hostel is located in the wildlife corridor, which means bears and other wild animals are present. 

For that last one, you should always have bear spray when travelling through Banff or Jasper surrounding areas. 

Is HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel for You?

We had a wonderful stay at the Castle Mountain hostel using the rent-a-hostel program, but while it’s a comfortable hostel, it may not be for everyone.

You’ll love the hostel if:

• You are craving nature;
• You are into the Hygge vibe;
• Your kids are older than 5 years old (to stay in dormitories);
• You don’t mind sharing space with other visitors.

🛏️ Book Your Stay at HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel 🛏️

You won’t like the hostel experience if:

• You need to work (with good internet);
• You are a luxury traveller;
• You prefer vibrant cities.

If it doesn’t seem like this lodging option is for you, check out our recommendations for families’ hotels in Banff.

F.A.Q

What are the 10 HI Wilderness Hostels in the Canadian Rockies?

There are 10 HI Wilderness Hostels in the Canadian Rockies in Banff, Jasper and Yoho National Parks and Kananaskis Country.

• HI Hilda Creek Wilderness Hostel (Banff NP);
• HI Beauty Creek Wilderness Hostel (Jasper NP);
• HI Mount Edith Cavell Wilderness Hostel (Jasper NP);
• HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel (Banff NP);
• HI Kananaskis Wilderness Hostel (Kananaskis Country);
• HI Yoho National Park, Whiskey Jack Wilderness Hostel (Yoho NP);
• HI Athabasca Falls Wilderness Hostel (Jasper NP);
• HI Maligne Canyon Wilderness Hostel (Jasper NP);
• HI Mosquito Creek Wilderness Hostel (Banff NP) ** This is probably one of the best family hostels in Banff with a private family cabin;
• HI Rampart Creek Wilderness Hostel (Banff NP).

Final Thoughts: Is HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hotel a Good Option?

And that’s it! This is our review of HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel. 

We had a great time visiting, and we highly recommend you check it out. 

We can’t wait for our next visit to the Canadian Rockies to check out other wilderness hostels, particularly along the Icefields Parkway!

For more information on Wilderness Hostels, you can click here.