A spectacular off-the-beaten path experience in Jasper National Park
HI-Athabasca Falls is an idyllic mountain retreat. Five cedar panel abode cabins sit amongst the trees at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The mighty Athabasca river tumbles over the falls nearby, horseshoe lake with it's enchanting mirrored water, or Leech Lake with it's spring fed water, makes for ideal swimming under the snow covered mountain peaks.
In the winter, wake up in the warm cozy hostel and get ready for a day of cross-country skiing on a groomed trail that runs up the Geraldine Lakes road, or if you prefer the thrills of the downhill Marmot Basin is a short drive away.
HI-Athabasca offers a large common room, wood stove, firepit, back deck and communal chili dinners (available in summer only).
The accommodations are comfortable but basic: simple bunk beds, shared dorms, and no running water. In the summer, there is an outdoor "cowboy" shower for those not willing to brave a morning dip in the river. No Internet, no bar, just the cabin in the woods that you always dreamed of. Nothing will get you closer to getting away from it all.
The Fryatt Valley and Athabasca Pass are easily accessed from the hostel offering cross-country skiing, hiking and mountain biking opportunities.
This is a wilderness hostel with limited creature comforts - no running water, no showers, and no flush toilets. We do have purified water for cooking, a refrigerator, stoves and solar-powered lights. Due to our wilderness location, accessibility for the physically disabled is challenging. Please call for further details.
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A word on HI-Wilderness Hostels
Experience nature. Make new friends. Return to simplicity.
Get back to nature with HI's network of wilderness hostels. They're a varied bunch! Some have lights powered by propane, some have rustic wood-burning saunas, at some you'll get electricity and hot running water, and at others you'll get to pump your own water. But whatever you're after, these hostels with their simple comforts immerse you in the natural splendour of the Rockies.
You'll be able to savour true silence, night skies bursting with stars and the knowledge that some of the world's most magnificent landscapes are, really, right outside our door. Dotted along the Icefields Parkway, and throughout the Parks, these hostels are set into pockets of trees, alongside creeks, or at the base of thousand-foot-high rock faces. Whether you get there by car, bike or on foot, your efforts are rewarded with some of the finer, simpler things in life - a warm fire, cozy lounges, and the chance to share food with new friends while you relive the day's adventures.
From a choice of ten rustic retreats, nestled in the Canadian Rockies, HI's network of wilderness hostels provide the perfect escape. Vast vistas, impressive mountains and an abundance of natural beauty, the Canadian Rockies deliver a picture-perfect landscape.
Our wilderness hostels are dotted throughout this natural winter playground and give immediate access to snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, back-country skiing and ice climbing. These hostels are ideal for families, friends, large groups or individuals who want to experience a unique, "off-the-grid" Canadian getaway.
HI has a network of ten wilderness hostels: