Parking
Use the signed Mosquito Creek Trailhead parking area just south of the Mosquito Creek Campground turnoff on Hwy 93N. The campground is next to HI Mosquito Creek Hostel; cross Hwy 93N carefully at the trail access.
Overview
About Mosquito Creek Trail
Why go
- About 5.0 km one way to the Mo5 backcountry campground, with a gradual valley approach
- Bridges, creek views and quiet forest make a scenic alternative to Banff’s busiest hikes
Heads up
- Trailhead access requires a careful crossing of busy Highway 93N
- No cell coverage in the valley; backcountry conditions can include snow, mud and high water
Mosquito Creek is a quiet Banff backcountry introduction that follows a forested valley beside the creek to the Mo5 Mosquito Creek backcountry campground. The route is a good choice for hikers who want a relatively gentle overnight approach away from the park’s busiest day hikes, with bridges, forest, open clearings and views toward the surrounding limestone peaks.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy goMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,833–1,988 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureRed Deer River valley bottom closed for ceremonial bison harvestThe Red Deer River valley bottom is closed to the public during an Indigenous ceremonial bison harvest taking place through November.Official details
- ClosureLake Minnewanka and Aylmer area closureLake Minnewanka Trail, Aylmer Pass Trail, and campgrounds Lm8, Lm9, Lm11, Lm20, Lm22 and Lm31 are closed to all users because black bears are displaying food-seeking behaviour.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Mosquito Creek Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Banff National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
HI Mosquito Creek: Wilderness Hostel and Alpine TrailsListen
“The cluster of cabins coming into view is the HI Mosquito Creek hostel, a true wilderness base right on the parkway. This is a very rustic, off-grid kind of place, popular with hikers and climbers.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Why It’s Called Noseeum Creek: Tiny Biters, Big Role
- Dolomite Country: The Magnesium Rock Shaping This Valley
- The Doctor and the Kicking Horse
- Hector Lake: A Quiet Hike with a River Crossing
- 178 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 177 trails, 236 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…Loved the commentary as you drove thru. I’m sure the app can do more than I know but the tips were very helpful. I’m gonna use it when we go to Banff next month.”
Trail guide
Hiking Mosquito Creek Trail
The hikeStart from the Mosquito Creek Trailhead near the Icefields Parkway and follow the continuous…
Start from the Mosquito Creek Trailhead near the Icefields Parkway and follow the continuous creek-valley path east and then north toward Mo5. The stored line follows the mapped trail corridor once, from the trailhead to the campground approach; the visitor distance is the return trip. The route climbs gradually overall, with a few steeper sections near the start and typical rocky or rooty backcountry tread. The trail ends in the Mo5 campground area, where overnight use requires the appropriate Parks Canada backcountry reservation and permit.
Distance and route optionsThe Mosquito Creek Trailhead–Mo5 leg is about 5.
The Mosquito Creek Trailhead–Mo5 leg is about 5.0 km one way on the current Parks Canada backcountry map, or roughly 10.0 km (6.0 miles) round trip. The mapped corridor is 4.8 km to the trail terminus near the campsite; the visitor distance is rounded to the official five-kilometre one-way convention. Molar Pass and North Molar Pass continue beyond this area as separate, substantially longer and more difficult objectives; they are not part of the stored Mosquito Creek Trail route.
Conditions and logisticsThe valley is most accessible in the warmer hiking season, but snow and wet or muddy sections…
The valley is most accessible in the warmer hiking season, but snow and wet or muddy sections can persist early and late in the season. Mosquito Creek is bear country, and there is no cell coverage along the Icefields Parkway campgrounds or in the valley. Carry bear spray, download navigation beforehand, and treat creek water before drinking. Bridges help with creek crossings, but high water and changing backcountry conditions still require care.
AccessUse the signed Mosquito Creek Trailhead parking area just south of the Mosquito Creek…
Use the signed Mosquito Creek Trailhead parking area just south of the Mosquito Creek Campground turnoff on Hwy 93N. The campground is next to HI Mosquito Creek Hostel; cross Hwy 93N carefully at the trail access. A valid national park pass is required, and Mo5 camping requires a backcountry permit and reservation.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
122 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
150 sightingsBrown BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
44 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
12 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
67 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
465 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
