Abiskoeatnu Canyon and Abiskojåkka River Delta, Abisko, Sweden

The Abiskoeatnu Canyon is a small canyon next to the Abisko Visitors Center. The river that flows through it, the Abiskojåkka river (Also Abiskojokk), flows into the Torneträsk lake a few hundred meters downstream of the Canyon. The small river delta it forms is a nice area you can hike into, and it offers various viewpoints of the Torneträsk lake and the mountains and landscape around it.

Sunset on the Abiskojåkka River Delta.

This is a short hike and one of the official, marked trails around the Abisko National Park Visitors Center. For such a short and easy hike, this trail offers beautiful views of the small canyon and the surrounding landscape.

The Canyon is rather small, but apart from the basic trail infrastructure, it’s a beautiful, pristine environment.

The area around Abisko is also famous for its fall colors, making it a great destination if you plan to be in Northern Norway or Swedish Lapland at that time of year. The area is full of birch trees, which turn golden yellow in the fall, and the other vegetation of the Arctic Tundra complements the display of colors.

Fall colors typically appear from early to mid-September or later, depending on the weather patterns and temperatures of each year.

Table of Contents

Overview of the Abiskoeatnu Canyon and Abiskojåkka River Delta Hike & Map

The Abiskoeatnu Canyon is a rather short walk, mostly flat, with no real elevating gain. The part around the Canyon has some viewpoint platforms too. As you approach the river delta, however, there is a maze of trails that crisscross each other in every direction.

Note that access to the river delta is prohibited between 1 May and 31 July, because the area is a bird sanctuary.

From the visitors center, you can follow the “Kanjon” trail Marks, orange with two dots.

How to get to the Abiskoeatnu Canyon Trailhead and Parking

The trailhead is located next to the Abisko Visitors Center, and only road E10 from Norway and from Kiruna leads there.

• Driving Directions: If you are coming from Norway via the E10 road, you can reach the Abisko visitors center 40-50 minutes after passing the Norwegian-Swedish border. If you are coming from the opposite direction, it takes about an hour to reach Abisko from Kiruna by car, and almost three from Gällivare.
• Parking: Parking is available at the Abisko visitors center. Pay attention to the signs, as some areas are reserved for long-term parking, such as those who hike the Kungsleden, for instance.
• Public Transport: The train station near the Abisko visitors center. The timetable can be found here.

There’s only one road to get to the trailhead, and that’s the E10. If you are touring Northern Norway, it is surprisingly easy to add this to your itinerary. Driving from Narvik to Abisko, for instance, will take less than an hour.

The vegetation in and around the canyon offers a beautiful display of colors in the Fall.

The Abiskoeatnu Canyon and Abiskojåkka River Delta Hiking Trail

From the visitors center, you can walk toward the Kungsleden trailhead and then follow the signs to the “Kanyon” trail. Initially, the trail follows the entrance to the Kungslede, to continue over a bridge next to the E10 and onto the other side of the Abiskojok river.

From there, a platform follows the Canyon downstream along its main viewpoint.

The trail initially follows a walkboard on the left side of the canyon.

View from the observation deck.

You’ll also see a small waterfall coming out of the rocks at the top of the Canyon. That’s actually artificial, as the hole in the rock was created during the construction of the bridge. The waterfall is

From there, the platform continues to follow the river downstream until a bridge that crosses the Abiskojokk river again in the opposite direction. Here, you can take the bridge to cross the river. Once on the other side, you can take the trail to return to the visitors center, or continue to follow the river downstream on one of the multiple trails that go in that direction.

The small waterfall at the entrance of the Canyon. 

You can literally follow any of the trails that fan out, as they all ultimately lead to the shores of Lake Torneträsk. There are several good viewpoints there, with views of the lake and the mountains, both on the other side of the lake and back beyond the Abisko Visitors Center.

From the lake, you can then follow any of the trails back toward the Visitors Center and back to the bridge. Instead of crossing it, you can follow it upstream to view the canyon from the opposite side. There is also a narrow path that leads down closer to the river. From there, it’s just a short walk back to the Visitors Center.

The Canyon opens up to the Abiskojok river delta, where it meets Lake Torneträsk.

Looking back toward the Abisko Visitors Center.

Abiskoeatnu Canyon and Abiskojåkka River Delta Photos and Photography Tips

The best place to be on this trail is toward the end of the day, before the sun sets. That’s when the light floods the area and, in autumn, turns the colors of the mountains around the lake into vivid hues of warm yellows and oranges.

The canyon alsooffers nice photo opportunities on both sides, but I think the best views are on the Western side, with plenty of colorful birch trees, moss and lichens around it.

Lenses from above 24mm work best here; the landscape is vast, and the mountains aren’t steep. There also isn’t that. much foreground apart from trees and bushes, so with an ultrawide lens, everything will look very small. With longer lenses, however, you will be able to capture more of the details in the landscape, and there’s plenty.

Where to stay

There aren’t too many options in the area; this is a very remote location. There are, of course, Abisko and the Abisko tourist center. You can also find a campsite there, but it’s only for tents. If you are in a Van or RV, look for one of the dedicated areas along the E10 or a campsite along the road, such as Björkliden.

Additional Resources

• If you are in Abisko, I’d highly recommend combining this hike with the Njakajaure Trail. They are both easy and relatively short trails, and both start from the Abisko Visitors Center.