Hiking in Sweden: Hikes into the Scenic Wilderness

Sweden is renowned for its long-distance hiking trails and even more so for being one of the few countries in Europe where vast expanses of Wilderness still exist. Yet, it somehow seems not as popular as some others. Perhaps that’s because scenic locations in Sweden are harder to reach. After all, getting into Sweden’s remote wilderness does require time and effort. And to me, that’s part of the appeal too.

View from Skierfe, oin he Sarek National Park.

Sweden is one of the last few countries in Europe where vast regions of wilderness still exist. This is a big deal for those who live in the “old continent” like me. In many regions, like the Alps, for instance, while the landscape can be truly beautiful, what is lacking is the wilderness. For example, you can buy a Rolex at 4000 meters of altitude on a mountain station in Switzerland, while if you go to the Sarek, there aren’t even trails for the most part.

On that, I once gave a lift to another hiker from North America while I was driving across Swedish Lapland. She was wondering why other Europeans she met came to Sweden to “enjoy nature”. That’s why there isn’t much wilderness further south.

Rainbow in the vast Wilderness expanse of Swedish Lapland.

Introduction to Hiking in Sweden

Sweden has an incredible wealth of hikings trails. While there isn’t one “official” total for every local path, the core systems are massive. There are about5,500 km of State hiking trails in Sweden, maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency), and 2,500 km 0f local paths, and more And that does no include all the areas where you can hike, but there essentially are no trails, like the Sarek National Park.

In 1909, Sweden became the first country in Europe to establish a national park. Today, there are 31 national parks in Sweden, and you can tell Swedes love them and are proud of their parks and of their nature. And of all the outdoor experiences you can enjoy in a country like Sweden, from the forests in the south, to the Wilderness of the north.

In Sweden, the hiking lexicon distinguishes between the where and the how long:

• Vandring (Hiking): It’s hiking as a general term. general term. the term for a day hike Dagstur is a day hike.

• Fjällvandring (Mountain Trekking): This is the “true” Swedish trek. It implies a multi-day journey in the treeless tundra, often involving carrying a heavy pack and staying in huts (stugor) or tents.

• Expedition: Used for Sarek National Park, which has no marked trails or cabins, requiring high-level navigation skills

Hikers in Sweden.

Sweden – Hiking Trails Map and Photo Spots

Here is a map, by no means complete, of the most scenic trails and spots. I will be adding more in the coming years. you can access the dedicated post of each location via the pin on the map. as usual,. each one of the dedicated post contains in-depth information about each trail, and a free GPX file.

At the bottom of this page, you can also find the same list of post on order of publication.

Sweden’s Varied Landscape: from Mountains and Glaciers to Forests and Coastlines

So for proper mountain hikes (Fjällvandring and Expeditions), Sweden’s far north is the place to be. In the The south is more forest, rivers and lakes. Mountains are gentler compared to the ones you find in the Northern regions, and there are more day hikes. Still the south has impressive rivers and waterfalls while not lacking in Wilderness and Wildlife either.

And, of course, you can all enjoy it on foot. here is an overview of what type of landscape you can expect.

Ristafallet Waterfall.

Mountain Huts, Allemansrätten, and Camping in Sweden

On top of that extensive trail system, there is also a large Mountain Huts network, managed by the SFT, the Swedish Touring Association. You can rely on huts to sleep at (booking in advance, paid) or for camping in the vicinities too, and pay for services. The biggest and most popular ones also have small “shops”.

Camping at the Aktse Hut.

Thanks to Allemansrätten, you can also camp and spend the night in the wild, with a few limitations. In national Parks you can only do that at designated camping areas:

• Duration: You can pitch your tent for one or two nights in the same spot before moving on.

• Location: You may camp on any land that isn’t a private garden, near a dwelling, or used for crops.

• The “Privacy Zone” (Hemfridszon): There is no fixed distance in the law, but the standard rule of thumb is to stay at least 150 meters away from houses. If the landowner can see or hear you, you are likely too close.

• Groups: If you are a group of more than two or three tents, you must ask the landowner for permission, as the impact on the ground and privacy is considered greater.

You can also legally pick wild berries (like the “Gold of the North” cloudberries) and mushrooms anywhere, as long as they aren’t protected or in someone’s private garden. In the northern mountains, you can generally drink directly from the streams. The water is often colder and fresher than anything you’ll find in a bottle.

Official Resources to Plan your Hikes in Sweden

there is a wealth of resources online to plan your own hikes and explore Sweden’s hiking trails.

• Sveriges Nationalparker: The definitive guide to all 31 parks.
• STF (Swedish Tourist Association): The best resource for the mountain hut system, trail maps, and “Signature Trails.”
• Naturkartan: the resource to discover hiking trails (and other activities). A little clunky to navigate, but plenty of info.
• Calazo Maps: if you appreciate paper maps, Calazo’s maps are the best you can find on the market. I have several of them myself. I think all of the most recent ones are waterproof and very hand to navigate the terrain if you are planning multi-days hikes in the Swedish Wilderness.

Best Hikes in Sweden

Here is a list of the latest post and hiking locations in Sweden.