Åsnen National Park
Welcome to Åsnen National Park – Sweden’s youngest national park. When it comes to natural environments, there is no greater mark of quality than the national park designation, and here you will find valuable and unique types of nature really close up. Åsnen National Park has something for everyone.
About the national park
Åsnen is wilderness, water, islands and silence. An untouched nature paradise with an inland lake archipelago with more than 1000 islands and a 700km shoreline. Åsnen National Park, which was formed in 2018 and so became Sweden’s 30th national park, is approx. 19sq.km large and about 75% thereof is water. The national park has a flat terrain with many large stone and boulder fields.
Åsnen National Park has two entrances: Trollberget in the western part, and entrance Sunnabron in the north. The entrances are like gateways to the national park and have wind shelters, fire pits and lakeside wooden decks in a harmonious design. By the entrances you also find a car park, information signs, waste separation bins and toilets. At Toftåsa mire there is a small entrance area with parking and a barbecue area as well as information signs.
The mosaic of various types of environments offers a majestic mingling of northern and southern. Old broadleaf forests with rare mosses, lichens and fungi, are interspersed with taiga conifer forests, lingonberry brush and marshland. Many of the environments host birds, plants and insects that are rare or absent elsewhere because of how the landscape has changed. Maybe you’ll see a majestic white-tailed eagle or osprey, or perhaps hear the black-throated diver call out over the lake. Moose, otters and lynx can also be spotted here. In Åsnen National Park you are offered powerful experiences, whether you are a true outdoor enthusiast, a family with children, or just want to go out and spend time in nature.
Hiking in Åsnen National Park
One of the best ways to discover nature in the Åsnen area is on foot. Several of the environments in the national park have been made available, and there are a number of colour-marked footpaths to choose from to experience the diversity in the area. Here you can find an overview of the paths in the national park.
By the national park entrances are nice picnic areas with lakeside wooden decks and firepits where you can cook your lunch after a hike. You are only allowed to make fires at designated campfire sites, with your own, or provided, firewood.
Stay overnight
If you want to spend the night in the national park, there is a nice, small campsite called Utsikten just next to Åsnen’s beach by Trollberget. Other than that, overnight options are very limited within the national park.
The campsite lies along the Banvallsleden cycling route, a 5-10-minute walk from the park entrance. Here you will find a wind shelter and toilet as well as a tent pitch. The space is limited and intended for individual visitors who visit the national park or travel along the Banvallsleden cycle trail or paddle on the lake. Camping is permitted for a maximum of one night between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.
In the national park’s vicinity are several well-arranged campsites that offer camping close to nature.
By bicycle in the national park
Take the bike to Åsnen National Park! The flat landscape in Åsnen is ideal for cycling and offers majestic nature experiences. The bike trail, which runs through the western part of the national park, runs along the old abandoned railway and is part of the Åsnen Runt bike trail and the Banvallsleden trail, which are largely car-free.
You pass small villages along the western side of the lake and get many beautiful views of Åsnen. There are bicycle racks by the picnic areas in the national park for those who want to park their bicycles and walk along the footpaths. For smooth and accessible bike rental and bike packages in the Åsnen area, visit www.rentbike.se.
Canoeing and kayaking in the lake archipelago
The kayak glides silently through the water in West Åsnen’s lake archipelago. Suddenly, you reach a different world that in many ways is hidden from the mainland. Here, nature has been left to its own devices. The sound of human activity is rare, and light pollution is non-existent. Read more about canoeing and kayaking in Åsnen here.
Reaching the national park archipelago can be quite an arduous task. Here you will find wilderness and uninhabited islands with no comforts, which contributes to the fantastic nature experiences you will have. Keep in mind that the lake often quite quickly can change in character. It is recommended to always carry the “Map of the Åsnen area” that is sold at various places in Åsnen. Also note that the archipelago’s bird life is very sensitive. During the period April 1 to July 31, access is prohibited on the northern parts of the island Bergön to protect nesting birds. The same goes for the northern part of the island Södra Aspö, as well as several other islands in Åsnen. Bird protection areas are clearly marked with buoys and signs, as well as on the “Map of the Åsnen area”.
