Sjusjøen: Cross-country trails, cycling routes and canoe trips in summer

Sjusjøen combines extensive cross-country skiing with cycling routes and summer activities on the water. Depending on which activities you focus on, the area reveals a different side. This can also be a helpful starting point when choosing your holiday apartment: should your trip focus mainly on cross-country skiing, cycling or summer water activities?

Cross-country skiing on trails and in the arena

Sjusjøen has a 350-kilometre network of groomed cross-country trails. Grooming conditions vary by season. The Sjusjøen Cross-Country Skiing Arena offers a specific option: it has a five-kilometre floodlit trail and two additional competition trails, each five kilometres long. The lighting and competition trails add clearly defined route options to the extensive trail network. The arena’s operating arrangements may vary; check the current conditions when planning your day of cross-country skiing.

Nearby, the Birkebeiner Trail runs through the area around Sjusjøen. It offers skiing opportunities in both open mountain terrain and forest. This means that, alongside the extensive trail network and the arena’s routes, different types of landscapes are available to help guide your plans.

Cycling routes with a range of trail features

For cycling trips, Sjusjøen has a network of mountain and mountain-farm roads, as well as cycling routes for all ability levels. The Sjusjøen Mountain Bike Park expands the options with hand-built mountain biking trails, also for all ability levels. One specific trail length is available in the park’s skills area: the trail is one kilometre long and suitable for both beginners and experienced cyclists.

The Eftasrunden is just under five kilometres long and has technical sections.

Summer by the water

In summer, canoeing is possible on the mountain rivers around Sjusjøen. Canoe trips on Sjusjøvannet are also offered from Sjusjøen. Fishing competitions for children are held at the lake every summer—another seasonal activity alongside canoe trips.

In the immediate area around the destination, there are opportunities for safe swimming at Sjusjøvannet, including at Trivselsplassen and near Rustad, Varpodden and Åtangen. Check local conditions before swimming.

A cultural highlight in Sjusjøen

Beyond outdoor activities, Sjusjøen also offers a cultural point of interest: Sjusjøen Mountain Church was built in 1962. In contrast to cross-country skiing, cycling and water activities, it adds a specific historic site in the area to the range of options.

Cultural history in the wider destination of Ringsaker

The wider destination of Ringsaker offers further cultural and historical points of interest. Ringsaker Church is one of Norway’s most authentic and best-preserved medieval churches; its oldest parts date from the first half of the 12th century. On Steinsholmen in Lake Mjøsa are the ruins of Mjøskastellet, one of the largest known medieval towers in Norway. Also in Ringsaker is Sveinhaugen, a burial mound 21 metres high, southeast of Ringsaker Church. These places offer a distinct historical perspective on Ringsaker and complement the nature and activity themes that define Sjusjøen.

Discover more destinations

Furnes, Nes På Hedmark, Lismarka, Mesnali, Moelv, Brumunddal, Tingnes

To the overview of the wider destination: Ringsaker.