Ottsjö – Trails, Lake Experiences and Winter Tours

Ottsjö combines trails through historic mountain pasturelands with experiences on Ottsjön and a variety of options for active days on holiday. Those planning a trip to northern Sweden can choose between hikes, cycling and horseback-riding tours, kayaking activities, winter sports and special insights into the former use of the landscape. When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Ottsjö, it is worth deciding early what you want to focus on: Should the trip mainly revolve around trails and mountain forest, the lake or the winter ski trails?

Hiking between the village, mountain pastures and mountain forest

The Hållvallsleden runs for approximately four kilometres from the village of Ottsjö to the Hållvallen mountain pasture. Hållvallen mountain pasture hut was built in 1824 and used until 1940 for spring and autumn grazing. The trail therefore combines a tangible experience of the landscape with an insight into the region’s mountain-pasture history. The Hållvallsleden is used for hiking, running, horseback riding and cycling. Depending on your travel plans, you can therefore incorporate it into your stay in different ways.

The Fäbodrundturen also draws on the history of the mountain pastures and passes the weathered mountain pasture huts of Norra and Södra Bottenvallen. Those who want to experience the transition between open landscapes and forest on a hike will find another option on the Bäckåsleden. The trail crosses marshes and sections of mountain forest over Högåsen and offers views in all directions. Where it connects with the Hållvallsrundan, the Bäckåsleden has four resting places or benches. These different trail characteristics help you align your accommodation plans with your preferred daily activities.

Ottsjön, historic trails and kayaking tours

On the northern shore of Ottsjön, there is a small sandy beach and a landing stage that are easily accessible from the village of Ottsjö. The lake is also the setting for Ridvadet: the crossing, which is just over 500 metres long, was formerly used by people on horseback travelling to Härjedalen. Today, this historic connection also makes the landscape interesting for travellers who want to combine nature experiences with regional history.

Fjällkajakcenter offers kayaking tours on Ottsjön ranging from two hours to a full day. The starting point is the centre at Storåstranden bathing area. This makes it possible to plan a stay around either a shorter outing or a longer day on the water. When choosing your holiday apartment, consider which activities are most important to you and which starting points you would like to use during your trip.

Winter trails and special experiences

Ottsjö also offers several options in winter. There are six different cross-country and touring-ski trails to choose from in total. Lyckoleden connects Ottsjö with the ski trails in Trillevallen and Edsåsdalen. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between trails in Ottsjö and connections to the other ski areas mentioned, without committing to just one type of winter sport.

Wild Spirit Dog Sledding and Bushcraft also promises a special experience with dog-sledding tours against the wilderness backdrop of Ottsjö. Depending on your travel group’s interests, this allows peaceful days in the landscape, trails by the lake and winter activities to be combined.

More destinations for planning your trip

For additional orientation, you can also visit the pages on Storlien, Järpen, Åre, Huså, Vålådalen, Ånn, Mörsil and Undersåker. Ottsjö itself is particularly interesting if you want to combine hiking, lake experiences, historic mountain-pasture trails and winter tours in one trip.

For the higher-level trip overview: Åre.