Skärkdalen: Hiking Trails, Sámi Traces, and Waterfalls

Skärkdalen is a destination for anyone who wants to combine nature and history. At its heart is the Skärvagsdalen Nature Reserve, which is protected both as a nature reserve and as a Natura 2000 site. The reserve also contains traces of Sámi dwellings. This creates a landscape experience in which not only forests, water, and mountains play a role, but also the history of Sámi settlement.

Hiking Trails with Different Impressions

A particularly varied route is the Skärkdalen–Mor Sönnes hiking trail. After a few kilometres, it reaches the Skärvagsdalen Nature Reserve and passes through birch forest, mixed forest, and wetland areas. Kari Torkils and Mor Sönnes lie along the trail. Kari Torkils was an old Sámi school; remains of its house foundation are still visible. Mor Sönnes is a well-preserved wooden house and is privately owned. These stops give the hike a cultural dimension without requiring you to limit yourself to observing nature alone.

The Skärkdalen–Öjön hiking trail begins at Skärdalens fritidsby and heads west through the mountain forest on the eastern part of the northern slope of Skärvagsvålen. Along the Skärvagsån, it passes pit traps for a long stretch. Anyone who wants to notice traces of earlier use alongside the landscape while hiking will find a particular focus here. For another water and nature experience, a trail leads from the car park at Hovlinsvallen for approximately 2 kilometres along the stepped waterfalls of the Öjönån to Silverfallet.

Water Experiences and Practical Route Planning

In the immediate vicinity of Skärkdalen, Lower Skärvagen can be reached via the southern side of the Skärkån. The car park there is 150 metres from the rental boats. Rental boats for fishing in the Skärvagsån are available from the Ljungdalen tourist office during opening hours. In Öjön, you can fish particularly for large Öjön Arctic char and trout in winter. This makes the area suitable for travel plans that combine hiking with time by the water or fishing experiences.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Skärkdalen, it is worth considering your planned excursions and your own mobility together. For the Skärkdalen–Hovlinsvallen hiking trail, you need a car at each car park or a pickup, as the car parks are far apart. You should also take the road access from Skärkdalen to the Skärvagsdalen Nature Reserve into account when finding your way: After the first turn, it covers 800 metres, followed by another 1.5 kilometres after the second turn.

An additional route leads from Risåsstugan to Skärkdalen. It runs partly through trackless terrain in Skärkdalen’s coniferous forest; in its first half, it mainly passes through high-altitude mountain birch forest. These differing trail characteristics help you choose excursions that suit your interests. If a travel group is looking for both nature observation and cultural-historical impressions, Skärkdalen offers several clearly distinct approaches to planning the day.

More Destinations for Your Travel Planning

For further searches, you can also view Kvarnsjö, Ljungdalen, Berg, Åsarna, Ratan, Storhågna, Galabodarna, and Klövsjö.

To the higher-level travel overview: Berg.