Discover Björkliden: Trails, History and Mountain Landscapes

Björkliden combines impressive mountain landscapes with trails, historical traces and unusual excursion destinations. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home for their vacation will find various ways to spend their days here: from marked hikes and peaceful forest walks to challenging summit ascents, historical guided tours and special nature experiences.

Hiking between the Rallar Trail and the mountain landscape

A specific destination for a hike is Rallarkyrkogården. The round trip from Björkliden to the cemetery is 8 km long and is marked with white and blue markings on tree trunks and signs. In the immediate vicinity of Björkliden, this route can be extended by a 3 km round trip to the church in Tornehamn. This allows you to plan your day around your preferred distance without having to commit to a single option.

The Rallar cross-country ski trails also start at an easily identifiable location by the signpost to Rallarvägen opposite the railway station in Björkliden. Near Hotell Fjället, hiking trails range from peaceful forest walks to challenging summit ascents. For families or travel groups with different preferences, this range provides a useful reference point when planning shared and individual parts of the day.

Discover the history of the area

Rallarkyrkogården is also known as Tornehamns kyrkogård. The cemetery in the immediate vicinity of Björkliden was established for people who died during the construction of the Malmbanan iron ore railway. The site is therefore connected to the history of this railway line, without the visit having to be limited to a hike alone.

Another historical landmark is Gammelgården. It is one of the engineers’ houses built in 1906 that have been preserved in the village of Björkliden to this day. Until 1926, Gammelgården was a private residence. After that, the house was acquired by SJ's Vilohemsförening and made available to its members. Those interested in architectural history and the development of the area can take this aspect into account when planning their trip, along with the trails through the landscape.

Nature experiences and special activities

Silverfallet is located nearby, a waterfall in a ravine that flows into Torneträsk. Above Björkliden is also Kåppasjokkgrottan, one of Sweden’s longest cave systems. The temperature in the cave is plus 8 °C all year round. These two destinations offer different points of focus: one centers on a waterfall in the surroundings of Torneträsk, while the other highlights the constant temperature in the cave system.

In Björkliden, a four-hour guided historical hike through barren mountain landscapes and along the Navvy Trail is available. Another option is a 2.5-hour dog-sled ride for 2 to 8 people. Mountain bike rental is also available from June to October. Björkliden is also home to Sweden’s northernmost golf course. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider whether you want to focus on hiking, history, nature, a guided tour or a seasonal activity.

Getting there and choosing your holiday destination

SJ operates the train service between Stockholm and Björkliden. The railway station in Björkliden is approximately 1 km from Hotell Fjället and thus provides a specific local reference point for planning your journey. When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home, first consider which experiences are most important to you and how you would like to divide your vacation days between longer routes, short discoveries and guided activities.

More destinations for planning your trip

For further orientation, you can also visit the pages about Kiruna, Riksgränsen, Karesuando, Vittangi, Lannavaara and Abisko.

To the higher-level travel overview: Kiruna.