An orange-marked network of hiking trails spanning 48 Swedish miles—around 480 kilometres—covers the entire municipality of Gagnef. The trails lead to a wide variety of nature and cultural experiences: to viewpoints overlooking the river landscape, through protected areas and along historic paths. The marked routes alone show how many different ways there are to explore Gagnef on foot.

Hiking Among Viewpoints and Forest History

Djurmo klack rises 200 metres above the river landscape below and offers expansive views. There are hiking trails and a short nature trail along the ridge; a wind shelter, a fire pit and a car park are also available. Two Bronze Age burial mounds add another point of interest: here, the landscape combines nature experiences with a history stretching far back in time.

The Tansvägga Nature Reserve offers a different trail length and setting. Its 4.5-kilometre loop passes viewpoints, elevated bogs, natural forest and an area affected by forest fire. Climbing is also permitted in parts of the reserve. The loop’s different stops make the varied landscapes part of a single hike.

In Myggtjärn Nature Reserve, an easy hiking trail crosses the stream over bridges. If you’d like to extend your hike, you can continue north around Myrtjärnen. Tryss klack offers a highlight at a higher elevation: at 493 metres, it is the highest point in the municipality of Gagnef.

In Tryssjöberget Nature Reserve, trails follow old summer-pasture paths past the remains of charcoal production, including old charcoal-burning sites and the ruins of collapsed charcoal burners’ huts. The area is also defined by its natural coniferous forests, with some pines more than 300 years old. The forests also provide habitats where capercaillie thrive. Along the trails, the landscape meets traces of former work in the forest.

River Landscapes, Cycling Routes and Winter Trails

In Djurås, Västerdalälven and Österdalälven meet to form the Dalälven. At Fänforsen near Björbo, visitors can try white-water rafting and paddling on the Västerdalälven. These are other ways to experience Gagnef’s river landscape.

For cycling, the municipality’s villages have around 20 Swedish miles, or about 200 kilometres, of cycling routes. Most run along smaller gravel roads through hilly, forested landscapes and lead to summer-pasture farms. In winter, the 10-kilometre Åkerspår cross-country ski trail offers a different perspective: it runs across gently rolling fields between Österfors, Gräv, Tjärna and Kyrkbyn.

Cultural Heritage at the Museum and Along the Trails

The permanent exhibition at the Ottilia Adelborg Museum features lace and bobbin lace from Gagnef and around the world, Ottilia Adelborg’s art and literature, as well as Gagnef costumes and objects from Gagnef. The museum is located in Gamla Prostgården, a 17th-century building visited by Carl von Linné in 1734. Art, literature and objects from the area are presented alongside the history of the building.

Another way to explore cultural history is the Kulturstråket in Gagnefs Kyrkby: the walking route is just under two kilometres long and has ten stops. Gagnef’s cultural heritage also includes strong traditions in textile crafts. The municipality is also home to two of the last surviving log-floating bridges in Sweden. The oldest surviving bridge, at Österfors, is accessible only to pedestrians and cyclists.

Midsummer customs also show how music and community traditions go hand in hand. Midsummer is celebrated every year at Minnesstugorna in Gagnefs Kyrkby. Fiddlers and tunes that have been played for generations are important parts of the festivities. An older tradition, now a thing of the past, was celebrating Matsmässan or Mattsmässan with a bear, bride and groom: children and young people kept it alive during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Plan Your Discoveries

If you’d like to match your interests with the trails and cultural sites, the municipality of Gagnef provides information on activities, events, places of interest and tourist accommodation. Naturkartan features hiking trails and cultural heritage sites, among other things. This lets you choose what to focus on during your stay, from forest and river landscapes to outdoor activities and local cultural heritage.

Discover more destinations: Sandviken, Näset, Gagnef, Björbo, Gräv, Leksand, Rättvik, Mora.

Go to the overview of destinations: Dalarnas Län.