Billingsfors lies right on Lake Laxsjön, and the Dalsland Canal also runs through the town. Both help orient visitors: locks line the waterways, while the church, open-air theatre, hiking trails and nature reserve offer distinct cultural and scenic highlights. If you’re looking for hotels in Billingsfors, you can first consider whether local history, hiking or the lakeside setting will shape your stay.

Nature reserve and hiking trails

East of Billingsfors, the Ösan Nature Reserve lies on a peninsula in Lake Laxsjön. The reserve has easy-to-walk trails and a swimming area, and is easily reached by canoe. North of the lock, turn off Route 172 towards Strandvägen and follow Strandvägen to the end. Trout, pike and perch are caught in Lake Laxsjön near Billingsfors, making the lake interesting for anglers too.

The Brända Berget hiking trail is 9 or 11 km long and passes the Dalsland Canal and the Höljerudsforsarna rapids. Its length provides a clear guide for planning a hike; the canal and Höljerudsforsarna are also named landscape features along the route. In Ösan, by contrast, the focus is on easy-to-walk trails in the nature reserve.

The Höljerudsforsarna rapids are part of the description of the nearby nature reserve and are also located on the Brända Berget hiking trail. This makes it possible to view the same landscape feature in two different contexts: as part of the protected area and as a point along the trail.

Canal and historic buildings

The Billingsfors lock station consists of two single locks that lead from Lake Laxsjön to Bengtsbrohöljen. The lower single lock is right next to the paper mill. Together with the canal that runs through Billingsfors, the locks provide a clear point of reference between the two bodies of water.

Billingsfors Church stands on an island in Lake Laxsjön, connected to the mainland by an iron bridge. The wooden building was constructed between 1761 and 1763. An 18th-century organ positive is now located in the choir. The church thus combines a distinctive lakeside setting with details about its construction and historic furnishings.

Open-air theatre and cultural life

The open-air theatre in Billingsfors was built in 1792 and has 200 seats. It is still used by local music and theatre associations for concerts and performances. If you’d like to include a performance in your travel plans, check the specific dates in advance.

Cycling route and nature in the surrounding area

For cyclists, the route between Billingsfors and Bengtsfors runs along the west side of Bengtsbrohöljen. Near Billingsfors, the Höljerudsforsarna rapids and the slope to the east together form a nature reserve of about 45 hectares. Alongside the trails in Ösan and the Brända Berget hiking route, this offers a specific cycling connection and another protected area as different ways to explore the landscape.

Discover more destinations: Gustavsfors, Bäckefors, Dals Långed, Ödskölt, Bengtsfors

Return to the main travel overview: Bengtsfors.