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Hikes

Hiking is a wonderful way to experience nature. It provides the opportunity to see both the big and small things that appear along the trails. The chances of encountering wildlife increase when traveling on foot and moving in silence. A hike doesn’t have to mean a full backpack and several days of trekking; even a morning stroll around the corner can be enough. That’s the charm of it—you can tailor the day to your own preferences. Be sure to plan your hike so there’s time to enjoy it! One tip is to bring a backpack so you can carry a thermos with something warm to drink and some snacks, allowing you to sit down and enjoy without having to head home just when it’s at its best and your stomach starts to rumble. Around Björkliden, there are plenty of hikes suitable for a day trip.

There are also opportunities for longer hikes, but here we’ve chosen to focus on what’s available in the local area. If you’re looking for tips and advice on longer trips, please feel free to contact our guides or the booking office.

Useful additions for a more enjoyable mountain hike include a map to help you identify what you’re looking at, binoculars and a magnifying glass for closer observation of wildlife and birds, and a plant guide to identify the vegetation around you. Keep in mind that with today’s technology, there are also useful apps for your phone, such as Norrbotten’s Nature Map and various digital plant guides. However, we always recommend bringing an analog map and compass with you on your hike.

1. Rallarkyrkogården (Railroad Workers’ Cemetery)

Hike the old railway material road through the lush mountain birch forest and imagine yourself back at the turn of the last century. Enjoy the small waterfalls and the abundant greenery surrounding the trail, as well as the peace and beauty of the Rallar Cemetery. Imagine the lives that this historic site has witnessed—let yourself be captivated by the mystery of the woman known as Black Bear! You can read about her at the cemetery. A rallare in Swedish refers to a railway worker, specifically those involved in the construction and maintenance of railways. The term is particularly associated with the workers who built the railways in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

”Tip: Rallarvägen is a fun trail to bike along. Rent a bike for the day and discover a different mountain adventure!”

Start at the hotel, take the cabin village road or the paved road down to the railway station in Björkliden village. Cross the railway at the crossing and turn left immediately. At the edge of the forest, you’ll find an information board about Rallarvägen and a road sign. From here, it’s about 3.5 km to Rallar Cemetery. The cemetery itself is on the left side above the trail, with an information board at the trail junction. If you want to visit Tornehamn Church, continue straight along Rallarvägen past the cemetery and look for signs towards Tornehamn. It’s about 1.5 km to walk down to Tornehamn from the cemetery. Return the same way back to the hotel.

    FACTS ABOUT OPTION 1

    Distance

    8 km Hotel – Rallar Cemetery round trip
    3 km Rallar Cemetery – Tornehamn round trip

    Time required:

    2-3 h

    Marking:

    White/blue markings on tree trunks. Signs.

Follow Option 1 towards “Rallarkyrkogården” and then choose to hike up to Crater Lake (Kratersjön), approximately 1.5 km. After that, hike the route to Crater Lake and back to the hotel – see separate description. If you choose this option, head towards the cemetery but instead of entering through the gate, follow the outside of the fence up to the railway. Be careful when crossing the railway, as trains can come quickly! On the other side of the railway, there is a path straight up the forest slope – follow this path.

    FACTS ABOUT OPTION 2

    Distance:

    9 km (church not included)

    Time required:

    3-5 h

    Marking:

    Rallarvägen is marked with blue-and-white signs.
    The trail up to Crater Lake is marked with some red trail markers.

     

2. Kratersjön (The Crater Lake)

Are you eager to see more of the mountains and an incredible panorama? Crater Lake is surrounded by lovely rock slabs where you can rest your legs and enjoy your coffee thermos. On the mountain plateau, you’ll find typical mountain plants along the ground and, likely, some reindeer grazing in front of the mountain peaks. On clear days, you can see into the Norwegian mountains and, of course, the majestic Lapporten! If the weather is warm, a swim in Badsjön can be refreshing.

Start at the hotel and aim up the steep gravel slope towards the golf course. Hike up the gravel road and after about 1.5 km, you’ll reach Badsjön. Follow the trail on the northern (right) side of the lake. After about 2 km, you will arrive at Crater Lake. There is also a shelter here where you can take cover in bad weather. Keep to the trail if visibility is poor! If you wish, you can choose to head north (right) at Crater Lake and hike the 1.5 km down to Rallar Cemetery. Be cautious when crossing the railway! From Rallar Cemetery, you can follow Rallarvägen along the railway back to the hotel.

    FACTS

    Distance:

    7 kilometres from Hotell Fjället – Crater Lake (Kratersjön) roundtrip

    Time required:

    2-3 h

    Markings:

    The red trail markers start on the right side of Badsjön.

     

3. Silverfallet Waterfall

Follow the Rakkasjohka river down towards Torneträsk to one of Björkliden’s classic hidden gems, the waterfall Silverfallet. Here, the stream cascades down into a narrow canyon that opens up into lake Torneträsk. Stroll along the shore and feel the smooth stones polished by the water. If you want to cool off, a quick and refreshing dip in the clear water is recommended, but it’s not for the faint-hearted!

Start at the hotel, walk towards the ski slope and follow the trail that traverses across the ski slope Teknikbacken. The trail leads into the forest and towards a large wooden hut, Lavvon. Pass Lavvon and head straight down towards the stream; do not cross the stream but turn downward and follow the stream towards lake Torneträsk. After a while, you will reach the lift stations and the helicopter site; here you need to turn onto the asphalt road for about 150 meters. At the intersection, you’ll see the stream right next to the road and a bridge over the water. This is where the trail Rallarvägen towards Abisko starts. Stay on this side of the bridge and turn down along the stream. There is also a trail along the stream towards Silverfallet—take that one! The trail goes under the E10 and down towards the water. There is a bridge over the stream a bit further down. Be careful, it can be slippery if it has rained! Now you’ve reached Torneträsk!

    FACTS

    Distance:

    3 kilometres from Hotell Fjället – Silverfallet Waterfall roundtrip

    Time required:

    2-3 h

    Markings:

    Unmarked but clear paths and roads.

4. Låktatjåkko Mountain Lodge

Låktatjåkko Mountain Station, or Låkta as we call it, is Sweden’s highest mountain station, situated 1228 meters above sea level! The station is spectacularly located in a pass between two mountain peaks, nine kilometers from Björkliden. From here, you have a vast view over Lapland’s magnificent mountain landscape. A visit to Låktatjåkko Mountain Station to enjoy a legendary Låkta waffle is well worth the effort. The hike itself offers fantastic views. First, over Torneträsk as you ascend the mountain Namnlösa, then the mountain plateau Rákkasláhku unfolds. The last stretch includes a bit more ascent before you arrive at the mountain station. There are two alternative trails to the cabin: the guide route and the summer trail, both marked with cairns (standing stones with red-painted dots). The guide route is slightly steeper up to the summit Namnlösa, but you are rewarded with spectacular views towards Vadvetjåkka National Park in the northwest. The summer trail has a gentler incline, and along the way, you can also see remnants from when Låktatjåkko Mountain Lodge was built, such as railway sleepers used to transport building materials. Both trails are marked with red dots on Calazo and Lantmäteriet’s maps. The guide route is the northern one, and the summer trail is the southern one. Early in the season, the summer trail can be very wet in some sections and should be avoided. Check with the reception if you need advice on the route.
Read more about Låktatjåkko

THE TRAILS

FACTS

Distance:

About 9,5 km

Time required:

3-5 hours (one way)

Markings:

The red color markings on the cairns are for the Trail “Färdledarvägen”, only cairns are for the Summer Trail.

Elevation:

About 750 elevation metres

 

 

BOKA BOENDE PÅ LÅKTATJÅKKO FJÄLLSTATION

5. Namnlösa toppen

An often overlooked gem is the mountain “Namnlösa.” Few peaks in the area offer such a fantastic view of the surroundings, and it’s hard to find a better place to enjoy the midnight sun. This hike begins in the mountain birch forest or the low alpine region, which is believed to be the oldest type of forest in Scandinavia. Where the mountain birch forest ends, the middle and high alpine regions begin. The boundary is usually drawn where the bilberry bushes stop growing. The middle and high alpine regions are characterized by grass heaths that gradually turn into increasingly rocky terrain with sparser vegetation.

”At really high altitudes, only lichens can survive. Keep an eye out for the Glacier Buttercup, which can also thrive at high elevations!”

To reach Namnlösa, start at the hotel and follow the trail towards Låktatjåkko Mountain Station. When you turn off from the golf course and start gaining some elevation, the ascent up Namnlösa begins. At this point, the trail to Låktatjåkko Mountain Lodge splits into the Summer Trail and the Guide Route. Both trails are marked with red dots on the map (BD6). We suggest choosing the Summer Trail, which is the southern route. It has a gentler ascent up Namnlösa. Once you reach the mountain plateau Rákkasláhku, after about 2.5 km, and the trail starts to slope downward, instead of continuing on the trail, turn off and head straight north up to Namnlösa itself. From the trail to the summit, there are about 700 meters and 30 meters of elevation gain remaining.

    FACTS

    Distance:

    About 3,5 km (one way)

    Time required:

    3 hours (one way)

    Markings:

    The red color markings on the cairns are for the Trail “Färdledarvägen”, only cairns are for the Summer Trail.

    Elevation:

    About 750 elevation metres

6. Blomstervandringen

Are you eager to simply enjoy nature and learn more about the plants in the area? Then our flower trail is perfect for you. The trail takes you to some of our finest spots around Björkliden while teaching you about the plants you see along the way.

The tour starts at the sports shop, where you can borrow a guidebook. In the guidebook, you’ll find pictures and descriptions of over 50 plants, where you are most likely to see them, and a detailed description of the route. The flower walk is one of the coziest strolls you can take in the area, taking you through all our types of terrain: rugged forest, water, barren mountain, and lush birch forest. When you’re back home, please return the guidebook so we can save on paper.

    FACTS

    Distance:

       2 kilometres

    Time required:

       1 – 2 hours

    Markings:

      Trail marked with flower decals

    Elevation:

       About 50 metres

7. Midnight Sun Cairn

Hike up to our midnight sun cairn and sign our guestbook. Here, you can enjoy the beautiful view and the sun at midnight. This is, of course, a lovely hike to do at other times of the day and year as well. At midnight, the sun is directly over Pålnoviken in Lake Torneträsk and the Norwegian Sördalen, which is a canyon with steep cliff walls.

Start at the hotel and walk up the gravel road towards the golf course and the first tee. Continue up the gravel road until you reach a smaller information sign about Låktatjåkko Mountain Lodge in English. This sign also describes the route. Follow this clear path marked with red-painted cairns that goes to the left from the gravel road. After about 500 meters, the cairns are marked in red and yellow. Follow the yellow marking that branches off to the right. You will soon see the hill with a cairn and a sign on it. Cross a few slightly wetter areas, and then you will arrive. On your way back, you can keep to the right, closer to the stream, to pass by the waterfall Syndafallet.

    FACTS

    Distance:

    Hotel Fjället – the cairn roundtrip 3.5 kilometres

    Time required:

    1-1.5 hours

    Markings:

    Cairns marked with red and then with yellow,
    signs.

8. The waterfall Syndafallet and the view point

Hike up the slope behind the hotel, and you will quickly reach the mountain plateau. Drink the clear, refreshing water from Rakkasjohka. All around you, a mountain panorama unfolds, and if you’re lucky, you might see some reindeer grazing on the mountain heath.

Start at the hotel and head towards the trail to Låktatjåkko Mountain Lodge. After passing the first tee of the golf course by about 50 meters, keep an eye out for a path on your left. Take this path down towards Rakkasjohka, and you will soon reach the waterfall Syndafallet. Take a moment to drink some of the refreshing water, then follow the path the last few meters up to the mountain plateau. Here, you will rejoin the trail to Låktatjåkko; take it in the direction back down towards the hotel. Soon, you’ll be back on a well-trodden gravel path, which you can follow up towards the swimming lake if you wish. Otherwise, veer downwards towards a hill. Don’t miss the classic photo opportunity of Lapporten! The gravel road will then take you back down towards the hotel.

    FACTS

    Distance:

    2-3 kilometres for the whole hike depending on the chosen trail.

    Tidsåtgång:

    1 hour

    Markering:

    None, but a well defined trail

9. Day hike up to Mt Njulla

Are you looking for a longer adventure with expansive views? Then a hike towards the mountain Njulla is unbeatable. It’s a trek that takes you through most of the terrain types the mountains have to offer. First, you’ll walk through lush birch forests with babbling brooks, then through rocky canyons and streams, and finally to the mountain plateau, where it starts off more shrubby with dwarf birch, lingonberries, and blueberries, becoming increasingly stony as you approach the summit. If you make it all the way to the top, your legs will have taken you up a total of 750 meters in elevation.

You start at the hotel and follow the path that crosses the ski slope Teknikbacken behind Hotel Fjället. Continue along the trail past Lavvon, down to Rákkasjohka, and over the bridge. On the other side of the bridge, follow the path, and after about 1 km, you will reach a gravel road. Follow this road for 300 meters until you come to a wooden fence and an open area. Cross the open area and follow the path leading up into the birch forest. Keep going along the path until you reach a bridge over the stream Gohpasjohka. Cross the bridge, and now the summit is straight ahead, but the path will take you to the right, up and around to the top to avoid a steep ascent. Once you reach the summit, you can choose to hike back down to Björkliden or continue towards Abisko and take the trail Rallarvägen home.

    FACTS

    Distance:

    6,5 km

    Elevation:

    750 m

    Marking:

    Red markings on the trees up to the bridge at Gohpasjohka, followed by a clear path.