The time for hiking in the Swedish mountains is approaching its absolute peak season. The visitor group that is increasing the most is new and inexperienced mountain tourists, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Before you hike in the mountains, you can try to simulate it at home. Pack your backpack, put on the clothes you plan to hike in, and go out into the woods, preferably where it's hilly, says Åsa Magnusson, mountain leader at Friluftsfrämjandet.
The most common mistake that inexperienced visitors make in the summer mountains is to underestimate how quickly the weather can change, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's mountain safety council's survey.
Right clothes and spare clothes are extremely important. Clothes made of wool or synthetic materials are better than cotton because cotton gets cold when it gets wet, even from sweat, says Åsa Magnusson.
The most popular time to visit the Swedish mountains is week 29 to 31, with over 70,000 unique visitors per day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. During the same period, the proportion of tourists at the larger destinations increases, where visitors stay in cabins, hotels, or mountain stations and often take day trips.
Destination companies and STF's mountain stations therefore believe that day trips will also increase in popularity over the next five years.
Running Shoes Can Be Enough
For those who are going to hike for a day, Åsa Magnusson's tip is to indulge a bit extra with food.
It's fresh food that you miss when you're on longer trips. If you're going to be on the go and hike for several days, you need to have dried or freeze-dried food to save weight in your backpack, she says.
If you stick to the hiking trails and the weather is good, regular running shoes are enough even for a day hike in the mountains, according to Åsa Magnusson.
If you're going to take a longer trip or hike outside the trails, hiking boots are almost a must, especially if you're a beginner, she adds.
Before you head out, you should make sure to break in your hiking boots properly and have double socks to avoid blisters.
Several Hiking Trails Beyond the Mountains
If you want to go on a hiking adventure this summer, you can do it without going to the mountains. You can find long trails that take you deep into secluded nature all over Sweden. If you're in the Stockholm area, Åsa Magnusson has several tips.
Sörmlandsleden and Roslagsleden are great places to start. You can get there by public transportation and it's great to camp almost everywhere. But if you want a hidden gem, I would say Tyresta national park. There you can find spots between the trails that look like the mountains, but since it's a national park, you can only camp at designated sites.
The survey was conducted for the tenth time as a web survey from June 10 to 30, 2024. It was directed at destination companies and STF's mountain stations. 22 actors responded. Among these are destination companies in Sälen, Vemdalen, Kiruna, and STF's mountain stations in Grövelsjön, Kebnekaise, and Saltoluokta.
How has the number of new or inexperienced visitors developed as a visitor group during the summer at your facility/destination over the past five years?
Increased a lot: 5 percent
Increased somewhat: 67 percent
Unchanged: 14 percent
Decreased somewhat: 10 percent
Decreased a lot: 0 percent
Don't know: 5 percent
How do you assess the development of day trip visitors in five years (staying at hotels/cabins/mountain stations) compared to today?
Increased a lot: 14 percent
Increased somewhat: 48 percent
Decreased somewhat: 5 percent
Decreased a lot: 5 percent
Don't know: 29 percent
Source: Environmental Protection Agency
