Tiveden National Park Trails

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Tiveden National Park Trails: Rugged Forest Day Hikes

Published 17 July 2025 Updated 5 June 2026

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HikeList Score

Tiveden National Park Trails scored 71/100 on HikeList's trail-quality metrics.

Good

See score breakdownHide breakdown

Ideal length 55
Balanced challenge 56
Scenery & wildness 78
Varied terrain 77
Accommodation 75
Food & support 72
Path quality 98
Season flexibility 89

Computed from length, challenge, scenery & wildness, terrain variety, accommodation, food & support, path quality and season flexibility.

Tiveden National Park Trails are a colour-coded network of circular day hikes in south-central Sweden, not a single thru-hike. The park has about 34 km of marked trails, with loops from roughly 0.9 km to 9.5 km; a typical full day links several loops into about 12 km. Expect moderate to strenuous walking over bouldery, hilly forest terrain, with steps, ladders and railings on steeper sections. It suits hikers wanting a compact but demanding wild-forest day rather than a multi-day route.

Route Overview

All routes are loops, starting and ending at either the Main entrance or the Vitsand entrance. The Main entrance is off Highway 49 between Karlsborg and Askersund and has a roughly 150-space car park. The most-used short loop is Stenkallerundan, while Stigmansrundan links Stigman's Pass with Stenkalla and Trollkyrkorundan heads into rift-valley terrain around Stora and Lilla Trollkyrka. Trehorningsrundan is the longest loop at about 9.5 km, circling Lake Stora Trehorningen and passing all park entrances. If you want a true Swedish through-hike instead, compare Bergslagsleden, Bohusleden or Blekingeleden.

Tiveden: Sweden's Old Border Forest

Tiveden was once a vast and feared border forest between the lands of the Swedes, or Svear, and the Geats, or Gotar. It was also associated with medieval outlaws and local folklore. The name combines an old word for “god”, linked to the Norse deity Tyr, with “ved”, meaning wood: effectively “the god's forest”. Tiveden National Park was established in 1983 to protect old-growth forest not shaped by modern large-scale forestry, and it was expanded in 2017.

Notable highlights

Junker Jagares sten (about 15 m boulder): A colossal glacial erratic carried here by inland ice roughly 10,000 years ago. The short Junker Jagarerundan loop reaches it, and a tragic local legend of the hunter who lost his beloved adds to the atmosphere.
Stigman's Pass (Stigmansklev): A narrow rift or fissure valley where the trail threads between steep rock walls. It is classic Tiveden sprickdal terrain and one of the park's most distinctive rocky passages.
Stenkalla: A cluster of huge boulders reached by steps on the yellow Stenkallerundan. An elevated point nearby gives views west toward Lake Vattern.
Trollkyrka: Stora and Lilla Trollkyrka, or “Troll's Church”, are immense piles and caverns of tumbled rock. The red Trollkyrkorundan is the main loop for this folklore-rich terrain.
Primeval forest: Tiveden protects old-growth pine and broadleaf forest with deadwood-rich stands. For hikers, the appeal is the mix of mossy rock, boulders, blueberries and quiet forest paths.

Challenges to expect

The difficulty comes from the ground rather than altitude: boulders, wet rock, roots, hilly forest and short but steep rift-valley sections. Some loops use steps, ladders and railings, and the rock can be slippery when wet. Trails are waymarked, but the network layout means you should choose loops carefully before setting off. Winter walking is not maintained, and there are no through-route huts.

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Ranked #883 of 974

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