This spring I had the opportunity of a lifetime: I got to spend a full week riding in Sweden. I had an absolutely fantastic time shredding the trails there, and would love to go back! With crystal-clear lakes, deep forests, gnarled slickrock balds, mud a-plenty, beautiful ocean coastlines, and moose and blueberries seemingly around every corner, Sweden is a natural treasure trove just waiting for an intrepid mountain biker such as yourself to discover it.
The trails around Gothenburg, Sweden that I rode are well-worth investigating, but if I go back to Sweden, I’d love to branch out and explore trails in East Sweden, and especially the mountains in the north of Sweden. If you’re heading to Sweden, you’re feeling ambitious, and you want to cover as much of the country as possible, here are five great trails to get you started on your quest:
Located in the mountainous northern region of Sweden, Are Bike Park is Scandinavia’s largest downhill mountain bike park. The park features 50km (32 miles) of singletrack, 35 distinct trails, and 853 vertical meters (2,800 feet) of vertical drop. Popular trails include the black diamond Hallrajd, 1000-Metersleden, and Easy Rider. For information on lift tickets and more, be sure to check out there website.
The Skatas Area is ground zero for mountain biking in Gothenburg–and for good reason! This area is a maze of challenging, technical singletrack combined with gravel paths and roads as connectors. There are deep mud pits, skinny bridges, slickrock balds, steep climbs, steep descents, and more roots and rocks than you can fathom!
Since this vast spider web of trails is largely unmarked, with turns and intersections all over the place, I recommend that you hire Leo Ranta of Hillside Cycling to show you around. Finding the goods quickly is way better than wandering around lost all day!
Located less than half an hour by car from Stockholm, the Runbyskogen area is a complex trail system home to at least 11 miles of mountain bike trails, with singletrack of varying difficulties. Located around several lakes in classic Swedish style, this is a great spot to investigate in Southeast Sweden.
Kinnekulle is one of the tallest hills in West Sweden… so much so that it’s referred to as a mountain. Rising to a maximum height of 306 meters above sea level, Kinnekulle provides epic views from the top of the surrounding farmland and of Lake Vanern, the largest lake in Sweden. Thanks to its height, Kinnekulle offers some of the very best and longest downhills in the region. However, some of the trails are located in the flats around the mountain, providing flowy, pedally XC trails.
If you’re looking for a long trail loop with a bit of everything mixed in, Kinnekulle is the place to go!
The Molndal Area is located near Skatas outside of Gothenburg, but it provides a very different mountain biking experience than Skatas. With a seemingly endless string of slickrock domes to pedal up and down, and breathtaking views of the downtown skyline, the Molndal Area is yet another worthy mountain bike trail system in West Sweden.
Your Turn: Have you ridden in Sweden before? If so, what’s your favorite trail?
