The Finnskogen Trail

About

The Finnskog Trail takes you across the border tracts and is a 240-kilometre hiking trail from Morokulien in Eidskog in the south to Søre Osen in the north. It crosses the border between Norway and Sweden seven times and passes through 10 municipalities - seven in Norway and three in Sweden. Over 200 years of peace between Norway and Sweden make it possible to walk freely on both sides of the border.

The trail partly follows old traffic routes between the old villages, and provides important cultural history along with unique nature experiences. The landscape is varied and easily accessible to everyone; all you need is normal hiking equipment, a backpack and good footwear. There are many accommodation options in forest huts, shelters and the tourist association's cabins. Other accommodation options include Gravberget Gård in Våler, which has the trail across its yard, and Finnskogtoppen in Grue, which is only a couple of kilometres from the trail. Otherwise, tents are a good alternative for overnight stays - then you can decide the distance and pace yourself.

The wilderness trail in the deep forests provides a historical backdrop and peace of mind, and is well signposted - orange on the Swedish side and blue on the Norwegian side. There are also good maps of the area.

The entire Finnskogleden trail is divided into 13 stages and usually takes 14 days to complete, starting from Morokulien.

The name Finnskogen comes from the fact that these virtually unpopulated forest areas were settled by Finns. From around 1570 onwards, there was a significant migration of people from central Finland to the spruce forests of central Scandinavia and Värmland, where they moved further and further west.

Our new compatriots utilised areas in Norway and Sweden that had not previously been settled or used. Vast forest areas without people, but with rich wildlife and good fishing waters. They settled here and lived for many centuries with their use of firewood, their distinctive traditions and their language. Finnskogen is the area where Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish cultures meet in a borderless community in a huge forest area that stretches on both sides of the border. Finnskogen is approximately 4 miles wide and 12 miles long, and offers easy and beautiful hiking terrain with bogs, hills, water, rich wildlife and endless forest with ridges up to 700 metres high.

Finnskogleden began as a collaborative project in 1988, and after hundreds of landowner agreements, clearing and marking, the trail was officially opened in June 1992.