Dalarna to upgrade its hiking and cycling trails
A two-year project announced in 2022 aimed to improve Dalarna’s hiking and mountain-bike trails and support sustainable tourism.
The development project “Invest in trails in rural Dalarna” was announced in 2022 as a two-year effort to upgrade and quality-assure hiking and cycling trails. Its ambition was to make Dalarna a leading Swedish destination for sustainable outdoor tourism.
Visit Dalarna owned the project, working with 14 regional partners: associations, businesses and municipalities responsible for trail operation and maintenance. Work included signs, bridges, open-front shelters, rest areas and boardwalks.
Hiking and mountain-bike trails were to be developed across Dalarna, including Fjätervålen, Grövelsjön, Grönklitt, Siljansleden, Säfsen, Sälen Hundfjället–Rörbäcksnäs and Vasaloppsarenan, as well as trails in Falun, Orsa, Smedjebacken, Mora, Rättvik and Leksand municipalities.
“This is a major opportunity to improve the quality of Dalarna’s trails and make the region even more attractive to visitors. We are working toward clear quality criteria for both hiking and cycling trails. The long-term goal is to make Dalarna a leading Swedish destination for sustainable hiking and mountain-bike tourism. In time, this could also have positive economic effects for the visitor economy, businesses and local residents,” said Johan Engström, project manager and business developer at Visit Dalarna.
The project came as Sweden’s natural environment was becoming an increasingly important reason to travel. Interest in visiting Swedish nature had grown among domestic and international visitors, particularly following changes in vacation habits during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Dalarna is Sweden’s fourth-largest visitor destination after the metropolitan regions, with nature and cultural tourism forming a strong foundation for the visitor economy. This means visitor pressure is relatively high, and there is a considerable need to ensure this tourism develops sustainably. The project can therefore make a substantial contribution to sustainable development in Dalarna. Everyone benefits from better trails with assured quality,” said Engström.
About the project
Investment in tourism trail infrastructure was intended to create safe, attractive hiking and mountain-bike trails of assured quality that meet the needs and expectations of residents and visitors. That infrastructure would also give entrepreneurs opportunities to develop nature and cultural experiences, helping drive sustainable local development.
The work was to follow the Framework for National Trails, a project Visit Dalarna had led on behalf of Tourism in Skåne. Its focus was physical trail infrastructure: signage, bridges, shelters, rest areas and boardwalks.
The goal was to build or renovate hiking trails to the standards of the Framework for National Trails, and mountain-bike trails to the standards of the Biking Dalarna network’s framework.
