Canoes Runs Our beautiful canoe runs vary in difficulty and length. If you’re looking for excitement and adventure then you should choose the Görälven and Fulan rivers, which demand that you have your wits about you!  If you want something more relaxing then you can glide slowly, peacefully and more-or-less silently down the mighty Västerdalälven river.  You can count on the fact that your journey will be filled with exciting sights, and the chances are that you will see wildlife such as elk, beavers, roe deer, foxes and, if you’re lucky, bears and lynxes.   Hälla  Hälla nature reserve covers an area of approximately 7 km of Västerdalälven and appurtenant islands and shore areas. The area is of great natural beauty and exhibits a large variation of natural conditions.  The luxuriant vegetation and the variation of life environment create possibilities for a rich animal life. An interested example is, the protected by law, flodpärlmusslan.  The area constitutes breeding ground for many bird species, from which several southern specieses. Character birds in the area are drillsnäppa, strömstare, storskrak and knipa.  Of other animal species maybe you first notice trails from the beaver. Also the otter has been observed in the river. The wide range of leaf vegetation is of great importance for the winter pasturage for moose.  Downstream Görälvens and Fuluälvens confluence starts Västerdalälven its reaches. Typical for Västerdalälvens first kilometre is the relative flat and wide valley bottom. In the so-called flätfloden, which is unusual in Sweden, has about thirty islands taken form.  Leisure fishing such as stream fishing prosecutes in a large range. Mostly you can catch salmon trout and grayling. Fishing license is required. The river is included in Transtrands fishing map.  The vegetation is characteristic for the areas unusually rich species. About 300 of Transtrands parish around 460 plant species is represented in the area of Hälla. In the old days the islet and the strip of shore was used as haymaking- and grazing land. You can still come across meadow barns here and there along the river.    Remember To protect the nature in the national parks the county administrative board has established individual rules for visitors. Also remember to camp and dash your refuse in therefore indicated places.     Prohibitions for: · Make any damage on the ground or geological objects  · Damage trees or bushes dig up plants or remove moss and lava  · Transport any motor-driven vehicle in the terrain or motor-driven boat on the water  · Catching or collect animals besides fishes  · Parking vehicles in other than therefore indicated places     Take care of our unique nature! Remember the right of public access, NOT DISTURB - NOT DESTROY Canoe tracks descriptions Here follows some descriptions on canoe trips in Northwestern Dalarna.   The animal life is rich along the stretches with elements like beaver, moose and deer. Within some areas you also find bear. The fishing is good with asset to salmon trout and grayling. You can also find pike and perch in the river. A fishing license is required. For the Norwegian side you find other regulations.  Västerdalälven runs for a start through the beautiful Hälla nature reserve with superb opportunities to stop overnight at camps in marked places.  Gjördal - Sälen about 60 km This track is considered as one of the most beautiful canoe trips with plenty of wilderness, and varying calm, stream water and rapids. Adequate 3 days-trip with stop overnights at Stötens Camping and Hälla.  Extension and starting place:   This stretch starts in the Norwegian Gjördal.  Turn right in Gjördal to Tryslingen holiday village. Over the river, turn left, drive a couple of hundred meters, turn left to the bridge, and place the canoe to the right. The river meander beautifully with mountains on both sides.  During June big parts could be covered with snow. The distance down to the beginning of Västerdalälven contains varying calm, stream water and rapids and a couple of sections with a higher degree of difficulty where tågning or lifts could be necessary depending on the water level.  The entire route needs accurate planning with the kit in watertight sacks/barrel and frapped in the canoe. With these preparations you can pass through without difficulties with reservation for some water levels. The stretch is passable during all summer with reservation for low water in July. Västerdalälven down to Sälen contents for a start stream parts, which exceed into (sel) the last 15 km.  Mörkret - Sälen about 70 km The track, Fuluälven or Fulan, stretches for a start along the Fulufjällets nature reserve with plenty of wilderness, varying calm, stream water and rapids. In the reserve lies Sweden’s highest waterfall - Njupeskär with its outflow into Fulan. Marked trail from Mörkret to Njupeskär about 3 km.  Extension and starting place:   This trip starts in Mörkret.  Turn left about 15 km after Sörsjön by the sign ”Strupen”. Follow the road to Mörkret. The road follows Fuluälvens eastern side. The river curves beautifully through unspoiled countryside with Fulufjällets nature reserve on one side. Further down to Sörsjön and later join with Görälven also called Göra becomes Västerdalälven. The stretch down to the beginning of Västerdalälven contains varying calm, stream water and cataract with a couple of untrafficable parts where lifting is necessary. These parts are however so short that you do not need a canoe wagon.  Lift no 1 at Strupforsen, untrafficable. Before the bridge turn up to the left (eastern side), lift over the bridge and down to the other side. About 100 m lift. Calm water before the stop.  Lift no 2 about 3 km below Sörsjön at Edsforsen, untrafficable. The river curves off an old power station, now closed and demolished. Paddle into the left in the pound towards the floodgate (the gate is about 2 m wide with iron grate). Calm water. Lift over the floodgate and paddle out into the old groove that formed outflow for the power station. About 30 m lifting.  The entire distance needs accurate planning with the kit in watertight sacks/barrel and frapped in the canoe. The stretch is here and there very rocky with low water during late part of June. The distance is recommended to canoeists with earlier experience of paddling in stream water and rapids.  The stretch is passable during later part of May to end of June. Possibly longer at high water. Västerdalälven to Sälen contains for a start stream parts to become calm again for the last 15 km.  Björnån   This distance is divided into two parts: Läsjön - Nornäs and Nornäs - Horrmunden. The route could be extended a lot with help of a canoe wagon, transport the canoe from Horrmunden to Västerdalälven, approximately 4 km. The voyage continues south to Sälen.  Läsjön - Nornäs about 30 km The distance is approximately three miles water road. A real trip in the wilderness with a rich bird life, especially at håarna and the last part to Nornäs. You can see several beaver cabins along the stretch. There is also abundant with moose, deer and wood birds.  Extension and starting place:   Put in place about 15 km from Särna.  Drive towards Björnådalen, the first road to the right at a mountain pasture, then left after about 1,5 km. From Sälen road 297, approximately 22 km north from Sörsjön (see detailed map). Björnån should be paddled at high water; it is hardly more than 5 meters. Fall about 50 meters, however without difficulties.  Some of the stretches, at least between håarna, could be paddled by kayak, Canadians has to be transported or tågas. It is not more than approximately 200 meters at the time.  Björnån has been used as a floating channel, which you will discover during your journey. At Rörhån you can find a nice halting place. Between the lake Ransi and Nornäs you have to take up before the floodgate. Short transport over the road.  Nornäs-Horrmunden about 25 km The route is approximately 25 km of water road. A trip through woods and swamps with a abundant animal- and bird life with among others moose, deer and beaver also crane, capercailzie, black grouse and birds of prey.  Extension and starting place:   Start in Nornäs at the swimming place.  Paddling on lakes and river. In the river it presence shorter rapid parts which pass on to the calm håar. Immediately south of Tyrisjön it is a stream and shallow part in Björnån.  Adequate two-days-trip. You can stop overnight in a tent or in some of the rest shelters, which is placed out by Björnån, and lakes that you passes. In the lakes you also have many nice islands where you can go ashore. Good existence of pike, perch and salmon trout. Fishing license is required.  Sälen-Malung-Äppelbo about 171 km  Västerdalälven becomes of the two rivers Göra and Fulan. Both of them runs up on the Swedish board side.  Göra runs mostly through Norway. If you paddle along Göra, which is the best feeder stream, you can start in Norway if you want to. Göra has a large amount of rapids, easy to medium difficulty.  After the junction with Fulan presence only a few easy rapid stretches down to Malung. When there are so few lifts a canoe wagon is not necessary.  The paddling in Göra is depending of comparative high water. Therefore choose early summer.  Between Malung and Äppelbo you have a few rapids, which is passable only during very favourable conditions. Västerdalälven runs through a wide valley. · Starting place Sälens Village  · Femån. Easy rapid by the junction. Paddle on the west side of the island.  · Limedsforsen. A rapid of medium average. Paddle along the left shore.  · Tandö power station. Lift approximately 400 m. After this follows easy rapids for about 8 km.  · Malung. The paddling could of course continue further on along the river.  Check list before the canoe trip Preparations   · Practice paddling and tågning to avoid sore, blistering, stretching and other unpleasant surprises.  · Plan your need of clothes and food carefully  · Test pack your equipment    The canoeist equipment · Life jacket  · Helmet (for stream paddling) Extra garments and other not water resident equipment packed watertight  · Medical equipment  Equipment for the canoe · Stem- and stern line (for tågning and mooring)  · Extra paddle, easy to reach  · Repair equipment  · Cover (obvious for kayak paddling but also for stream paddling with Canadian)    Security   · Everybody must know about the trips difficulties  · Take the canoe ashore before streams and study them carefully on your map. Do not trust your voyage description. Always bring the current map over the area, Blue, Green or Mauve map, depending on canoe trip.  · Keep near the shore of lakes!  · Keep your packing well frapped in the canoe.    The paddle season We have a comparative long winter and the lakes and Västerdalälven is usually free of ice sometime between 1 and 20 May. It has happened, that the entire Västerdalälven has been ok for paddling as early as 30 April.  For several of the watercourses it is very important to check off the spring flood. For example Björnån is, if you are planning to paddle with a Canadian, and entirety, nearly only ok for paddling at high water. The winter use to return sometime during 1 November.    Animal life The bird life is very rich. It is not unusual that you during the spring paddles straight on to a black cocks`  Courtship display. Wood birds and see birds are abundant frequented. By the birds of prey you can find Hawks, Buzzards, Ospreys and even Golden eagles. At almost every canoe trip, you can see beavers and moose’s. Presumably is the bear the most common beast of prey in the area, but you need a lot of luck to see someone by the shore.     Remember the right of public access! NOT DISTURB - NOT DESTROY Always camp and dash your refuse in therefore indicated places.

Quick Links: Hälla Nature Reserve Canoe trips suggestions Check list before the canoe trip