Vemdalen is a small locality in Härjedalen with around 600 inhabitants. It is famous for its ski resorts in the surrounding mountains and it comes to life during the winter. Remember the 600 inhabitants are full-year residents, high season sees a drastic increase in temporary inhabitants.
Swedes usually take about going to “Fjällen“, the mountains along the Swedish-Norwegian border. A “fjäll” is a high and barren landscape and would by many be considered a mountain tundra.
A Short History
Vemdalen was an established village already in the 1600s. King Charles XI of Sweden visited Klövsjö and Vemdalen in 1686 and he gave orders to construct a road across the mountain connecting the two localities. The road’s route was changed a bit in the middle of the 19th century.
The ski resorts in the area started to develop in the 1940s at Vemdalsskalet, but it took until the 1960s for the development to accelerate.
Things to Do and See
Outdoor activities are the main courses on the menu when visiting Vemdalen. During summer one can enjoy hiking, mountain bike, fishing, canoeing and a lot more. In the winter, it is mainly alpine skiing as well as cross-country skiing that get people to flock to the area. Here we mention a few activities, but we can only recommend you to enjoy the nature.
Alpine Skiing
Alpine skiing is probably the biggest attraction at Vemdalen. There are three ski areas all run together. These are Björnrike, Vemdalsskalet, and Stohogna-Klövsjö.
Björnrike has 11 lifts and 16 slopes. The longest of the slopes are 2100 metres and the biggest difference in altitude is 470 metres.
Vemdalsskalet has 12 lifts and a total of 21 slopes. The longest slope here is 1956 metres and the altitude difference is 360 metres.
Klövsjö-Stohogna is made up of two ski areas, that are connected, Klövsjö and Storhogna. They have together 13 lifts and 20 slopes. The longest slope is 2010 metres long and the largest altitude difference reaches 340 metres.
Ice Fishing
Normal fishing during the summer is replaced with ice fishing during the winter. There are several lakes around Vemdalen where it is possible to fish, with Järpbäcksdammen being one of the easiest to access. Remember that a fishing permit is most likely required in most lakes.
Hiking
The possibilities of hiking around Vemdalen are endless. Even the easier hikes can lead you up to the mountain peaks. Some of the available routes will even take you by the local waterfalls.
Vemdalens Hembygdsgård
The local heritage museum, or what we in Sweden call a Hembygdsgård, is just a short walk from the main street through Vemdalen. It is open during limited hours and mostly summer time. This is the place for those who want to learn more about the local history, culture, and traditions.
How to get to Vemdalen
- Flights: The closest airports are Härjedalen Sveg Airport (EVG) located 62 km away and Åre Östersund Airport (OSD) located 130 km away. They both connect the area with the Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN) for connections around the globe.
- Car: Storhogna is located close to the E45 between Östersund and Sveg.
- Train: Closest train station is Röjan station, located 17 km away.
- Bus: There are regional buses connecting nearby Klövsjö with the surrounding area.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 491 kilometers (5 h 31 min)
- Gothenburg – 671 kilometers (8 h 17 min)
- Malmö – 909 kilometers (10 h 32 min)
- Linköping – 572 kilometers (7 h 17 min)
- Kiruna – 932 kilometers (11 h 36 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
