Stockholm’s forests, lakes and islands start where the metro and suburban buses end. Every hike below starts and ends at a stop or jetty named by the trail’s own owner, and every length comes from that owner, not from a tracking app.
When you need this
You have a free day in Stockholm and want forest, lakes or sea without renting a car. You want a trail with a bus or boat at both ends, so dusk doesn’t strand you. Or you’re bringing a dog, a stove or a tent and need to know which rules apply where.
The six hikes at a glance
One SL ticket covers the metro, commuter trains, buses and trams across Stockholm County, plus Bålsta and Gnesta — tap a contactless card for a 75-minute single. Only Grinda needs a separate boat ticket.
| Hike | Length (trail owner’s figure) | Marking | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyresta National Park loops | 2, 5 or 13 km | Coloured dots per loop | Bus 834 to Tyresta by |
| Sörmlandsleden stage 1 | 8.5 km, one way | Orange rings | Metro to Björkhagen; bus 801 back from Bäckalidsvägen |
| Nackareservatet from Hellasgården | Your choice; no single length published | Reserve paths | Bus 401 from Slussen |
| Djurgårdsrundan | 10.6 km loop | Park route | Tram 7 from T-Centralen |
| Upplandsleden from Barkarby | No day-stage length published | Orange marks | Commuter train to Barkarby |
| Grinda, Stockholm Archipelago Trail | 9.8 km loop | Blue and yellow with reflector | Waxholmsbolaget boat from Strömkajen |
Tyresta National Park
Tyresta is a national park of old forest and lakes about 20 km from the city centre, with 55 km of trails, fire places and shelters. Take SL bus 834, which runs all the way to the main entrance at the stop Tyresta by. Buses 807 or 809 to Svartbäcken are the backup, about 3 km on foot from the entrance.
Start at Tyresta by, not elsewhere. The park’s other entrances — Stensjödal, Brakmaren, Storängen/Långsjön and Höjden — have no public transport, and the park itself says to reach them by car or bike. That rules out the Stensjödal loops many hiking apps list first.
| Loop from Tyresta by | Length | Marking | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urskogsstigen | 2 km | Green, six dots | Hilly, with signs about the old-growth forest |
| Bylsjöpromenaden | 5 km | Red, one dot | Around Bylsjön, no roots or stones; works for a wheelchair after a steep start |
| Tyrestarundan | 13 km | Purple, four dots | Full day past forest lakes and the area burned in 1999 |
The main entrance, the visitor centre (naturum) and the nearby fire places are adapted for wheelchairs, with adapted toilets and parking at all the buildings. Fire places on Bylsjöpromenaden sit at Bylslätt and Bylsjön. In winter the park’s roads are neither ploughed nor sanded.
One-way option: Sörmlandsleden’s stage 3 ends at Tyresta by. The trail association counts 13 km from Alby friluftsgård, or 9.5 km from the Nyfors end of the Nyforsbrostigen path, past a shelter with a dry toilet (torrdass) at Årsjön and a spring. The association lists buses from Gullmarsplan to Nyfors; ride bus 834 home. (The park’s own page says 11 km — plan on the association’s longer figure.)
Sörmlandsleden and Nackareservatet
Sörmlandsleden stage 1 is the classic trail straight off the metro. It leaves Björkhagen station, 13 minutes from the city, and runs 8.5 km east through Nackareservatet to Skogshyddan. There is a spring after 6 km and a bathing jetty at Strålsjön. The trail is marked with orange rings around trees and posts, SÖRMLANDSLEDEN signs and S-arrows.
The end is not a bus stop. From Skogshyddan it’s about 15 minutes’ walk along Erstaviksvägen to the stop Bäckalidsvägen, where bus 801 runs to Gullmarsplan. Hikers’ comments on the association’s stage page report poor marking around the golf course and near Strålsjön, so carry an offline map.
Fires on this stage belong at the arranged barbecue places in the first kilometre and at the Söderbysjön bathing place; elsewhere in the reserve they are banned.
Nackareservatet without a fixed route: for a shorter or freer walk, take bus 401 from Slussen toward Älta to Hellasgården or Dammtorp. Or ride metro green line 17 toward Skarpnäck to Hammarbyhöjden, Björkhagen, Kärrtorp, Bagarmossen or Skarpnäck and follow the signs. The reserve publishes no single route length; it is lakes, bathing places and paths to combine as you like.
Djurgården
The easiest of the six is a park loop in the city. Djurgårdsrundan, published by Nationalstadsparken, runs 10.6 km through Södra Djurgården along the Djurgårdsbrunn canal and the Saltsjön shore, past oak groves. It is rated simple, works with a stroller, and has toilets and public transport nearby. Tram 7 runs from T-Centralen out to Djurgården via Nordiska museet and Skansen.
Upplandsleden from Barkarby
Upplandsleden’s Stockholm County section starts at Barkarby commuter-train station: follow the orange marks north along the path. It runs 64.7 km through Järfälla, Upplands Väsby and Sigtuna, with barbecue, bathing and shelter spots along the way. Upplands Väsby’s own listing rates it demanding.
No stage lengths are published for this section, so plan your day on the municipal GPX and turn back or head for a stop when you’ve had enough. For a later start, bus 532 from Upplands Väsby station to Harva gård meets the trail.
Freshness note, September 2026: the county section currently begins or ends at Wenngarns slott and does not connect to Upplandsleden in Uppsala County. Järfälla’s page still describes one continuous 35-mil trail to Älvkarleby; Upplandsstiftelsen now counts 55 mil in Uppsala County alone. The older figures are out of date.
Grinda by boat
Grinda is a nature reserve island owned and managed by Skärgårdsstiftelsen, served by regular boats all year and several times a day in summer. Waxholmsbolaget’s boats to the northern and central archipelago leave from Strömkajen, near metro Kungsträdgården.
The Stockholm Archipelago Trail — 270 km across 20 islands, each reachable by the regular boats — has a 9.8 km loop on Grinda. It starts at Grinda södra brygga (brygga = jetty), is rated medium, and takes about 3.5 hours with 55 m of ascent. It is marked blue for the sea, yellow for the sun, with a reflector in the middle.
The ticket catches people out. An SL ticket covers the boats only between Strömkajen and Vaxholm; Grinda needs a Waxholmsbolaget single, sold in the SL app or on board by card. The exception: from 14 September to 29 April, an SL ticket valid 30 days or more covers every Waxholmsbolaget line. Toilets and water at the guest harbour and the island’s hostel close in winter, so carry water off-season.
Rules in parks and reserves
Walking is free under allemansrätten, the right of public access: move on foot where you like, as long as you don’t disturb and don’t destroy. National parks and reserves add binding regulations (föreskrifter) on top.
| Rule | Tyresta National Park | Nackareservatet | Everywhere else |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dogs | Leashed all year | Leashed, except the marked dog area | Leashed in practice 1 March–20 August |
| Fire | Designated places only; stoves allowed | Designated places only | Allowed with care unless a fire ban applies |
| Tents | Stensjödal camp site (max 3 nights) or a designated place, one night 18:00–10:00 | — | See wild camping rules |
| Bikes | Designated roads and trails only | Only where a sign allows | — |
Tyresta’s shelters (vindskydd) may be used for one night in a row. Grinda has its own reserve rules, published by Länsstyrelsen Stockholm. Under a fire ban (eldningsförbud) no open fires are allowed in nature, though gas and liquid camping stoves stay legal; breaking a ban can be fined.
Two health and safety points apply on every forest walk here. Haninge, Tyresö, Järfälla and Upplands Väsby are tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) risk area 1, and Stockholm and Nacka risk area 2 — see the TBE vaccine guide. And if you get lost, police advise calling 112 without delay, staying somewhere open where you can be seen, and sticking to any road or larger path you reach. 112 is free, even without a SIM card.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Walking the trails | Free under allemansrätten |
| SL travel (all trailheads except Grinda) | One SL ticket; contactless tap = 75-minute single. Price: see the Stockholm public transport guide |
| Waxholmsbolaget single, Strömkajen–Grinda (fare band 2) | 84 kr adult, 52 kr reduced, valid 180 minutes (checked 2026-09-25) |
| SL 30-day ticket on the Grinda boat | Valid 14 September–29 April |
| Waxholmsbolaget timetable | Autumn timetable to 12 December 2026; changes four times a year |
| Parking at Tyresta by | Paid; amount not published on the park page |
FAQ
What is the best day hike near Stockholm by public transport?
For forest and lakes, Tyresta National Park: bus 834 stops at the main entrance, Tyresta by, where loops of 2, 5 and 13 km start. For a trail straight from the metro, Sörmlandsleden stage 1 leaves Björkhagen station and runs 8.5 km through Nackareservatet. For sea views, the 9.8 km Grinda loop starts at the boat jetty.
How do I get to Tyresta National Park without a car?
Take SL bus 834, which runs all the way to the main entrance at the stop Tyresta by. Alternatively, buses 807 or 809 go to Svartbäcken, about 3 km on foot from the entrance. The park’s other entrances have no public transport, so start your hike at Tyresta by and check the last bus back.
Can I use my SL ticket on the boat to Grinda?
Only partly. Every SL ticket is valid on Waxholmsbolaget boats between Strömkajen and Vaxholm; Grinda lies beyond Vaxholm and needs a Waxholmsbolaget ticket, sold in the SL app or on board by card. From 14 September to 29 April, an SL ticket valid 30 days or more covers every Waxholmsbolaget line, Grinda included.
Can I bring my dog on hikes near Stockholm?
Yes, on a leash. Tyresta National Park and Nackareservatet require dogs to be leashed all year; Nackareservatet exempts only its marked dog area. Everywhere else in Swedish nature, dogs must be prevented from running loose where there is wildlife from 1 March to 20 August, which in practice means a leash.
Can I make a fire on day hikes near Stockholm?
Only at designated fire places. Tyresta National Park and Nackareservatet both ban fires elsewhere, though Tyresta explicitly allows camping stoves. Tyresta has fire places at Bylslätt, Bylsjön and Årsjön. During a fire ban, open fires in nature are forbidden but gas and liquid camping stoves stay allowed, and breaking a ban can be fined.
Can I camp overnight in Tyresta National Park?
Only in set places. Tents are allowed at the Stensjödal camp site for up to three nights in a row, or at another designated place for one night between 18:00 and 10:00. Shelters may be used for one night in a row. Stensjödal has no bus, so an overnight trip from Tyresta by means walking in — or use the tent meadow at Tyresta by, at the bus stop, which allows three nights.
Related guides
- Stockholm public transport — tapping in, ticket validity and prices
- Stockholm archipelago ferries — Waxholmsbolaget fares, timetables and the semaphore
- Hiking in Sweden — trail markings and the rules on every Swedish trail
- Tyresta National Park — the park in depth
- TBE vaccine in Sweden — risk areas and when to get vaccinated
Facts verified 2026-09-25. Sources: Länsstyrelsen Stockholm, Sveriges nationalparker (Naturvårdsverket), the Sörmlandsleden trail association, Järfälla and Upplands Väsby municipalities, Upplandsstiftelsen, Nationalstadsparken, Skärgårdsstiftelsen, the Stockholm Archipelago Trail, SL, Waxholmsbolaget, Folkhälsomyndigheten and the Swedish Police Authority — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.