Two small villages near the Norwegian border, one ski area, and the gate to Sweden’s largest nature reserve. Here is how to get there, what is free, which fell to avoid in spring, and what the area’s own older pages get wrong.
When you need this
You’re starting or finishing Kungsleden at its southern end. Or you want a Lapland ski trip you can fly straight into. Maybe you’re driving the E12 between Umeå and Mo i Rana in Norway, or you have a spare day in Hemavan and want to know what’s worth it. This page covers the two villages and the land around them. The trail itself has its own guide, and every mountain trailhead by bus and train is in the fjäll by public transport.
Two villages, one valley
Hemavan and Tärnaby lie in Tärna parish, in Storuman municipality, in the mountains of southern Lapland. The parish runs from the Norwegian border about 80 km south-east along the Umeälven river. Both villages sit on the E12, which locals call the “Blue Highway” (Blå vägen). Umeå, on the coast, is about 360 km away by road.
| Hemavan | Tärnaby | |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Northern village, about 40 km from the Norwegian border | About 20 km south-east on the E12 |
| Known for | Start of Kungsleden, naturum, the alpine garden, the airport | The old ski village, home of Ingemar Stenmark |
| Nearby | Vindelfjällen nature reserve | Atoklimpen, a Sámi sacred mountain |
Tärna is Sweden’s most recently settled parish. The first permanent settlers arrived in 1832. Stone Age finds at lake Tärnasjön, though, are among the earliest traces of people in northern Sweden after the ice. Sámi reindeer herding is far older than the farms and still very much active. The Vapsten and Ubmeje Sámi villages (samebyar) work this area. STF, the Swedish Tourist Association, opened a tourist station in Tärnaby in 1927. Hotels and ski lifts followed in the 1950s, and today tourism is the main industry.
Getting there
| Arriving by | How it works |
|---|---|
| Air | The state buys a flight from Stockholm Arlanda on a line that also serves Arvidsjaur, Vilhelmina and Lycksele. It takes about two hours and lands in Hemavan, about a 10-minute walk from the lifts. |
| Bus | Line 31 runs between Umeå and Hemavan via Lycksele, also bought by the state. In Hemavan, the stops for Vindelfjällen are Kungsvägen E12 and Hemavans köpcentrum E12. |
| Car | The E12 from Umeå, about 360 km. West, the road crosses into Norway over the Umbukta pass to Mo i Rana, about 100 km from Hemavan. |
| From Norway | Visit Helgeland describes a Saturday ski bus in late winter from Mo i Rana station, its ticket including a lift pass. Check its dates for the season. |
Buses. Buy tickets in Länstrafiken Västerbotten’s app, at many bus stations, or with a debit or credit card on board. In October 2026 the company warned that roadwork could delay line 31 around Lycksele until about the end of the month, so take an earlier bus if you have a connection. General advice on paying is in paying for buses in Sweden.
The flight beyond 2027. The current contract runs from 27 October 2023 to 26 October 2027. Trafikverket counts Hemavan among the routes it considers necessary, but no new contract has been signed. Check before you book a trip for late 2027. Background in regional airports.
Hemavan: naturum, the garden and three trails
naturum Vindelfjällen Hemavan is the county board’s visitor centre for the reserve. Staff give trail advice and safety tips. There are exhibitions for the whole family, guided tours out in the reserve, talks, films and children’s activities, and maps and books for sale. Its entrance and a toilet are accessible.
naturum keeps two seasons:
- Late February to late April, for the winter and spring fells
- The week after midsummer to the end of September, for the summer and autumn fells
On 15 October 2026 it was closed, and the county board planned to reopen in February–March 2027.
The alpine garden (Fjällbotaniska trädgården) sits just behind naturum. It holds hundreds of mountain plants and is one of the highest-lying botanical gardens in Sweden and one of the world’s most northerly. A 400 m gravel path makes it accessible. You’ll also find nature trails, a hay meadow with a barn from the 1870s, and turf huts (kåtor) on a viewpoint above the village. The garden is always open, and entry is free. When naturum is open you can take its lift up to the garden. The upper floor has a high threshold, so ask staff for help if you need it.
Three trails start at naturum: Kungsleden, Drottningleden and Lapplandsleden. Kungsleden runs 78 km to Ammarnäs through Vindelfjällen, with five STF huts on the way, then continues north to Abisko. See STF mountain huts for how the huts work, and mountain safety before any fell hike.
Vindelfjällen’s rules
Vindelfjällen, which the county board calls Sweden’s largest nature reserve and one of Europe’s largest protected areas, has binding regulations. They go beyond the general right of public access:
- Don’t damage fixed natural objects or ground surfaces.
- No motor vehicles outside the roads, tracks and trails meant for them. Reindeer-herding transport is exempt.
- Don’t disturb reindeer herding.
- Stay out of the Marsivagge bird-protection area from 15 May to 1 August.
Dogs. Swedish law says a dog not used for herding must be on a lead whenever reindeer are in a grazing area. The reserve goes further and asks you to keep your dog leashed on skis or on the fell at all times. More in leash laws in Sweden.
Fishing. Sweden’s free hand-tackle fishing applies to the big lakes and the coast, not to the waters here. Every lake and river around Hemavan and Tärnaby needs a fishing permit, a fiskekort. See fishing in Sweden.
Tärnaby and Atoklimpen
Tärnaby is where Ingemar Stenmark grew up. He was born in nearby Joesjö, moved to Tärnaby at five, and raced in the village slope as a schoolboy.
West of Tärnaby rises Atoklimpen, a mountain sacred in Sámi tradition. Its name says as much: ato means “that one” in Sámi, because the mountain was too holy to name. Länsstyrelsen Västerbotten made it a cultural reserve in 2005, about 940 ha of state land in Vapsten Sámi village’s area. It is one of three cultural reserves in the county.
You can walk there. Lapplandsleden runs from Hemavan to the reserve. Once there, a 9 km trail circles the mountain and another climbs to the summit at 1,006 m. There’s a rest spot with a fireplace by the stream Risbäcken.
Three reserve rules apply to visitors. Don’t disturb reindeer herding. Don’t park a caravan or motorhome permanently. And don’t use the area in a way that is disturbing or disrespectful to its traditions and remains. The hut and the kåta at Atoklimpen are not for overnight stays, so camp a little way up Risbäcken instead. For the wider background, read Sámi culture and how to visit respectfully.
Winter and spring
Avalanches. The ski area’s own avalanche assessment covers only terrain you can reach by gliding from an open lift back to an open lift or run. Beyond that, the source is Naturvårdsverket’s forecast for the Västra Vindelfjällen area on lavinprognoser.se, published from mid-December. Off-piste, the risk is yours. See skiing in Sweden.
Artfjället in calving season. From mid-April to the end of June, stay off Artfjället. Reindeer from Ubmeje Sámi village gather there to calve, mostly in May. Herders and the tourism industry have agreed to keep the fell undisturbed. Skiers glide quietly and can get close before the reindeer notice. A calf separated from its mother has little chance of surviving. Plenty of other fells nearby are open. Background in reindeer herding land.
Roads. Winter tyres are compulsory from 1 December to 31 March in winter road conditions, foreign cars included. The E12 over Umbukta is a Norwegian mountain pass that can run in convoy or close behind a barrier. Check vegvesen.no before you drive to Norway, and never pass a closed barrier. See mountain roads in winter. Goods crossing the border go through Tullverket’s road customs office at Tärnaby; the rules are in the Sweden–Norway border.
Summer is short up high. In 2026 the weather station at Hemavan-Gierevarto went straight from meteorological spring to autumn on 1 August. Pack for cold and rain even in July. For the colours that follow, see autumn colours on the fells.
What older pages get wrong
| Claim you may read | What’s true now |
|---|---|
| The alpine garden costs 30 kr | The destination’s garden page dates from 2018. The county board now says entry is free. |
| Take the summer chair lift up the mountain | A gondola in western Hemavan replaced the chair lift from late 2017, according to the destination’s own page. |
| Midnight sun in Hemavan | Hemavan lies at about 65.8° N, south of the Arctic Circle at about 66.5° N. See the midnight sun. |
| naturum is open all summer and autumn | It closes at the end of September and reopens in late winter. |
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Alpine garden | Free; always open (checked 15 October 2026) |
| naturum Vindelfjällen Hemavan | Late February–late April and week after midsummer–end of September; no fee stated; closed on 15 October 2026 |
| Atoklimpen | Free; hut and kåta not for overnight stays |
| Flight from Arlanda | About 2 hours; state contract to 26 October 2027; fares set by the operator |
| Bus line 31 Umeå–Hemavan | App, bus station or bank card on board; check the journey planner for times |
| Fishing | Fiskekort needed for every water; sold per water |
| Avalanche forecast | Västra Vindelfjällen on lavinprognoser.se, from mid-December |
| Artfjället | Avoid mid-April to end of June |
| Winter tyres | 1 December–31 March in winter road conditions |
FAQ
How do I get to Hemavan without a car?
Fly or take the bus. The state buys a flight from Stockholm Arlanda, about two hours on a line that also serves other inland towns, landing in Hemavan itself, a short walk from the lifts. By bus, line 31 runs between Umeå and Hemavan via Lycksele. Buy bus tickets in Länstrafiken Västerbotten’s app or pay by card on board. The flight contract runs to 26 October 2027.
How far apart are Hemavan and Tärnaby?
About 20 km, both on the E12. Hemavan is the northern village, with the airport, naturum, the alpine garden and the start of Kungsleden. Tärnaby lies south-east, towards Storuman and Umeå, and is the old ski village where Ingemar Stenmark grew up. The Norwegian border is about 40 km from Hemavan, and Mo i Rana about 100 km.
Is the alpine botanical garden in Hemavan free?
Yes. The county board’s current naturum page says the Fjällbotaniska trädgården is always open with free entry. Older destination pages from 2018 still list a 30 kr fee; that is out of date. A 400 m gravel path runs through hundreds of mountain plants, and guided tours run when the garden is in flower.
When is naturum in Hemavan open?
In two seasons: from late February to late April, and from the week after midsummer to the end of September. On 15 October 2026 it was closed for the season, and the county board planned to reopen in February–March 2027. The alpine garden behind it stays open all year, and entry is free.
Does Hemavan have the midnight sun?
No. Hemavan lies at about 65.8° N, south of the Arctic Circle, which SMHI puts at about 66.5° N. In June the sun sets briefly, but the nights stay light. For true midnight sun you need to go further north, for example to Abisko, at the northern end of Kungsleden.
Can I visit Atoklimpen?
Yes. Atoklimpen is a Sámi sacred mountain west of Tärnaby and a cultural reserve since 2005. A 9 km trail circles the mountain and another reaches the 1,006 m summit. The reserve rules forbid disturbing reindeer herding or behaving disrespectfully towards its traditions and remains. The hut and kåta there are not for overnight stays.
Where should I not ski tour in spring?
On Artfjället, from mid-April to the end of June. Reindeer from Ubmeje Sámi village calve there, and herders and the tourism industry have agreed to keep it undisturbed. Quiet skiers can come close before reindeer notice, and a calf separated from its mother rarely survives. Choose one of the other nearby fells.
Related guides
- Kungsleden — the trail that starts at naturum, section by section.
- The fjäll by public transport — buses, trains and flights to every trailhead.
- Skiing in Sweden — resorts, seasons and how avalanche responsibility works.
- Sámi culture guide — read it before Atoklimpen.
- Mountain safety — weather, gear and what to do when things go wrong.
Facts verified 2026-10-15. Sources: Länsstyrelsen Västerbotten (Vindelfjällen, naturum, Atoklimpen), Trafikverket, Länstrafiken Västerbotten, Sveriges riksdag (Fiskelagen, Rennäringslagen), SMHI, Naturvårdsverket, Transportstyrelsen, Statens vegvesen, Tullverket, Hemavan Tärnaby destination pages, Visit Helgeland — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.