Söderåsen is southern Sweden’s ravine park: deep fissure valleys, beech forest and a round, cold lake, reachable by regional bus. Its binding rules are stricter than the right of public access, and a few of them surprise visitors.
When you need this
You’re staying in Malmö, Helsingborg or Copenhagen and want a day in the woods. Maybe you’re hiking Skåneleden and the trail is about to enter the park, or you’re wondering whether the dog, the climbing rope, the fishing rod or the motorhome can come. This page covers the park itself: how to get in without a car, what the rules say, what to see and what is open when.
The park at a glance
Söderåsen National Park was formed in 2001 and covers 1,625 hectares, about 16 km², in Klippan and Svalöv municipalities. The county board, Länsstyrelsen Skåne, manages it. The national-parks site calls its beech-dominated forest one of the largest continuous protected broadleaf woodlands in northern Europe, and the park holds hundreds of red-listed species, many of them fungi and beetles that live on dead wood.
The landscape is a horst, a raised ridge of ancient bedrock along a fault zone the county board calls the “Skåne diagonal”. The bedrock cracked, and the inland ice turned the cracks into today’s fissure valleys (sprickdalar). The county board’s English text dates the uplift to 70–80 million years ago and puts the canyon edge nearly 100 metres above the valley floor in places.
Getting there
The park has two entrances 5 km apart. Skäralid, in the north, has naturum Söderåsen (the visitor centre), the ravine and the viewpoints. Röstånga, in the south, has a tourist information point, Nackarpsdalen and Odensjön.
| Mode | How it works |
|---|---|
| Bus 518 | Skånetrafiken’s Klippan–Ljungbyhed–Skäralid–Röstånga–Stehag line stops at both entrances and along the park boundary. Stops: Skäralid, nationalparken and Röstånga busstation |
| Train + bus | Change to bus 518 at Klippan or Stehag, which both have train connections |
| Car to Skäralid | On road 13 between Röstånga and Ljungbyhed; free parking, disabled spaces at the main car park and at naturum |
| Car to Röstånga | North end of the village, where road 108 meets road 13; paid parking, one free disabled space |
Bus 518 is not a summer-only line. In the timetable valid 16 August–12 December 2026 it runs on weekdays and at weekends, roughly every two hours in the daytime at weekends. Some evening trips run as a taxi that you must book by phone at least two hours ahead. Buy and activate your ticket in the Skånetrafiken app before you board; our Skåne public transport guide explains the tickets.
If you drive, come early. The county board warns that the car parks are often full during holidays and at weekends, and suggests the bus or a bike instead. You may park only in signed car parks, including those along Kopparhattsvägen and Serpentinvägen.
The rules
Söderåsen has its own binding regulations: Naturvårdsverkets föreskrifter för Söderåsens nationalpark (NFS 2001:10), in force since 8 June 2001, with no amendments listed. They are posted at each entrance, and they limit allemansrätten, the right of public access. We read the regulation itself, not a summary.
| Activity | What the regulation says |
|---|---|
| Tent and fire | Only at designated places |
| Firewood | No breaking twigs or damaging trees, and no picking up dead twigs, branches or other dead wood |
| Dog | Always on a leash |
| Fishing | Only in Odensjön; the county board says you need a fishing licence |
| Hunting | Banned, except protective hunting |
| Climbing | No rock climbing; no climbing trees with nests |
| Cycling and riding | Only on designated roads and paths |
| Motorhome or caravan | Only in the daytime, on a designated car park |
| Plants | No digging up plants; no picking moss, lichens or wood-living fungi |
| Wildlife | No collecting insects or knowingly disturbing animals |
| Aircraft | No landing or take-off, and no flying below 300 m over the park |
| Events and noise | Competitions, animal shows and dog training only at designated places in Nackarpsdalen; no disturbing radios or speakers |
Three of these catch people out. First, the wood rule: even fallen branches stay where they are, so use the wood supplied at the overnight sites or bring your own. Second, the climbing ban covers the whole park, however tempting the cliffs look. Third, a motorhome cannot stay overnight on the car park; see motorhome overnight stops for the rules outside.
The regulation says luftfarkost (aircraft) and does not name drones. Our reading is that a drone is covered, so ask the county board before flying anywhere near the park, and see our drone rules guide.
What the regulation does not ban is picking berries or mushrooms that grow on the ground; only moss, lichens and fungi growing on wood are protected. Our mushroom-picking and berry-picking guides cover the rest. For dogs, the leash rule applies all year here, not just in the 1 March–20 August period set by Swedish law; our leash law guide explains the difference.
What to see
- The Skäralid ravine (Skäralidsdalen): the deepest fissure valley in the park, with vertical cliffs and scree around the Skärån stream. Several loops of 4–8 km start at Skäralid.
- Kopparhatten: the best-known viewpoint, at the park’s highest point, about 1 km from naturum. You can also drive there — the county board puts it about 3 km from the car park by road — and it has an accessible viewing ramp.
- Lierna and Hjortsprånget: two more viewpoints along the same valley.
- Odensjön: an almost circular spring lake ringed by 30 m scree slopes, more than 20 m deep, with clear, cold water. It lies 1.2 km from the Röstånga entrance along an accessible path; a 4 km loop through Nackarpsdalen takes you above it.
- Nackarpsdalen: a shallower, more open valley with grassland and wooded slopes.
- Rallatå: basalt columns left by one of central Skåne’s roughly one hundred ancient volcanic plugs.
- naturum Söderåsen: an exhibition about the hidden life of the forest and a hands-on room; staff lend explorer’s backpacks, and the Skärdammen loop has a self-marking quiz trail.
On Skåneleden. Sub-trail SL3 Ås till ås crosses the park on stages 4 and 5. Stage 4, Klåveröd–Söderåsens nationalpark, is 6 km (2–3 hours). Stage 5, Söderåsens nationalpark–Jällabjär, is 11 km (3–4 hours) and passes Odensjön. Skåneleden grades both red: stony paths, stream crossings and steep slopes.
When the park is crowded, the county board suggests quieter nature reserves nearby, such as Jällabjär and Hallabäckens dalgång. Each reserve has its own rules.
Where to sleep
Wild camping is not allowed anywhere in the park. The designated overnight sites are Dahlbergs and Liagården, where you may sleep in a tent or an open shelter (vindskydd). Both have picnic tables, grill places with wood you saw and split yourself, a dry toilet and a well whose water is not tested. You may not hang hammocks or anything else in the trees.
As of 25 September 2026, Liagården has no water because its pump is broken. Bring your own or fill up at Skäralid or Röstånga.
The Killahuset cabin can be booked through naturum: three bunk beds and a sleeping loft for about 20, a wood stove, and no electricity, water or equipment. Bring your own firewood.
There are no fires, grilling or overnight stays at Kopparhatten or Odensjön. A county fire ban also overrides the fire places: under an ordinary ban only permanent fixed grill places stay open, and a stringent ban closes those too. A gas or liquid camping stove stays legal; see campfire rules. Outside the park, normal wild camping rules apply.
Accessible visits
| Place | What works |
|---|---|
| Skärdammen loop | 900 m accessible loop at the Skäralid main entrance, with toilets and rest areas |
| naturum building | Fully accessible for wheelchairs and powered wheelchairs, automatic doors, accessible toilet |
| Kopparhatten | Accessible viewing ramp, dry toilets, picnic tables; reachable by car |
| Odensjön | 1.2 km accessible path from Röstånga; the county board says prams and wheelchairs can go around the lake |
| Accessible toilets | Nackarpsdalen, Skäralid, Kopparhatten, Liagården, and the Röstånga tourist information when open |
Down in the valleys, mobile reception can be poor. Numbered rescue points (räddningspunkter) are placed around the park: in an emergency, call 112 and give the point’s name. A defibrillator hangs outside the naturum entrance.
Season by season
Every season has its high point, says the national-parks site. In spring the beech forest bursts into a luminous light green, in summer the fissure valleys stay deep green and cool, and in autumn the forest glows in warm colours. In winter the steep cliffs show at their most dramatic.
| Period (2026) | naturum Söderåsen hours |
|---|---|
| April | Wednesday–Friday 12–16, weekends 11–16 |
| 1 May – 21 June | Wednesday–Friday 12–16, weekends 11–17 |
| 22 June – 16 August | Daily 11–17 |
| 17 August – 30 September | Wednesday–Friday 12–16, weekends 11–17 |
| 1 October – 1 November | Wednesday–Friday 12–16, weekends 11–16 |
Hours after 1 November 2026 were not published when we checked. Summer and weekends are the busiest times at the car parks.
Practical information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Size and founding | 1,625 ha, formed 2001; managed by Länsstyrelsen Skåne |
| Entry | No entry fee mentioned on the county board or national-parks pages |
| Parking | Skäralid free; Röstånga paid (one free disabled space) |
| Bus 518 | Timetable valid 16 August–12 December 2026; some evening trips are pre-booked taxis |
| Overnight | Tent or shelter at Dahlbergs and Liagården (no fee mentioned); Killahuset 700 kronor per night, free for schools (checked 2026-09-25) |
| Water | None at Liagården while the pump is broken (checked 2026-09-25) |
| Fishing | Odensjön only, licence required |
| naturum 2026 | See the season table; winter hours not yet published |
FAQ
Can you camp in Söderåsen National Park?
Only at designated places. The park’s regulations forbid pitching a tent or lighting a fire anywhere else. The designated overnight sites are Dahlbergs and Liagården, where you may sleep in a tent or a shelter, and the Killahuset cabin can be booked through naturum. Motorhomes may park only in the daytime. Outside the park, normal allemansrätten applies.
How do you get to Söderåsen National Park without a car?
Take Skånetrafiken’s bus line 518, which runs between Klippan and Stehag and stops at both entrances: Skäralid, nationalparken and Röstånga busstation. Both Klippan and Stehag have train connections. The bus runs on weekdays and at weekends, and some evening trips must be booked as a taxi in advance. Activate your ticket in the app before boarding.
Can I bring my dog to Söderåsen National Park?
Yes, but always on a leash. The park’s regulations forbid bringing a dog that is not leashed, at any time of year, so the seasonal rule that applies elsewhere in Sweden does not matter here. Dog training is allowed only at designated places in Nackarpsdalen. Remember that dogs are not allowed to chase or disturb wildlife anywhere.
Can you swim or fish in Odensjön?
Fishing is allowed in Odensjön and nowhere else in the park, and the county board says you need a fishing licence. The county board also says you are welcome to swim, but the national-parks site points out that it is not an official bathing place. The lake is more than 20 m deep and cold. Fires, grilling and overnight stays are banned at the lake.
How do you get to Kopparhatten?
Walk or drive. Several loops of 4–8 km from the Skäralid entrance lead through the ravine to Kopparhatten and the other viewpoints. Kopparhatten is about 1 km from naturum, and you can also drive there; the county board puts it about 3 km from the main car park by road. It has an accessible viewing ramp, dry toilets and picnic tables.
When is the best time to visit Söderåsen?
Any season. In spring the beech forest turns a luminous light green, in summer the ravines stay cool, in autumn the leaves glow, and in winter the cliffs show best. naturum is open daily from 22 June to 16 August 2026 and on fewer days in spring and autumn. Weekdays avoid the full car parks of holidays and weekends.
Related guides
- Skåneleden — the trail network that crosses the park on SL3, with shelters and stages beyond it.
- Skåne public transport — how to buy the ticket for bus 518 and the train to Klippan or Stehag.
- Swedish national parks — how Söderåsen compares with Sweden’s other parks, from Tyresta to Fulufjället.
- Wild camping in Sweden — the rules once you step outside the park boundary.
- Abisko National Park — another park whose regulations override the right of public access.
Facts verified 2026-09-25. Sources: Länsstyrelsen Skåne, Naturvårdsverket (park regulations NFS 2001:10, Sveriges nationalparker, allemansrätten, dogs in nature), Skånetrafiken, Region Skåne (Skåneleden), Storstockholms brandförsvar — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.