When is the best time to go hiking in Sälen?

The hiking season in the mountains is shorter than many people think, yet it offers a wider variety of experiences than most people realise. June, July, August and September are four completely different months in the mountains – in terms of snow cover, insect activity, daylight and colour palette. This guide goes through them one by one so that you can choose a week based on what you want to get out of your trip, and then book a mountain cottage for the summer when you know which month it is.

If you’d like a detailed account of spring – the snowmelt, the crusted snow and the early walks – you’ll find it described separately in our guide on go for a walk in Sälen in the spring. Here we cover the whole year, with a focus on the snow-free season.

Short answer: the hiking season in the mountains runs from June to October

The reliable hiking season in Sälenfjällen roughly runs from Midsummer to the first snowfall. Before then, snow often lingers on the slopes and on the bare mountain, and afterwards the days grow short and conditions become wintry. Within this period, there are three distinct seasons: early summer with its light and rapids; high summer with swimming and warmth; and late summer through to autumn with berries, stable weather and colours. Which is ”best” depends entirely on what you’re looking for. If you want warm water for swimming, choose July. If you want quiet trails and few insects, choose late August or September.

June: patches of snow still lingering, rapids in full flow and light nights

June marks the mountains’ awakening. Down in the valley, the ground thaws early, but up in the heights, patches of snow can linger well into the month – particularly on north-facing slopes and in hollows. This makes high-altitude walks wet and sometimes difficult to navigate, whilst forest trails are usually perfectly passable. The reward is twofold: the meltwater turns streams and rapids into dramatic spectacles, and there is light for almost the whole day. An evening walk in June requires no head torch. Expect the ground to be soft and the paths to be muddy in places, and choose your footwear accordingly. The insects haven’t really got going on a large scale yet, which for many is a strong argument in favour of June.

July: the height of summer, swimming and mosquito week

July is the warmest month and the only one when the mountain lakes are warm enough for swimming. It is also the month when Sälen is at its liveliest on dry land, with facilities open, activities on offer and other walkers on the trails. The downside is the insects: mosquito numbers usually peak in July, particularly around marshes, in sheltered woodland and in the evenings. That’s no reason to rule out the month, but it is a reason to pack mosquito repellent and to take your breaks on windy hilltops rather than in sheltered hollows. July is also the week when families book their trips, which means that both accommodation and activities sell out sooner than during the rest of the season.

August: berries, stable weather and long days

Many experienced mountain walkers reckon that August is the best month, and there are good reasons for this. The ground has dried out, the days are still long, the temperature is pleasant rather than hot, and the number of insects gradually decreases as the month goes on. What’s more, the larder starts to fill up: blueberries, lingonberries and cloudberries ripen in late summer, and a hike can just as easily turn into a foraging trip. We’ve put all this together in a separate guide on Things to do in Sälen in the summer. The end of August is the time of year when the trails are at their quietest, before the cold sets in – a good choice for anyone who wants the mountains more to themselves.

September–October: autumn colours, cooler weather and shorter days

In September, the mountain birch trees change colour and the birch groves on the bare mountain slopes turn red and yellow. The light becomes low and sharp, the air clear, and visibility from the peaks is often at its best all year round. The trade-off is shorter days and colder nights – frost is perfectly normal, and the first snow can fall as early as the end of September or beginning of October at higher altitudes. This calls for careful planning: allow for less daylight, bring a head torch and allow for extra time. As October progresses, conditions become wintry in spells, and the trails can alternate between bare ground and a blanket of snow from one day to the next. If you’d like to read more about the season as a whole, it’s described on our page about autumn in Sälen.

The winter months: when hiking turns into snowshoeing

Once the snow has settled, the hike doesn’t stop – it simply changes gear. With snowshoes, you can explore the same landscape in a way that requires neither skiing experience nor a ski lift, and for many, it’s the most peaceful winter experience the mountains have to offer. We’ve described how it works in the guide on snowshoe walks once the snow has fallen. In winter, different considerations apply to those for bare ground: short daylight hours, cold weather and the need to stick to familiar areas. So do not regard the winter months as an extension of the hiking season, but as a separate activity with its own set of conditions.

How to book accommodation depending on the season

The choice of accommodation is influenced more by the month than you might think. In June and September, you’ll want a house that can be heated properly and where you can dry your clothes – the nights are cold and the ground is wet. In July, outdoor space is more important: a patio, a barbecue and proximity to a swimming spot. During the berry-picking weeks in August and September, the kitchen is crucial, as the harvest needs to be sorted and prepared. If you’re looking for a specific house in July, you should book well in advance; for late summer and autumn, there’s usually more choice even at relatively short notice. One tip is to compare the character of the whole year before you choose – our overview of which season suits you best takes in more than just the walk.

Summary – choose the right week of the hiking season

A brief overview of the hiking season in the mountains around Sälen:

• June: Light all round the clock, rapids rushing at full speed, patches of snow still on the hills.
• July: The warmest and best for swimming – but also the month with the most mosquitoes and the one with the highest number of bookings.
• August: often the best compromise: dry soil, long days, berries and fewer insects.
• September–October: Autumn colours and clear skies, but shorter days and the risk of early snow.
• Winter: Hiking turns into snowshoe walking – an activity in its own right, with its own considerations.
• Book your July weeks early; late summer and autumn are quieter, both in the forests and on the trails.

If you choose your month based on what you want to experience – rather than on what the calendar happens to allow – your hiking week in Sälen will almost always be exactly what you’d hoped for.