Is it possible to walk the Vasaloppet trail in the summer?

Hiking the Vasaloppet Trail is one of the most underrated experiences Sälen has to offer. Nine mil of forest tracks and paths between Sälen and Mora, with a hundred years of skiing history in every kilometre – and in summer, you’ll have it almost to yourselves. Where tens of thousands of skiers jostle for space on a Sunday in March, you’ll walk alone through a quiet spruce forest. This guide explains how the trail works in bare-ground conditions, how to break it up into sections, and how to turn it into a day trip rather than a major undertaking. If you’re staying in Sälen between stages, there’s summer residence in Sälen which works perfectly as a solid base.

If you’d like to read about the race itself – its history, the week leading up to it and everything else involved – you’ll find it all on our page about Everything about Vasaloppet. This is about the trail once the snow has melted.

Short answer: yes – the track is still there when the ground is bare

The Vasaloppet trail is not a temporary ski track that is ploughed out every winter. It is a permanent trail through the forest, cleared and maintained, which remains in place all year round. In summer, it is used for Cykelvasan and for walking, and is fully accessible on foot. What you’ll find is a wide, clearly defined corridor through the woodland – sometimes a gravel track, sometimes a path, sometimes a wide grassy swath. Markings, signposting and accessibility may vary between sections and seasons, so check the latest information with the Vasaloppet organiser before setting off on a longer stage. It is not mountain hiking in the traditional sense – most of it goes through woodland – but it is a genuine long-distance hike with its own unique character.

From Berga by to Mora: the route at a glance

The route starts at Berga by just outside Sälen and heads east towards Mora – a total of nine mil, the same distance as the race. The opening section is the only one that really climbs: from the starting pen, the trail heads uphill towards Smågan, and thereafter follows an undulating woodland landscape eastwards. Then come the classic checkpoints in order – Smågan, Mångsbodarna, Risberg, Evertsberg, Oxberg, Hökberg, Eldris – before the route turns down towards Mora. Walking the same route as the skiers, past the same place names you’ve heard on TV broadcasts, is a big part of the charm. The elevation changes are moderate compared to a mountain hike, but the distance is long and the terrain monotonous, which places its own demands on your feet and patience.

Stages and how many days the entire route takes

For most people, a nine-mil walk is a project spanning several days. A common approach is to split the route into stages based on the checkpoints, which are scattered along the trail and act as natural landmarks – they have names, road links and are easy to describe to anyone coming to pick you up. The number of days required depends entirely on your pace and the length of each day’s stage; expect an experienced walker to take a few days, whilst a novice should allow for a few extra. Plan the logistics before you set off: transport to the starting point, pick-up at the end of each stage, and where you’ll be staying. Also check in advance what the arrangements are for accommodation along the trail – don’t make any assumptions; find out what’s available and what requires a booking.

Surfaces, markings and what you need to know

The terrain varies between gravel, forest tracks and sections that may be wet – the route runs partly across marshland, and where the snow supports a skier in March, your foot may sink in July. Expect sections suitable for boots after rain. The monotonous terrain is also the biggest challenge: long, straight stretches through the forest with no views take a greater mental toll than a varied mountain hike, and blisters are the most common reason why people give up. Well-broken-in boots, good socks and plasters prepared in advance are therefore more important here than on a short mountain hike. Mobile phone coverage is patchy in the forest, and access to water varies – bring enough with you and top up whenever you get the chance. Mosquitoes can be a real nuisance in the forest during the height of summer.

Walk a single day’s stage rather than the whole route

The vast majority of people who want to walk the Vasaloppet Trail would be wise not to walk the whole thing. A single stage from Sälen and eastwards offers the full experience – the starting pen, the uphill stretch, the quiet forest and the feeling of walking through history – in a single morning, and you’ll be back at the cabin by the afternoon. It’s the perfect addition to a week where the rest of the time is spent on other activities, and it works for both families with children and mixed groups, as you decide the turning point yourselves. A nice way to do it is to walk out and back along the same route, or to leave a car at a crossroads further on. If you’d like to put this stage into a broader context, we describe the hiking trails in Sälen in a separate guide.

Cycling or walking – which suits you best?

The same route is used by the Cykelvasan, and the choice between cycling and walking completely changes the experience. By bike, you cover the distance at a completely different pace and can complete the whole route in a single day – which is exactly what thousands of people do every summer. On foot, however, you’ll notice the details: the marshes, the mushrooms, the tracks in the sand and the long, quiet stretches that you’d pass through in a matter of minutes from the saddle of a bike. If you’re planning to try the cycling route, we’ve put together all the practical information in the guide on Cykelvasan and accommodation. A tip for the indecisive: do one day’s stage on foot and another by bike in the same week – they feel like two different trails.

Accommodation in Sälen as a starting point or base

Sälen is the starting point of the trail, making the village the obvious base whether you’re walking one stage or the whole route. If you stay in the same place for the whole week, you won’t have to repack every day, and you’ll have a house with a kitchen, drying facilities and a sauna to come back to – which means more than you might think after a 3 mil walk on a gravel track. During the weeks around Cykelvasan, demand for accommodation throughout the valley is high, so book well in advance if your trip falls during this period. During the rest of the summer, availability is much better and prices are more reasonable. If you have a car, you can stay in Sälen and drive to the stage start every morning – an arrangement that works surprisingly well further east.

Summary – The Vasaloppet Trail on Foot

A brief guide to walking the Vasaloppet trail from Sälen:

• The footpath remains open all year round and is fully accessible when the ground is clear of snow.
• Nine mil from Berga by to Mora, with the classic checkpoints serving as natural stage destinations.
• The entire route is a multi-day project – most people are best advised to choose a single-day stage.
• The terrain varies between gravel, paths and marshland; well-worn shoes are more important than anything else.
• Check the route markings, accessibility and accommodation arrangements with the organiser before setting off on longer stages.
• Sälen is the starting point and the obvious choice – book early, around Cykelvasan.

Walking along the track when it’s green is a completely different experience from skiing down it when it’s white – and for many, it’s the one that sticks in the memory the most.