Experience the park from the water

The national park is perhaps best experienced from the water. You can bring your own or rent a kayak, canoe, or other watercraft from one of our partners. From the water, you have great opportunities to see eagles, ospreys, and great northern divers. In the evening, beavers come out, and especially in August, you have a good chance of seeing them.

During the period from January 1 to July 31, access is restricted in certain areas to protect, among other things, the osprey, which is highly sensitive to disturbance during nesting. The restriction applies not only to the land but also to the water around the nest. Floating signs are placed during the relevant period.

There are over 200 islands to visit in the national park. Here you can sunbathe, swim, and experience the magnificent nature. Overnight stays are only allowed at the locations marked on the map. Speed limits for motorboats, rules for water skiing, and similar regulations can be found in the national park brochure.

Boat launch sites are available at Östa in the southeast and Ista in the north. Other places where it is possible to launch smaller vessels are in Gysinge, at Skekarsbo, at Linsjön on the Östa Peninsula, at Stadarna in the Tyttbo area, at the beach south of Österfärnebo camping, at Edsviken, and on Hemön at the far end of the Ista Peninsula.

From Lake Hallaren in the south, the narrow Lillån flows up to the national park boundary at Kölfors at the very southern end. From the shelter at Lillsjön, it is usually possible to paddle down to Storån and further out into Färnebofjärden. During high water, it is even possible to paddle Lillån all the way from Hallaren, but you may need to carry over windfalls and beaver-felled logs. Our rangers clear this stretch once a year between May and July, when water levels and water temperature make work in the water possible. Please contact us if you want to know more about the current navigability of Lillån.

Most of the overnight sites in the national park can be reached by water. All rest areas have shelters, fireplaces, and firewood. At 15 locations, it is allowed to pitch a tent, stay overnight in a hammock, and sleep on the ground. These sites are marked with a tent on the map in the national park brochure. There are also three open cabins that can be reached by water. Fires are only allowed in the established fireplaces of the national park. Outdoor stoves and grills can be used wherever you like, but make sure not to leave coals on the ground and to extinguish fires carefully. You are responsible for checking whether there is a fire ban.

Several of our partners rent out canoes and kayaks. You can contact us for their contact details.