Paddle in Dalarna

Dalarna's canoe waters are dominated by the Dalälven River, the third longest river in Sweden (540 km). Water from most of Dalarna drains into the Dalälven or its tributaries, the Västerdalälven and the Österdalälven, and nearly all of the provinces canoe waters end up in some part of the river.

River paddling is the rule in Dalarna. There are for example, the long fast flowing stretches of the Västerdalälven that flow into and become the calm meandering waters of the Dalälven, after the rivers join up.

Dalarna's longest lake paddling is done on the Trängsletsjön, a result of stopping the flow of the Österdalälven River with a 120 m high dam. As it is situated in a deep canyon, the Trängsletsjön is many kilometers long, but only 1-2 km wide.

Even the Siljan, Dalarna's pre-eminent lake, is suitable for canoeing on, but it is best to keep your paddling to shorter stretches close to the shoreline. A tour around the Sollerön island is an undocumented paddling possibility.

An old mill at the Oreälven river between the lakes Skattungen and Orsasjön. Photo Paul Van der Steen.