The long-distance fall hike is the most wonderful hike of the year. The best hiking season in the Nordics begins in the middle of September. Check your gear and you are ready to go!
When you want to hike with lightweight backpack, choose the 'big three' from the light end: sleeping system (sleeping bag and sleeping pad), tent, and your hiking rucksack. When weighing the options on a tight budget, consider which items are worth investing and which items are not that important.
For a long-distance or multi-day fall hike, you need more or less the same equipment as for a summer hike, especially if you're heading to Lapland or to the mountains. Hiking gear in fall is often supplemented with warmer layers of clothing, but if you have initially chosen equipment for three seasons, there is no need to make any new purchases.
In this article, I listed my own favorites, which I use on hikes from spring to late fall in the Nordics, some also go with me in winter. Here you can find gear list for lightweight backpacking for a week's hike (or longer):
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Tent
- Hiking Backpack
- Cooking essentials
- Clothes and hiking shoes for fall
- Essential gear (first aid, toilet paper, electronics, map, etc.)
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Adventures // 18 August 2023
Kungsleden, or King's Trail, is the most famous hiking trail in northern Sweden. The hiking trail is over 400 kilometers (249 miles) long, going from Abisko to Hemavan through rugged landscapes. The most popular stretch of the Kungsleden hikes is the Abisko-Nikkaluokta route.
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Kungsleden hike Nikkaluokta-Alesjaure (Abisko)
- Destination: Nikkaluokta, Norrbotten, Lapland, Sweden
- Distance: Nikkaluokta-Alesjaure 71 km (Nikkaluokta-Abisko 107 km)
- Difficulty: easy-moderate
- When to go: from July to August for a summer hike
- Duration: 3-5 days (Nikkaluokta-Abisko 5-7 days)
- Where to stay: camping in tent, or in STF cabins
Are you dreaming of more challenging wilderness hiking trails, but wondering how to cross rivers safely? Do you know what gear is needed to cross waterways? Are you unsure whether you should go wading alone or not?
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Adventures // 8 July 2023
Dalberget hike in Lyngen Alps, Norway is an easy to moderate ascent through a lush forest along a path above the tree line. From the top, incredibly beautiful panoramic views open up to the Lyngenfjord and the snow-capped mountains of the Lyngen Alps.
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Dalberget and Storhaugen hiking trail
- Destination: Kirkegården Djupvik, Lyngen, Norway
- Distance: Dalberget 4.5 km / 2.8 miles, Storhaugen 9 km / 5.6 miles (entire route)
- Difficulty: Dalberget easy/moderate, Storhaugen demanding
- When to go: June to September (Dalberget year-round destination)
Destinations // 3 July 2023
At the northernmost tip of Lyngen peninsula in Norway, hides a little red cottage, Lyngstuva. On a summer hiking trip to Lyngstuva Lighthouse, you can admire coastal walks and landscapes, discover the historic site, and experience the incredible midnight sun and blazing sunset.
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Lyngstuva Hike
- Destination: Nord-Lenangen, Lyngen, Norway
- Distance: 6 km / 3.7 miles
- Difficulty: easy
- Duration: 2-3 h (entire trip)
- When to go: June to September
Destinations // 22 June 2023
If you've seen a dazzling blue lake in pics of Norway's Lyngen Alps, the pics may look dazzling without much extra saturation. The glacial Lake Blåisvatnet or Blåvatnet ("Blue Lake", Jiehkkejávri) looks almost surreal in the middle of the barren mountain nature – so brilliant is its turquoise-tinged blue color.
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Blåvatnet "Blue Lake" hike
- Destination: Sør-Lenangsbotn, Lyngen, Norway
- Distance: 4 km / 2.5 miles one-way
- Difficulty: quite easy
- Duration: 3 h (roundtrip)
- When to go: June to September
Destinations // 13 June 2023
What are the best and longest hiking trails in Finland? Although southern Finland also offers beautiful landscapes, all the top five long-distance hikes are located in northern latitudes. On these multi-day hikes you will find unique nature, the most picturesque landscapes, the highest peak in our country and the cleanest air in the world.
All these hiking trails are perfect for solo hiking, and some of the trails are also suitable for your first long-distance hike. Pack your backpack and head towards the best nature experiences in Finland!
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Adventures // 1 June 2023
Lake Luirojärvi Trail in Urho Kekkonen National Park, in Lapland Finland is a year-round classic hike. The route goes through the peak of Kiilopää fell to Lake Luirojärvi and Sokosti fell in wonderful open fell and forest landscapes. The Lake Luirojärvi hike can be done as a summer and fall hike as well as a winter ski excursion.
In Urho Kekkonen National Park, I did a four-day autumn colors hike to Lake Luirojärvi. My lightweight hiking gear made backpacking light and comfortable, and without rushing despite the long days on trails. I slept in ‘laavu’ shelter for the first time of my life, I enjoyed great fall and autumn colors in the sunshine and I also experienced amazingly pouring rainy days.
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Lake Luirojärvi Trail
- Destination: Saariselkä/Kiilopää, Urho Kekkonen National Park, Lapland, Finland
- Length: 70-80 km / 44-50 miles (normal route), longer routes possible
- Difficulty level: moderate/demanding (quite easy trails, but includes river crossings and unmarked wilderness routes)
- When to go: from June to October (year-round destination)
- Duration: 4-6 days
Festvågtinden (541 m / 1775 ft) rising next to Henningsvær village, south of Austvågøy island, is one of the most popular hiking trails in Lofoten, Norway. From the top of Festvågtinden there is an incredible view as the sun sets on the horizon behind the Lofoten mainland.
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Festvågtinden, Lofoten
- Destination: Vågan, Lofoten Islands, Norway
- Distance: Festvågtinden summit 1.3 km / 0.85 miles (one way)
- Difficulty level: moderate (very steep slope, some minimally airy places)
- Duration: 45-90 min in each direction
- Where to stay: camping by the sea
Destinations // 21 May 2023
Hesten (556 m / 1824 ft) is one of the most famous destinations on Senja Island, along with the neighboring Segla mountain. The peaks are located north of the island of Senja, in Fjordgård. Hesten is probably the most popular "Instagram mountain" in Senja Norway – the epic photos of Segla are mainly taken from Hesten.
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Hesten, Senja
- Destination: Fjordgård, Senja, Norway
- Distance: 2.3 km (1.43 miles) one way
- Difficulty: moderate / demanding (a bit challenging climbing at the top)
- Duration: 2-3 h
- When to go: June to September
- Where to stay: camping in the mountains, hotel accommodation in Fjordgård
