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Höga Kusten-leden

The High Coast Trail along the World Heritage coast of Västernorrland, from the High Coast Bridge to Örnsköldsvik, in its nine stages: the bays and hills of Nordingrå, Skuleberget, the ravines and cabins of Skuleskogen National Park and the reserve at Balesudden.

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137kmMapped distance
3,962mMapped ascent
9Walking stages

Best season: Summer trail; open all year. The waymarked trail is a summer trail. The cabins are open all year, but in winter snow covers the markings, skis or snowshoes may be needed, and on higher ground snow lingers into May. Summer services close early: the shop at Lövvik opens from mid-June to mid-August, and Docksta's campsite from 15 May to 15 September. Before you go

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Plan your days

Your dates

Checking the seasons, closures and current conditions for today…

Nine stages, the destination's own; it suggests 7 to 9 days. Three stage ends are not villages: the national park's entrances and the north end of Balesudden, where the nights are free cabins, shelters or marked tent sites. Choose a plan, or pick your own start, finish and nights below.

Hut seasons as published. 2026: 4 of 7 huts have published dates, all open 1 January to 31 December.

9-day plan

Loading topographic map…
0m100m200m300m020 km40 km60 km80 km100 km120 km137.0 km291m0m
Flat (<5%) Gentle (5–10%)
Each day in its own colour, numbered where it starts; the rest of Höga Kusten-leden in grey. Select a day for its elevation and 3D flyover.

Make your own plan

Changing where you stay suggests a new number of days: the fewest that keep each day under 8 h of walking and in daylight, where a place to stay allows.

Choose your nights (8 nights)

Days end where the route has a stay, a camp or a village.

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    Hornöberget to Lövvik

    Stage 1 · Höga Kusten grade: svår

    Distance
    10.7 km
    Climb
    +251 / −300 m
    Walking
    5 h 30Höga Kusten time 5 h–6 h; measured on the mapped line 3 h 05

    Stage 1: From Hornöberget at the north end of the High Coast Bridge to Lövvik: 11 km, hard, 5 to 6 hours, the destination says.

    Overnight

    Kulberget shelter

    Camping spot

    Pick a date to check the season.

    A windbreak shelter on the trail before Lövvik.

    Overnight

    Sjöbodviken servicehus

    Hostel or bunkhouse

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    2026 2026 dates not published No season published. api.naturkartan.se, read 13 October 2026
    Places
    6 places in total · Meals not published Unstaffed; two separate bedrooms with three beds each.
    Booking
    Booking method not published Who runs it, its price and whether it can be booked are not published in the sources read.
    Contact
    Not published

    Overnight

    Raststuga Valkallen

    Mountain refuge

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    2026 2026 dates not published No season published. api.naturkartan.se, read 13 October 2026
    Places
    Number of places not published · No meals No bunks published: tables, chairs and a stove.
    Booking
    No booking Free and not bookable; shared with whoever arrives.
    Contact
    Not published

    A hamlet by the sea with a guest harbour; its service house has two rooms of three beds. The Kulberget shelter is on the trail before it.

    Day 1 GPX Open in Planner

  2. Day 2

    Lövvik to Gavik

    Stage 2 · Höga Kusten grade: svår

    Distance
    24.8 km
    Climb
    +743 / −710 m
    Walking
    11 hHöga Kusten time 10 h–12 h; measured on the mapped line 6 h 59

    A very long day. Check you can keep this pace on rough ground.

    Stage 2: The longest stage, over the hills to Gavik: 26.8 km by the destination (about 25 km on its GPS track), hard, 10 to 12 hours. There is no bus to Gavik.

    Overnight

    GaviksTorpets Bed & Breakfast

    Hotel · GaviksTorpet

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    2026 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026 Open all year. gavikstorpet.com, read 13 October 2026
    Places
    Number of places not published · Meals not published Main house: a four-bed family room and a two-bed room; a guest house with two bedrooms; a simple beach cabin; tent pitches with shower, sauna and kitchen.
    Booking
    Booking method not published Booked with the B&B directly; it also has tent pitches.
    Contact
    Official site

    GaviksTorpet, a B&B with tent pitches, open all year. There is no bus to Gavik.

    Or a room in the village. OpenStreetMap lists at least 2 places to stay within about 1300 m; TrailSplits has not checked which are open.

    Day 2 GPX Open in Planner

  3. Day 3

    Gavik to Lappudden

    Stage 3 · Höga Kusten grade: lätt

    Distance
    9.1 km
    Climb
    +193 / −206 m
    Walking
    3 hHöga Kusten time 3 h; measured on the mapped line 2 h 27

    Stage 3: To Lappudden: 9.4 km, easy, 3 hours.

    Overnight

    Lappuddens Friluftscenter

    Hostel or bunkhouse · Lappuddens Friluftscenter

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    2026 until 4 October 2026 (partly published) A summer season (dates not published) and an autumn opening from 28 September to 4 October 2026, which has ended. Outside the season: Outside the open periods only the two annex flats are let, all year; groups on request. lappudden.se, read 13 October 2026
    Places
    Number of places not published · Meals not published Hostel-standard cabins and rooms, and camping.
    Booking
    Book by email Book by email or phone at any time; online booking opens in April.
    Contact
    Official site

    Lappudden's outdoor centre, with cabins, rooms and camping; its autumn opening ended on 4 October 2026.

    Or a room in the village. OpenStreetMap lists at least 2 places to stay within about 1300 m; TrailSplits has not checked which are open.

    Day 3 GPX Open in Planner

  4. Day 4

    Lappudden to Ullånger

    Stage 4 · Höga Kusten grade: medel

    Distance
    14.1 km
    Climb
    +459 / −476 m
    Walking
    6 h 30Höga Kusten time 6 h–7 h; measured on the mapped line 4 h 09

    Stage 4: To Ullånger: 14.6 km, moderate, 6 to 7 hours.

    Overnight

    Ullångers Hotell & Restaurang

    Hotel · Ullångers Hotell & Restaurang

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    2026 2026 dates not published No season published in the sources read; ask when you book. hogakusten.com, read 13 October 2026
    Places
    Number of places not published · Restaurant meals
    Booking
    Booking method not published A hotel with a restaurant; its own booking page was not found in the sources read.
    Contact
    Not published

    Overnight

    Raststuga Äskjaberget

    Mountain refuge · Ullångers hembygdsförening

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    2026 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026 Always open. api.naturkartan.se, read 13 October 2026
    Places
    Number of places not published · No meals A sofa bed.
    Booking
    No booking Free and not bookable; always open to walkers.
    Contact
    Not published

    A village by the E4 with a hotel; the free Äskjaberget cabin is about 2 km into the next stage.

    Or a room in the village. Find your own accommodation; TrailSplits has not checked what is open.

    Day 4 GPX Open in Planner

  5. Day 5

    Ullånger to Skuleberget

    Stage 5 · Höga Kusten grade: svår

    Distance
    20.3 km
    Climb
    +775 / −741 m
    Walking
    8 hHöga Kusten time 7 h–9 h; measured on the mapped line 6 h 10

    Stage 5: By Mäja and Docksta and up Skuleberget to the naturum: 20.8 km, hard, 7 to 9 hours.

    Overnight

    FriluftsByn

    Camping spot · FriluftsByn

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    2026 Approximate onlyLodging is kept open through the autumn and winter camping is offered; no opening dates or all-year statement are published. friluftsbyn.se, read 13 October 2026
    Places
    Number of places not published · Meals not published Cabins and a campsite.
    Booking
    Booking method not published Booked with FriluftsByn directly.
    Contact
    Official site

    The naturum below Skuleberget, by the E4: FriluftsByn's cabins and campsite are on the south side of the hill, and Docksta's hostel is a few km back.

    Or a room in the village. OpenStreetMap lists at least 3 places to stay within about 1300 m; TrailSplits has not checked which are open.

    Day 5 GPX Open in Planner

  6. Day 6

    Skuleberget to Entré Syd

    Stage 6 · Höga Kusten grade: svår

    Distance
    11.6 km
    Climb
    +431 / −408 m
    Walking
    3 hHöga Kusten time 3 h; measured on the mapped line 3 h 29

    Stage 6: From Skuleberget to the national park's south entrance: 10.86 km, hard, 3 hours.

    Overnight

    Kälsviken

    Camping spot · Länsstyrelsen Västernorrland

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    Not checked
    Booking
    No booking Free and open, not bookable: first come, first served, at most two nights.

    Overnight

    Övernattningsstuga vid Näskebodarna

    Mountain refuge · Länsstyrelsen Västernorrland

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    2026 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026 Open all year. Länsstyrelsen reported every cabin in the park open on 13 October 2026. sverigesnationalparker.se, read 13 October 2026
    Places
    2 places in total · No meals Two bunks; a newer cabin, easy to heat.
    Booking
    No booking Free and open, not bookable: first come, first served, at most two nights, and walkers arriving get the bunks before those who already slept a night.
    Contact
    Not published

    The national park's south entrance. Inside the park, tents and fires only at the marked places from 1 May to 30 September; the Kälsviken shelters and tent sites are close by.

    Day 6 GPX Open in Planner

  7. Day 7

    Entré Syd to Entré Nord

    Stage 7 · Höga Kusten grade: medel

    Distance
    7.6 km
    Climb
    +278 / −308 m
    Walking
    2 h 30Höga Kusten time 2 h–3 h; measured on the mapped line 2 h 20

    Stage 7: Through Skuleskogen National Park to its north entrance: 7.5 km, moderate, 2 to 3 hours. The destination no longer recommends walking through the Slåttdalsskrevan ravine because of the risk of rockfall.

    Overnight

    Stortoberget shelter

    Camping spot

    Pick a date to check the season.

    A shelter on the trail just north of the park.

    Overnight

    Tärnättsundet

    Mountain refuge · Länsstyrelsen Västernorrland

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    Not checked
    Places
    4 places in total
    Booking
    No booking Free and open, not bookable: first come, first served, at most two nights.
    Contact
    Not published

    Overnight

    Övernattningsstuga vid Tärnättvattnen

    Mountain refuge · Länsstyrelsen Västernorrland

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    2026 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026 Open all year. Länsstyrelsen reported every cabin in the park open on 13 October 2026. sverigesnationalparker.se, read 13 October 2026
    Places
    2 places in total · No meals Two bunks.
    Booking
    No booking Free and open, not bookable: first come, first served, at most two nights, and walkers arriving get the bunks before those who already slept a night.
    Contact
    Not published

    Overnight

    Övernattningsstuga på Tärnättholmarna

    Mountain refuge · Länsstyrelsen Västernorrland

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    2026 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026 Open all year. Länsstyrelsen reported every cabin in the park open on 13 October 2026. sverigesnationalparker.se, read 13 October 2026
    Places
    Number of places not published · No meals The park's large cabin: three bunks in three rooms, the lower bunks sleep two; among the easiest to heat in winter. A sleeping shelter stands nearby.
    Booking
    No booking Free and open, not bookable: first come, first served, at most two nights, and walkers arriving get the bunks before those who already slept a night.
    Contact
    Not published

    The national park's north entrance; the Stortoberget shelter is on the trail just after it, and the park's free cabins are behind it.

    Day 7 GPX Open in Planner

  8. Day 8

    Entré Nord to Balesudden

    Stage 8 · Höga Kusten grade: medel

    Distance
    19.4 km
    Climb
    +407 / −435 m
    Walking
    6 h 30Höga Kusten time 6 h–7 h; measured on the mapped line 5 h 18

    Stage 8: By Näske and Köpmanholmen to the north end of the Balesudden reserve: 20 km, moderate, 6 to 7 hours.

    Overnight

    Bodviken

    Mountain refuge · Länsstyrelsen Västernorrland

    Pick a date to check the season.

    Season
    Not checked
    Places
    8 places in total
    Booking
    No booking Free and open, not bookable.
    Contact
    Not published

    Overnight

    Sandlågan shelter

    Camping spot

    Pick a date to check the season.

    A windbreak shelter at the reserve's north end.

    The north end of the Balesudden reserve, by the Sandlågan shelter. The free Bodviken cabin, 8 berths, is about 1.5 km before it.

    Day 8 GPX Open in Planner

  9. Day 9

    Balesudden to Örnsköldsvik

    Stage 9 · Höga Kusten grade: medel

    Distance
    19.4 km
    Climb
    +425 / −425 m
    Walking
    6 hHöga Kusten time 6 h; measured on the mapped line 5 h 21

    Stage 9: Over the Vitsjö hills and Varvsberget into Örnsköldsvik: 18.8 km, moderate, 6 hours.

    Day 9 GPX Open in Planner

Longest day: day 2, 10 h–12 h.

How these plans are made

Days end at a stage end with a refuge or a village, or in a village the route passes through. Walking times are the times published by hogakusten.com where a stage has one, with the time measured on the mapped line beside it; a day that walks part of a stage gets a share of the stage's time by distance and climb.Outside Switzerland our walking times often run short of the times route operators publish; treat them as optimistic. Running times use 7.5 km/h plus one hour per 700 m of climb: a steady reference, not a prediction. Daylight is sunrise to sunset where the day starts; the time left is for breaks, meals and delays.Refuge dates come from the operator's own pages; when they are not published, we say so. For villages we count the places to stay OpenStreetMap lists; we have not checked which are open. A plan is not a booking: reserve every night before you commit to these day lengths.

Huts and stays, stage by stage

Where each stage ends, the 2026 and 2027 seasons the operator publishes, and how to book. Read from the operators' pages on 13 October 2026; each stage page shows the sources and the grade profile.

StageNight at20262027Booking
1. Hornöberget to LövvikKulberget shelter Not checkedNot checked
2. Lövvik to GavikGaviksTorpets Bed & Breakfast 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026not publishedBooking method not published
3. Gavik to LappuddenLappuddens Friluftscenter until 4 October 2026not publishedBook by email
4. Lappudden to UllångerUllångers Hotell & Restaurang 2026 dates not publishednot publishedBooking method not published
5. Ullånger to SkulebergetFriluftsByn no exact dates publishednot publishedBooking method not published
6. Skuleberget to Entré SydKälsviken Not checkedNot checkedNo booking
7. Entré Syd to Entré NordStortoberget shelter Not checkedNot checked
8. Entré Nord to BalesuddenBodviken Not checkedNot checkedNo booking
9. Balesudden to ÖrnsköldsvikElite Plaza Hotel 2026 dates not publishednot publishedBooking method not published

Weather this week

Loading the forecast for low point (sea level) and high point (295 m)…

Weather by month

Typical weather on this trail: at the lowest point (sea level) and the highest point (295 m). Select a month to see why it is rated as it is.

Monthly climate averages and daylight
Month
WeatherPoorPoorPoorMixedGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodMixedPoorPoor
Stages rated good on typical weather0/90/90/90/99/99/99/99/99/90/90/90/9
High point, day / night-2°/-9°-2°/-10°1°/-7°5°/-2°11°/2°16°/7°19°/10°17°/9°12°/5°6°/0°1°/-4°-1°/-7°
Low point, day / night-1°/-8°-1°/-8°3°/-5°8°/-1°13°/3°18°/9°21°/12°20°/11°14°/7°8°/2°3°/-2°0°/-6°
Rain, mm544037374454788162827763
Snow at high pointLikelyLikelyLikelyLikelyFrost––––PossiblePossibleLikely
Daylight5 h 468 h 4311 h 3614 h 4917 h 5320 h 1119 h 1516 h 1713 h 0710 h 046 h 574 h 51

Source: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages. Averages for the area at each point’s elevation (4 km grid, corrected for height). Not a forecast or a report of current trail conditions. Snow at the high point is estimated with a simple snowpack model from these temperatures and precipitation, not observed; steep islands and high summits can hold more snow than it shows. Daylight is for the 15th of each month. Hut, transport and park seasons are separate: check them for your dates.

Before you go

Prepare for Höga Kusten-leden

Arrange your stays, food and travel first, then check conditions again near departure.

Free cabins, booked beds

The trail's cabins and shelters are free and cannot be booked: you share them, newcomers get the bunks, and in Skuleskogen you stay at most two nights in a cabin. Hostels, B&Bs, hotels and campsites are booked with each of them. In the national park, from 1 May to 30 September, put up a tent and make a fire only at the marked places.

Skuleskogen National Park

Inside the park, from 1 May to 30 September, tents only at the marked sites (at most three nights) and fires only at the marked fire places, with the wood supplied or brought in; the Salsviken tent site allows no fire at all. The six overnight cabins are free and open all year, with at most two nights per cabin. The destination no longer recommends the Slåttdalsskrevan ravine because of rockfall.

Swedish national parks: staying overnight in Skuleskogen

Notices

Länsstyrelsen Västernorrland posts the state of the park's cabins and paths on its Skuleskogen page, and notices for the Skuleberget and Balesudden reserves on theirs. Read them before you set off.

Länsstyrelsen Västernorrland: Skuleskogen

Long and hard stages

Stage 2 is the longest, about 25 to 27 km and 10 to 12 hours by the destination, with no bus at Gavik at the end. Stages 1, 5 and 6 are graded hard.

Höga Kusten: the stages

Closures and notices last checked 13 October 2026: Länsstyrelsen: Balesudden notices · Länsstyrelsen: Skuleberget notices · Länsstyrelsen: Skuleskogen cabins and paths. Check them again before you set out.

Getting there

Connect your journey

Choose a stage or journey above to narrow the travel searches.

Google Maps journey searches, not confirmed services. A mountain endpoint may need a booked transfer or an additional walk.

To the start at Hornöberget

Din Tur bus 50 between Härnösand and Örnsköldsvik stops at Hornöberget, Ullånger, Docksta and the naturum on the E4, on weekdays only. Norrtåg trains reach Härnösand and Kramfors.

Din Tur: timetables

On the way

Buses 421 and 422 run from Köpmanholmen and Näske to Örnsköldsvik. There is no bus to Gavik.

Din Tur: timetables

Home from Örnsköldsvik

Norrtåg trains run from Örnsköldsvik C towards Umeå and Sundsvall all year; the autumn timetable runs from 12 October to 12 December 2026.

Norrtåg: timetables

Take your trip with you

Offline maps

Prepare each stage while you still have a connection: in the forests and ravines the signal can be weak.

Keep your route and maps on your phone for places without a signal. For multi-day trips, prepare them in the installed TrailSplits app.

  1. Open this trail in the app. Install TrailSplits, then open this trail there. On iPhone, downloads in a browser may not be available in the installed app.
  2. Choose your route or stages. Choose Prepare offline above. Wait for the route and maps to finish downloading.
  3. Try it before leaving coverage. Switch offline, close and reopen the app, then use My Hikes to start navigation. Repeat for every part you will need.

Saving a bookmark is not a map download. Storage can be cleared by your device; keep a backup map for remote trips.

Höga Kusten-leden — frequently asked questions

How long is Höga Kusten-leden, and how many days does it take?

The Höga Kusten destination suggests 7 to 9 days; it gives about 135 km, in 9 sections on our map. The guide's day planner offers a 9-day plan on the overnight stops, and you can choose your own nights.

When is the best time to walk Höga Kusten-leden?

Summer trail; open all year. The waymarked trail is a summer trail.

How do you get to the start of Höga Kusten-leden, and back?

Din Tur bus 50 between Härnösand and Örnsköldsvik stops at Hornöberget, Ullånger, Docksta and the naturum on the E4, on weekdays only. The "Connect your journey" section has the travel details, with 2 more travel notes.

Do you need to book on Höga Kusten-leden?

The trail's cabins and shelters are free and cannot be booked: you share them, newcomers get the bunks, and in Skuleskogen you stay at most two nights in a cabin.

Can I download the GPX of Höga Kusten-leden?

Yes: the whole route and every section, free, for a GPS watch or a phone. The guide also saves your plan for offline use in the app.

Is Höga Kusten-leden open? Where are closures announced?

Closures we know of are shown on the days and sections they affect, in the day planner and on the stage pages. We watch 3 official notice pages (Länsstyrelsen: Balesudden notices; Länsstyrelsen: Skuleberget notices; Länsstyrelsen: Skuleskogen cabins and paths); the date we last read them is shown with the notices on this page. Check them again before you set off.

Route & sources

About this map

The Höga Kusten destination publishes the trail as nine stages, about 135 km from Hornöberget at the north end of the High Coast Bridge to the town garden in Örnsköldsvik, with an official stage time for each, shown beside ours on every stage. The line here is the route on OpenStreetMap (the seven stage relations of the trail's older split, from the planet of 11 October 2026): 137 km, cut at the nine stage ends. The destination gives stage 2 as 26.8 km; its own GPS track for the stage measures about 25 km, as our line does. Our climb is measured on terrain heights, so short steep rises are smoothed out.

Official guidance and mapped-source comparison checked 13 October 2026. Map data is a route reference, not confirmation of today's path, weather or accommodation availability.

Höga Kusten: Höga Kusten-leden

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · Source relation