Mountain bike trails by lake Storsjön and the Golden village

As I am writing this text it’s the first of November in Östersund and the snow is covering everything in a fluffy white layer. It means the start of gloves, coveralls, hats and everything else one must wear during six months per year in Jämtland Härjedalen. It also means the end of the summer biking season.

Biking with a city view – Östersund

First up is the lift at Östberget in Östersund. It’s a downhill bike area that was built by local enthusiasts. If you want a real adventure and challenging downhill trails this is the place to go. At the moment there are 6 downhill trails to choose from, all accessible from the T-bar lift that will take you up the mountain. They are ranging from blue to black in difficulty and are mostly built by hand, except for one machine made trail down the mountain. The downhill park at Östberget has been named the 8^th best downhill park in Sweden by Red Bull so you really get value for your ride. The top of the mountain offers a great view of the city Östersund and Sweden´s fifth largest lake Storsjön. There are several places to sit down and have a “Swedish fika”.

In Östersund there are several places to stay and there is one bike rental.

Downhill bike park in Brunflo – 20 minutes from Östersund

Just outside of Östersund city is a smaller downhill park with some views of lake Storsjön. It’s located in Brunflo and has no lift so you have to ride your bike up to get to the next trail down again. It’s suits everyone from 8 years and older. You can choose from 7 trails and two trails with jumps, mixing from hand built to machine made by people who work non-profit. It’s a great biking experience that’s open for everyone to join, an if you get hungry there is several places to light a fire and grill a sausage or ride to the local restaurants in the village center.

Brunflo Bike Park is a 20 minutes drive from Östersund and you can also reach it by train or bus. There are no places to stay in Brunflo but in the countryside you’ll find nice B&B:s. It is just as easy to stay in Östersund and make it a day trip.

MTB by the Fursteli farm

Continuing northwest from Brunflo around the Brunflo bay of lake Storsjön, you’ll end up in the village Marieby where the next MTB-experience is waiting. The owners with friends at Fursteli gård (Fursteli farm) has built a bike park on their land above the main road around the Brunflo bay. It’s completely non-profit and built by enthusiasts who want biking in their back yard. Nonetheless it’s really good biking for bikers who want to go on natural trails surrounded by beautiful forest. There are several shorter downhill trails to choose from and a longer MTB trail between the lakes Höktjärn and Mellan Svartsjön.

Fursteli farm is accessible by bike or bus from Östersund.

Biking in the Golden village Åsarna

A bit south of the lake Storsjön is Åsarna. A village mostly known for its many very good cross-country skiers. Hence the nickname the Golden village thanks to all the medals brought home by the skiers.

I thoroughly enjoy the area around Åsarna. It’s in the middle of nowhere but at the same time on the edge of the mountains and in an area where you can feel the energy from all the athletes who live and train there. There is also a feeling of history when you bike along king Karl the XI’s road. A road that was made in 1686 when the king needed to cross the mountain without going around it.

Since a couple of years there are two MTB trails in the area and several running trails that are excellent for biking. The MTB trails are 30 and 45 km long and moderately difficult, and the running trails are ranging from 6 – 22 km long. The area surrounding Åsarna has beautiful forests mixed with ferns and the trails run through low softly rolling mountains.

Åsarna is located 77 km south of Östersund. Stay in Åsarna: Åsarna Ski Center

I hope I’ve managed to trigger your curiosity about these great places to bike around the center of Jämtland Härjedalen. Hope to see you on the trails!

Gear recommendations

When it comes to gear, it varies depending on where you’re biking. In Östersund and Brunflo full-face helmet and other protections for knees, elbows and back are mandatory or recommended. There are specific bikes for downhill biking that you can rent in Östersund at Lagg o Hoj. In Brunflo a full-suspension bike is better since you’re biking upwards as well as downhill. In the other areas a full-suspension bike is recommended along with a good bike helmet, however a hardtail MTB bike also works.

About Mia Wiktor Lunde

Mia is part of the project: Sustainable Arctic and Peripheral Biking Tourism, focusing on both on and off-road cyckling. Together with representatives from Finland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Ireland the aim is to find sustainable ways forward in cycling tourism.

She has been involved in the great outdoors and tourism for many years. Worked in hotels, as a guide and developing the outdoor scene of the municipality Östersund. Now she is excited to work forming a platform for interested parties in the Jämtland Härjedalen biking scene and contribute to a joint sustainable development.