Destination Guide

Cycling in Dalarna

Dalarna: Lake Siljan meteorite crater, 882 cycling routes around Siljansleden, Nipfjället — Sweden's hardest climb at 14.4km and 513m — and Vasaloppet cultural heritage.

Last updated: 15 March 2026

Dalarna occupies a particular place in Swedish cultural identity that extends well beyond cycling — this is the province of Dala horses, Midsommar maypoles, and the Vasaloppet cross-country ski race, the world's oldest and longest ski race, which has run from Sälen to Mora in varying forms since 1922. The Lake Siljan basin at the heart of the province was formed 377 million years ago by a meteorite impact that created a roughly circular depression 75km in diameter — one of the largest confirmed impact craters in Europe — and the lake that subsequently filled the inner crater ring is now encircled by one of the most comprehensively mapped cycling networks in Scandinavia. The Siljansleden system registers 882 cycling routes across 18 designated cycling areas, catalogued and waymarked to a standard that reflects the investment Dalarna has made in positioning itself as a year-round outdoor destination.

The Siljansleden loop — connecting the lakeside towns of Mora, Rättvik, Leksand, and Tällberg in an approximately 100km circuit — is the classic Dalarna cycling day. Roads alternate between lake-edge cycling paths and forest tracks on gentle terrain that rewards a touring pace: the elevation around the lake rim is modest, the surface conditions consistently good, and the cultural infrastructure of lakeside cafés, craft studios, and red-painted farmhouses creates natural stopping points throughout. Mora, at the northern end of the lake, is the Vasaloppet cultural hub — the ski race finish line runs through the town centre, and the Vasaloppet museum on the main street provides a context for the endurance heritage of the province that informs the cycling ethos here. Leksand and Rättvik on the eastern shore are more architecturally preserved than Mora and offer the best overnight base for multi-day Siljansleden riding.

The western edge of Dalarna, where the province meets the Norwegian border counties of Härjedalen and Dalarna's own highland interior, is where Sweden's climbing register reaches its maximum severity. Nipfjället from Idre — 14.4km, 513m gain to a summit of 1,006m — is the hardest catalogued climb in Sweden and sits in a landscape that demands respect: the Idre valley is reindeer country, the forests above 800m are borderline subarctic, and the road infrastructure above the small ski resort village of Idre is single-track with passing places. This is not a training ride that a rider from Girona or Mallorca would regard as a serious climbing challenge by their own standards, but the remoteness, the wildlife, and the complete absence of other cyclists create an experience that no quantity of Catalan vertical metres can replicate. Dalarna is Sweden at its most characteristic — and for a certain type of cyclist, that is exactly the point.

Terrain: Road, Gravel, Touring, Climbing
Difficulty: Easy — Challenging
Road Quality: Good
Cycling Culture: Strong
Pro Team Presence: The Vasaloppet ski tradition and the Cykelvasan (cycling Vasaloppet, 90km mountain bike race on the same Sälen-to-Mora course) draw thousands of participants annually and have established Dalarna as a serious endurance sport province. The cycling infrastructure reflects this heritage. No professional road cycling team is based in Dalarna.
Traffic: Low

Best Time to Cycle in Dalarna

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Best Shoulder Avoid

Dalarna's cycling season is shorter and more clearly defined than Skåne or the West Coast — the central highlands receive significant snowfall from October through April, and the high western climbing roads (Nipfjället, Hovfjället) are not reliably clear until late May. June through August is the core season: temperatures at lake level reach 18–24°C, the highland roads are fully open, and the long Scandinavian summer light allows evening rides to 21:30 without artificial light. July is the busiest month for Lake Siljan due to Swedish domestic tourism — the towns of Rättvik and Leksand see increased visitor presence, but the cycling routes themselves remain uncrowded. August is excellent: the tourism peak passes after the first week, temperatures remain warm, and the forest around the Siljansleden network begins to shift colour from the final days of the month. September is the most atmospheric month for Dalarna cycling — the birch and aspen forest around Lake Siljan turns gold and amber, temperatures drop to 10–15°C, and the Nipfjället road carries virtually no traffic. The highland roads may see first light frost in mid-September mornings above 700m.

Temperature: -18°C (winter) to 24°C (summer)

Insider Tips

The Nipfjället climb passes through the Idre Sameby reindeer herding area on the upper mountain. Reindeer are unpredictable on the road and will not move for a bike any more reliably than for a car — approach slowly, do not ring your bell (it panics the herd), and wait for the animals to move at their own pace. June and July are the highest probability months for reindeer encounters above 800m. This is not an inconvenience: it is one of the genuinely memorable experiences of cycling in the Swedish highlands.
The Siljansleden has a dedicated app (Siljansleden.se) with offline maps for the lake network — download before leaving mobile coverage, which is intermittent on the forest sections west of Rättvik. The app marks water refill points, café stops, and the few sections where the route uses unpaved forest track — relevant for road bikes with no clearance for gravel.
Leksand's Cykelaffären bike shop on Storgatan stocks Shimano, SRAM, and Continental supplies and offers same-day repair during opening hours (Mon–Fri 09:00–18:00, Sat 10:00–14:00). Outside these hours, the nearest fully equipped workshop is in Borlänge, 40km south — carry a comprehensive spare kit for the highland rides, particularly inner tubes and a chain link.

How to Get to Dalarna for Cycling

Nearest Airports

Stockholm Arlanda Airport(ARN)

Transfer: 3 hours to Mora by train via Borlänge

Arlanda to Mora is the standard routing for Dalarna cycling visits — the Arlanda Express to Stockholm Central (40 minutes), then the Dalabanan regional train service to Mora via Borlänge and Rättvik (2 hours 40 minutes from Stockholm, trains running approximately every 2 hours). The Dalabanan train accepts bikes with a bike ticket on regional services; book in advance during July as Swedish domestic tourist volume can fill bike spaces on popular departures. Total door-to-door from Arlanda landing to Mora centre: approximately 4 hours. Mora has a well-stocked bike shop (Moras Cykel, near the station) capable of assembling boxed bikes with advance notice.

Borlänge/Dala Airport(BLE)

Transfer: 40 minutes to Leksand or Rättvik by car

Dala Airport at Borlänge serves Dalarna directly with Stockholm Arlanda connector flights and limited direct European connections (primarily charter). For riders wanting to minimise transfer time to the Lake Siljan network, a Borlänge arrival and car hire from the airport puts you at Leksand in 40 minutes and Mora in 70 minutes. The airport is small and services are limited — check current schedules before planning.

Getting around: Car Recommended — A hire car from Mora or Leksand is strongly recommended for Dalarna cycling, particularly for accessing the western highland climbs (Nipfjället, Hovfjället, Ullådalen) which are not served by any practical public transport. The Siljansleden lake loop itself can be ridden entirely from a Mora or Leksand hotel base under pedal power without needing a vehicle. For the full western highland experience — Nipfjället from Idre requires a 100km drive from Mora on roads that carry almost no traffic but pass through genuinely remote landscape — a car is not merely convenient but necessary. Hire cars are available from Mora and Borlänge stations; advance booking is essential in July.