When are the autumn colours at their best in Åsele?

The birch turns from the middle of September, usually peaking around the turn of September and October in the forest country. The period is short, and a wet storm can take the leaves in a day. The pine and spruce stay dark, which is what makes the birch's yellow so striking.

Can you pick berries?

Yes, the right of public access applies. Avoid private plots, show consideration where reindeer graze, and check the regulations in the nature reserves and the national park before picking there.

Can you hike in Björnlandet in autumn?

Yes, and many think it is the best time: the mosquitoes are gone, the colours are at their peak and there is plenty of room. The weather changes fast and snow can come in September, so pack for winter even if it is above freezing when you set out.

Is there hunting everywhere?

Elk hunting and small-game hunting go on across large areas in autumn. It does not stop you hiking, but do wear something bright, keep to the trails where you can, and ask at your accommodation or the tourist office if you are unsure.

September to October

Autumn

The season of the hunt and the berries. The elk hunt empties the workplaces, the cloudberries on the bogs around Fredrika have been picked and the lingonberries are next. Björnlandet is at its best now, without mosquitoes, and the darkness returns with the northern lights over the river.

What happens in autumn

Elk hunting

The hunt shapes the district in autumn, and it shows at the workplaces. Fredrika Hotell is geared towards hunting guests, and Lappland Pro Natur guides in Gafsele. The dates for the elk hunt are set by the County Administrative Board.

Cloudberries and lingonberries

The cloudberries ripen on the bogs at the end of July and in August, then come lingonberries and bilberries in the pine forest into September. The villagers in Fredrika themselves point to the cloudberry bogs and the lingonberry forest as the village's assets.

Björnlandet in autumn colour

Mosquito-free, dry and with the birches yellow between the fire-scarred pines. The trail loops are snow-free into September, after which it can turn quickly. The cabins are there all year round.

Autumn fishing

Brown trout and grayling spawn in autumn and the fishing is often at its best before the season closes. The rules differ between the fishing conservation areas, so check what applies to your water at ifiske.se.

Mushrooms

Funnel chanterelles, boletes and hedgehog mushrooms in the forests around the town when it has been wet. The supply varies greatly from year to year.

The northern lights return

After a summer without darkness the nights turn black again at the end of August. From September the aurora season is under way, and the river mirrors it.

Stenbithöjden

The nature reserve between Åsele and Dorotea, with its summit at 668 metres and views over forests and lakes. The trail crosses bog on boardwalks and then climbs steeply to the summit cabin. Höjdakojan, with four beds, can be booked.

Konstvägen Sju Älvar

350 km of art along the road from the coast to Borgafjäll passes through Åsele municipality. Autumn is a good time to drive the route, once the traffic has thinned.

About the pine forest

Åsele's autumn is not the red heaths of the mountains; that belongs to Dorotea and Vilhelmina. Here it is the autumn of the pine forest and the bog: the birch glows yellow between dark pines, the bogs turn ochre and the cloudberry leaves red, and on Björnlandet's burnt ground the old pines stand with black fire scars in their trunks since 1831. In the morning the mist lies over the river until the sun takes it.

Common questions

When are the autumn colours at their best in Åsele?: The birch turns from the middle of September, usually peaking around the turn of September and October in the forest country. The period is short, and a wet storm can take the leaves in a day. The pine and spruce stay dark, which is what makes the birch's yellow so striking.
Can you pick berries?: Yes, the right of public access applies. Avoid private plots, show consideration where reindeer graze, and check the regulations in the nature reserves and the national park before picking there.
Can you hike in Björnlandet in autumn?: Yes, and many think it is the best time: the mosquitoes are gone, the colours are at their peak and there is plenty of room. The weather changes fast and snow can come in September, so pack for winter even if it is above freezing when you set out.
Is there hunting everywhere?: Elk hunting and small-game hunting go on across large areas in autumn. It does not stop you hiking, but do wear something bright, keep to the trails where you can, and ask at your accommodation or the tourist office if you are unsure.

Where to stay

Fredrika Hotell and Lappland Pro Natur have their high season now. In the town there is plenty of room at the hotel and the campsite. See accommodation.

Information last checked 21 september 2026.