Åsnen is a large lake in southern Småland, Sweden, roughly 150 km² in size. The river Mörrumsån flows south from Åsnen into the Baltic Sea. The lake lies south of Alvesta and Växjö and northwest of Tingsryd and is the third-largest lake in Småland, after Vättern and Bolmen. Approximately 19 km² of the lake's area is occupied by small islands. Åsnen has many small bays and islands, the largest of which is Sirkön. The lake has been designated as a Ramsar site since 1989. The lake is home to Åsnen National Park, established in 2018.
Fruit (mainly apples and strawberries) is grown in the southern parts of the surrounding area, including on Sirkön.
Getting there
The closest larger cities are Gothenburg and Copenhagen. You will be able to fly to both cities and go to the national park from here. The easiest way to visit the park is with a car. You can rent one in most bigger cities in Sweden.
When to visit
Åsnen National Park is beautiful in all seasons. The most popular seasons are during spring and summer. The weather is often great and there are plenty of options for activities outside. There are fewer visitors during autumn and even more so during winter. There will often be snow fall during winter.
Map of Åsnen National Park
Image gallery of Åsnen National Park
Cabins & Shelters
This section lists some of the cabins and shelters for the national park. They can be great places to stay for the experience or as overnight stays on hikes.
Wildlife in Åsnen National Park
These sections shows you some of the characteristic wildlife to the national park.
Mushroom hunting in Åsnen National Park
The national park rules specifically specify that you are allowed to forage mushrooms. You should still always be mindful of the surroundings and refrain from foraging large amounts. A great rule is only to collect what you can carry in a hat.
You should always be able to identify your mushrooms with 100% certainty. There are deadly mushrooms in nature and you should be able to identify these as well as the edible ones. Make sure you know the surrounding nature when starting to collect mushrooms.
The season is primarily in the late summer and fall. This is where most of the edible mushrooms grow. There will be few mushrooms during summer and winter.
Camping rules in Åsnen National Park
Camping is allowed in designated areas. You should only park in designated areas and stay in motor homes in allowed areas. There are plenty of shelters available for visitors. You should be able to book some of them and some of them are first come first served.
Bears in Åsnen National Park
No bears in the park
This national park has no bears and you do not need to take precautions.
Never miss a national park on your travels
Download the app on your phone and get all the information on your phone. Do your research on the fly when you need to.
