A landscape full of lakes
Årjäng is located in one of Sweden’s most lake-rich regions. Here you will find the Dalsland-Nordmarken Lake District, an area of almost 10,000 square kilometers with countless lakes connected by the historic, beautiful Dalsland Canal. The area stretches from central Dalsland via Årjäng up to the Norwegian border and is one of Europe’s finest waterways with clean air, crystal clear water and beautiful nature. Here you will find a unique infrastructure for canoeing and fantastic conditions for a boat vacation.
The locks in Lennartsfors
Early morning paddle tour
Camp fire on a DANO-campsite
Explore the Dalsland canal with your own boat
Our canal is not a canal in the traditional sense, rather a very branching lake system that stretches from Köpmannebro on Lake Vänern in the south to Östervallskog on the Norwegian border in the north. There are 260 kilometers of navigable fairway waiting for you. Enjoy protected natural harbours, cosy guest harbours and fantastic lock environments on your trip. The long, narrow, branching lakes are linked by about 12 km of artificial canal and 31 locks at 17 lock stations. About half of the Dalsland Canal is located in Årjäng municipality.
The lock environments are historic, beautiful and full of life. You don’t need to have a boat to enjoy boating. Visit the locks in Lennartsfors, eat a delicious ice cream in the lock’s café and watch the boats pass through the imposing lock stairs.
In the Skipper’s guide for the Dalsland Canal you will find all the information you need if you want to explore the canal with your own boat.
Here you will find all our guest harbours.
Canoeing in the Dalsland-Nordmarken Lake District
From grand to idyllic, from challenging to relaxing. Our lakes are long, deep and clear. And sometimes so big you feel a little small. Or so narrow that you have the beach just a paddle length away. Welcome to varied canoeing for nature lovers! Explore our beautiful area. Along your journey there are cozy campsites, where you can experience the tranquility of nature. Choose any length and difficulty level you like for your tour – there are lots of possibilities for you to design your perfect canoe trip.
Buy the Nature Conservation Card
To make it easier for both canoeists and landowners, there are currently about a hundred campsites in the lake system. The campsites in most cases have a wind shelter, fireplace and an ecological toilet.
DANO Crew wardens work in the lake system to assist and inform visitors about the area, providing information on suitable tours, interesting places to visit, etc. They also notify visitors of restrictions, such as the bird protection areas, fishing cards and any fire bans. The wardens are additionally responsible for the maintenance and supervision of campsites. They check to make sure visitors have Nature Conservation Cards and are permitted to use the facilities.
Nature Conservation Cards pay for the expansion of campsites, maintenance, wood, supervision, waste containers, nature conservation and compensation to landowners who have granted the use of their land for campsites.
Nature Conservation Cards can be purchased online, at the tourist offices in the area or from local canoe rentals. The card costs SEK 80 per person and night children under 12 use the service free of charge.
Purchasing a Nature Conservation Card does not mean that you have a reservation for a specific campsite in the lake system. It is not possible to reserve a campsite for yourself, and you may not prevent another canoeist from setting up camp on the site you are camping at.
Canoe guide and map
The guide book Canoe Country helps you in the planning of your paddle tour. The guide contains detailed map material that shows where to find campsites and other important infrastructure. There is also a Map on a scale of 1:50,000 in water resistant Tyvek material. Canoe Country and the map are easiest to buy online at Dalsland Nordmarken’s webshop and of course at our canoe rental companies and tourist offices in the area.
Do you like fishing?
When you are out on a long canoe trip, it can be fun to catch your own fish for supper. There is a special Canoe Fishing License for those who paddle in the Dalsland-Nordmaken lake system.