Stockholm » Tyresta National Park and Information Centre

Only 20 kilometres from the centre of Stockholm lies one of the most unspoilt areas of natural beauty in central Sweden – Tyresta National Park and Nature Reserve. The area is characterised by a rift valley landscape which is typical for central Sweden but unique in an international perspective.

The protected area extends over almost 5,000 hectares. It has been protected to preserve its exceptional natural values and to safeguard its importance for recreation. You can find primeval forest here with pine trees that are 400 years old, clear forest lakes and a large number of unusual plants and animals. In the adjacent nature reserve you can also see woodland, open arable land and historical buildings of cultural interest.

A typical feature of primeval woodland is the great number of plant and animal species. Up to 8,000 species of animals can be found here which is four times as many as in exploited forests! Many species are also completely dependent on primeval woodland for their habitats, indeed for their very survival!

Naturum – Your doorway to nature
In Tyresta national park’s information centre, "naturum", you can learn about all 29 Swedish national parks, its nature and cultural heritage. In a Sweden-shaped building, you find an exhibition and inspiring slide shows, and you meet interpreters that can help you.

Trails and footpaths
By means of the 55 kilometres of marked, colour-coded trails and footpaths running through Tyresta National Park and the adjoining Nature Reserve, visitors may experience the extensive ancient forest, the lakes with their impressive shoreline cliffs, or stroll all the way to the Baltic Sea. You may start with the presentation trail of Tyresta, the Virgin Forest Trail, 2.5 km. It starts and ends at the village of Tyresta by. In 1999, a large forest fire changed 4,5 km2 drastically. You may see the effect of the fire on the walk Tyresta by – Stensjön lake – Årsjön lake.