Where the old forests and the high mountains meet.
Stuor Muorkke/Stora Sjöfallet National Park is a varied mountain landscape with everything from old-growth forests, mountain birch forests and vast mountain moors to rugged peaks with snow fields and glaciers. The mighty Stuor Muorkkegårttje waterfall was the national park’s main attraction when it was founded in 1909. Now it is almost dry to provide electricity.
The highest point of the national park, 2,015 meters above sea level, is the mighty mountain Áhkká with its 13 peaks and 10 glaciers. On the slopes you can see shapes created by ice sheets and glaciers.
The Áhkká terraces are well-known examples of the ice age delta that formed in ice lakes at the edge of the ice sheet, but which then ended up on dry land when ice and water disappeared. Frozen icebergs, which later melted, have created deep ice pits in the terraces.
In the national parks within Laponia, it is forbidden to bring a dog, with the exception of Kungsleden, Rallarstigen in Muttos/Muddus, and the area between the power line and Stuor Julevu/Stora Lulevatten’s lake system in Stuor Muorkke/Stora Sjöfallet National Park.
January 1 – April 30, its allowed to bring a dog on a leash.
This does NOT apply to dog sleds. You need to apply for permission to bring sled dogs at Länsstyrelsen (link here).
Without permission from the County Administrative Board, it is absolutely forbidden to fly drones within the entire Laponia World Heritage Site.
It is only allowed to light campfires in exhibited fireplaces within the Laponia world heritage.
All rules and regulations can be found here.
Area: 1 280 km²
Founded in: 1909
Nearest towns: Jåhkåmåhkke/Jokkmokk, Bårjås/Porjus och Jiellevárre/Gällivare
Sami villages: Sirges och Unna tjerusj
County: Norrbotten