The area around Östersund offers lots of opportunities for those who want to run or practice trail running, regardless of whether you are an elite exerciser or want to train with the whole family. You can find everything from fast interval distances to hilly terrain and steep ski slopes with wonderful views at the top.
With Badhusparken in the middle of Östersund as a starting point it is easy to get training for the whole family. The area offers flat running and wide walkways, which makes it easier for those who like to run with a stroller or pram.
Take the footbridge from Badhusparken over to Frösön, it is only a few hundred meters.
There is a large activity area directly on the other side with an outdoor gym, pump track and the city’s most beautiful summer slope in Surfbukten.
If you like fast intervals, this mode is perfect. Along the lake runs a long stretch of pedestrian and bicycle path all the way to Vallsundsbron. It is made for superhunds or 70/20 intervals. This run can also be extended by running over the Vallsundabron itself, which provides both a challenge with the uphill slope and four extra kilometers round trip.
You also have the luxury of a running pass with a wonderful view of Oviksfjällen on one hand and Östersund on the other.
Next door to the popular and child-friendly Jamtli is Hofvallen. This is an athletics facility with a 400-meter track, which is also completely newly built. If you want to run short intervals, there is probably no better place in Östersund and a perfect place to run regardless of age! The facility is open to the public and parking is located just outside the gates.
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Östersund is a hilly city with many and sometimes long slopes, for those who like challenges.
A demanding round is the one around Frösöberget. If you come on the footpath from Badhusparken, turn right and past Surfbukten. From here, continue along the water, past Frösö marina and then turn left and a keep in running up on Bergsgatan. This street then disappears out of the settlement and turns slowly but surely up towards the riding school, to then turn left at an intersection immediately after. Now you are up on Berge and the road goes in waves until the exit up to Frösötornet. Here you have two choices.
The challenge is of course to run up to Frösötornet! The long turn up to the tower is a cruel heavy final on the entire stretch. Once at the top, they have made 172 altitude meters during just over four kilometers of running.
The slightly easier run is to ignore the Frösötornet and continue to follow the road straight ahead. Then you get a downhill and then you run past the ski slope Ladängen on the left hand side.
After a few more hundred meters you come to “Krönet”, with wonderful views of Östersund.
If you want to combine fantastic views and really hard running, Ladängen is the best tip. The ski slope on Frösön has a drop of 78 meters and the path up is 400 meters. This is back training in its hardest form, but the reward at the top is nothing short of magnificent.
Here you enjoy the views from Frösön, Lake Storsjön and Jämtlandsfjällen.
Another hill, slightly nicer and only a kilometer long round trip, is up to the ancient castle at the top of Öneberget on Frösön. It can be a little tricky to invent and start from a pedestrian and bicycle path. The easiest way is to park at Arnjothallen along Önevägen and then take the pedestrian / bicycle path west. After passing the red wooden houses on the right side, you can start looking for the path up into the forest. The loop is kind to the feet and fun to run in dense vegetation.
Further suggestions for back training are “Kärringbacken”, also on Frösön. It is not very steep but quite difficult after a dozen rounds up and down. It is located just above Vallaleden and there are plenty of parking spaces in direct connection.
More challenges can be found at Östersund ski stadium, where World Cup competitions are held every year in, among other things, biathlon. Two terrain tracks are clearly marked, ÖSK Blåvita at five kilometers and ÖSK Röda at 10.5 kilometers. They both mostly go through forests, on narrow paths where there can sometimes be roots and other things that stand out.
ÖSK Röda offers good average slope the first two kilometers, but this must also be taken again. The last three therefore consist mostly of uphill slopes on the way back to the ski stadium. Scenic but hard in other words!
At the ski stadium is also Arctura, one of Östersund’s landmarks, where you can have lunch with outstanding views 65 meters up.
Just east of town is Spikbodarna. This is a large system of terrain tracks where you can get everything from gravel roads and woodland to bog running. From the shortest loop of just under three kilometers up to 15 kilometers, if you are hungry for long passes. The trails are signposted with colors and it is easy to find around. Parking space is directly adjacent to where the tracks start.
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In the middle of Frösön is Ändsjön. The loop is 2.7 kilometers and varies with both technical forest running over roots, ridges along the water and easier paths along beautiful meadows. Ändsjön is also a habitat for many different bird species, so along the shipyard there is birdwatching tower where you can see everything from mallard and black-throated dipper to coot. There are several parking spaces adjacent to the path and these can be reached by bike, car and bus. Either you start at Lövsta sports facility, but there is also parking along Vallaleden, at the entrance to Valla.
At the far end of Frösön, beyond the airport, is Bynäset. It is a beautiful peninsula and an old military area that the municipality of Östersund has now refurbished. Parts of the island are still cordoned off but it is possible to get around the whole lap, which is 7 kilometers. The stretch is quite flat and consists of a couple of kilometers of gravel road while the rest are forest paths. Here you always run with Lake Storsjön by your side and at the far end of the island there is a fabulous view over the lake and the mountains.
After the run, you can have the luxury of swimming at one of the beaches or grilling at one of the exhibited barbecue areas. There is a large car park directly adjacent.
A similar and at least as beautiful running round can be done on the island Andersön, a nature reserve just over a mile south of Östersund. Here you also run close to the beach, basically all the way around. Sometimes this round is pretty technical. Above all, there are a lot of roots and narrow paths at the far end of the island, so it is a challenge to keep a good pace.
In some places there are also a lot of slopes, so do not count on any personal bests out here. Even though the run is technical, it is above all varied, fun and fantastically beautiful.
On Andersön there are several different places to start. If you park at the beginning of the island, you get a total of about 12 kilometers. If you park further in, you get scenic running of around half a mile. Here, too, there are plenty of places to swim and also both barbecue areas and windbreaks. If you are lucky, you may catch deer and elk along this round, it is not entirely uncommon.
In addition to the already mentioned Bynäset, Andersön and the ski slope Ladängen, there are more running rounds with beautiful views.
Right up on top of Ladängen is Frösötornet. Here begins a loop with electric light trails of just under 3 kilometers around the mountain. It mostly runs in forest and about halfway the forest opens up and you get a wonderful panoramic view of both Frösön and large parts of Östersund. Here you take a short break and inhale the view!
The break is also much needed.
The loop peaks at most 60 meters in just 1 kilometer, so there is little to work with here.
For those who live at Frösö Camping, there are plenty of trails that provide, with both lake and mountain environments. If you run a hundred meters down towards the lake from the campsite, you will come across a path that leads west. After 400 meters in an open field with Åreskutan in the spotlight you run into a lot of forest and an easy climb. The path continues to “Sommarhagen” where you can either run up to “Frösövallen”, which is both a view tower and summer café. The campsite is then just a stone’s throw away and the loop will be just under 3 kilometers.
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A normal winter the lake Storsjön freezes to ice and “Medvinden” is prepared for both skating, skiing and even running if you want. The ice trail extends from Badhusparken in central Östersund to Kungsgårdsviken at the far end of Frösön, which makes it very accessible.
A recommendation is to run with spikes or studded running shoes, a pair of warm socks and put on a windbreaker and a comfortable hat. On certain days, it can be quite healthy with icy winds straight from the mountain world. From Badhusparken to Kungsgårdsviken it is 12 kilometers.
It is possible to do a little over half marathon on the ice alone and in addition to a completely magical mountain view, the stretch is completely free from uphill slopes.
Since several of the tips here go on terrain tracks, it can be good to have a pair of suitable shoes on hand. The range of so-called trail shoes is large and can be found in any sports shop.
Östersund is also known as a rather windswept city and when the northwest wind pulls in, even the hottest summer day can feel a bit chilly.
A good windbreaker is therefore a good idea to take with you on the trip. Also remember that even if the city looks flat when you look at the map, it is sometimes very hilly.
Not perhaps very steep slopes, but many and long tough slopes that can suck the must out of anyone.
And by the way. Keep your eyes high when you run, not just for the running step. The chance is great to meet (or be run over by) one of all the sports stars who live here!
