AT A GLANCE
Why go?
Furuträsket is a small, quiet forest lake sitting at 186 metres above sea level in Överkalix municipality, deep in Norrbotten in northern Sweden. Barely 30 hectares across with about 2.2 kilometres of shoreline, it is the kind of subarctic woodland water you come to for silence, birdsong and the open sky rather than for any built-up attraction.↗
What makes it special to a visitor is its setting: the lake lies inside the Brändknösarna nature reserve, its waters drain toward the mighty Kalixälven and on to the Gulf of Bothnia, and the Arctic Circle passes only a few kilometres away. It is a destination for fishing, hiking and slow nature time on the edge of the far north, far from the crowds.↗↗
A subarctic forest lake in a protected reserve
The name tells you the character of the place. In Swedish a *träsk* is a shallow, often pine-fringed forest lake, and *Furu* means pine—so Furuträsket is essentially "the pine lake," a body of water hemmed in by boreal woodland. Around it the whole catchment is overwhelmingly forest (about 82 percent) laced with mires and bog (around 13 percent), a soft, mossy landscape of spruce and pine that is typical of the Norrland coastland inland.↗
The lake is tucked inside the Brändknösarna nature reserve, one of several protected woodland areas in Överkalix alongside reserves such as Märkbergen and Hemberget-Rönsjärv. That conservation status is the main reason to seek it out: this is a managed, undisturbed natural setting where the water, the surrounding mires and the forest habitat are looked after as a whole. The outflow, Pilkbäcken, carries the lake's water on a long journey down through the Kalixälven main catchment to the sea, some 99 kilometres away—one of Europe's last unregulated great rivers, which gives this little lake a place in a bigger, wild hydrological story.↗↗
Fishing the calm water
For anglers, Furuträsket is a classic northern forest-lake venue. Listings for the lake point to perch, roach and Arctic char as the fish people come for, alongside grayling, pike and whitefish—species that reflect both the cold, clear water and the wider Överkalix fishing grounds. Perch fishing here tends to peak through the high summer, roughly June to September, with dawn and dusk the favoured times to cast.↗
Across the municipality the fishing pressure on most waters is reported to be low, which is exactly the draw for visitors who want to feel a line out in still water without company. Smaller, unassuming woodland lakes like this one are known locally for surprising size on perch, while pike and char reward patience at the weedline and the deeper, cooler edges. A fishing permit is required to fish here, so check local rules and buy the right licence before you set up.↗↗
On the edge of the Arctic Circle
One of the most appealing things about visiting Furuträsket is its latitude. The Arctic Circle lies only a few kilometres from the lake, so a trip here lets you stand in a protected nature reserve and still tick off a genuine high-north location. In midsummer the midnight sun keeps the sky pale and the water glimmering long after normal nightfall; later in the autumn the light turns amber, the mires flush red and there is a real chance of the aurora dancing overhead on clear, cold nights.↗↗
Furuträsket also makes a good stopping point on a wider Överkalix itinerary. The village of Överkalix itself, with its hotels, restaurants and visitor reception, lies a few kilometres away, and the region's great draw is the Kalixälven river and the powerful waterfall Jockfall upstream, plus tributaries such as Ängesån famed for fly-fishing. Pairing a quiet morning by the reserve lake with the river scenery gives a flavour of the whole valley.↗↗
Getting there and visiting
There is no grand visitor centre or paved walkway here—this is a backcountry lake reached by local forest and village roads that bear its name, such as Furuträskvägen and the surrounding tracks that thread through the woodland. A car is the practical way to visit, and you should expect an unpaved, rural approach. Once there, the experience is about walking softly around the shore, watching the water and the birds, and enjoying the rare quiet of a protected northern landscape.↗
Because the lake sits in a nature reserve, treat it accordingly: stay on durable ground around the sensitive mires, take your rubbish home, keep dogs under control where required, and respect any posted reserve rules. Light changes fast this far north, so even in summer bring a warm layer for the water's edge, and pack insect repellent for the warm months when mosquitoes and midges can be out by the shore.↗
What makes it special
A small pine-fringed forest lake (about 30 hectares) sitting at 186 m in Överkalix, deep in subarctic Norrbotten.↗
Lies inside the protected Brändknösarna nature reserve, surrounded by forest and mires with very low visitor numbers.↗↗
The Arctic Circle passes only a few kilometres away—midnight sun in summer, aurora potential in winter.↗
Good, uncrowded fishing for perch, Arctic char, roach, grayling, pike and whitefish.↗
A little planning goes a long way
- Reach the lake by car via the local forest roads around Överkalix (the village and its hotels and restaurants are only a few kilometres away).↗
- A fishing permit is required before you cast a line; check the correct local licence and rules in advance.↗
- It's a nature reserve: stay on durable ground, avoid trampling the mires, and carry out all your rubbish.↗
- Summer is best for fishing and long bright evenings; bring warm layers and insect repellent for the shore.↗
About this guide
Compiled with AI assistance from the sources below; this is not a first-hand visit. Place details collected October 6, 2026. Hours, access and ratings can change; confirm with the venue before visiting.
