AT A GLANCE
Why go?
Hemtjärnen is a small, quiet mountain lake on the Jämtland side of Borgafjäll, a highland village straddling the southern edge of Swedish Lapland. Measuring roughly 5.6 hectares and sitting at about 64.72°N, 15.19°E in Strömsund municipality, it is one of the countless forest-and-fell lakes that pepper this borderland between trontop skog (spruce forest) and open mountain.↗
There is no grand visitor attraction on the water itself — the draw is the landscape and the easy-going outdoor life of Borgafjäll. Hemtjärnen sits in a zone where shallow forest lakes around 400 metres up give way to bare fell lakes above 800 metres, a transition that defines the feel of the whole area.
For a traveller, Hemtjärnen works as a peaceful waypoint on a day in the Borgafjäll mountains: a place to pause beside dark still water, watch the birches and spruce, and soak up the wide-open subarctic calm that makes this corner of the north so appealing.
A lake on the edge of the fells
Borgafjäll's waters run from deep-forest tarns to wind-scoured mountain pools, and Hemtjärnen belongs to the lower, sheltered world of trees and moss. The lakes here are stocked with char (röding) and sea trout (öring), with pike-perch (lake) in several, and the shallower ones tend to hold bigger fish because the depth allows the year-classes to thrive. Hemtjärnen's small, calm surface is a typical example of these inland woodland lakes.
The setting sits below the treeline but well into fell country, in a landscape the Swedish hydrological records classify as Norrland's inland waters — forested slopes, braided bogs and slow-moving streams. It is this in-between character, neither fully forest nor fully bare mountain, that gives a walk to Hemtjärnen its particular, unhurried mood.
What to notice and do nearby
The real pleasure of Hemtjärnen is as part of a day out in Borgafjäll. Trails begin close to the village itself, so you do not need a car to reach the first footpath, and the open kalfjäll starts after only a short climb. The highest of the peaks around the village, Jengegietje at 1,477 metres, anchors a skyline you can read from any of the lakes.
Anglers passing through should know that the waters around Borgafjäll form a card-fishing area (Borgafjälls kortfiskeområde) managed by the County Administrative Board of Jämtland — the ordinary national fishing licence does not apply here, so a special permit must be bought locally. Most fishing happens in winter, when snowmobiles make the frozen lakes easy to reach for ice-fishing.
Beyond the lake, the village rewards a wander: the striking Avasjö chapel, designed by architect Ralph Erskine and built by the locals in 1950, is worth a visit any season, and the long-distance Lapplandsleden sweeps through the area. In late summer the forests yield blueberries and cloudberries, and the mountain birch turns gold in late August.
Planning your visit
The hiking season around Borgafjäll is generally snow-free from midsummer into September. Be aware that midges reach their peak in July; by late August the swarms thin out considerably and the autumn colours appear at the same time. Weather in the fells can turn in minutes, so check the forecast, tell someone where you are going, and stick to marked routes.
Hemtjärnen itself is not one of the named lakes with its own facility information, so treat it as a quiet natural stop rather than a developed sight. Come prepared for simple, open country — good boots, warm layers for the mountain air, and a fishing permit if you plan to cast a line in the Borgafjäll waters.
What makes it special
A small forest-and-fell lake (about 5.6 ha) on the Jämtland side of the Borgafjäll highland village.↗
Borgafjäll's fishing waters need a special local permit — the national licence does not cover this area.
Trails from the village reach the bare fell after a short climb; the highest nearby peak, Jengegietje, tops out at 1,477 m.
Best walking runs from midsummer to September; late August trades July's midges for golden mountain birch.
A little planning goes a long way
- Buy the Borgafjäll card-fishing permit locally (the standard national fishing licence is not valid here) before casting for char or trout.
- Aim for late August if you want fewer insects and autumn colour in the mountain birch.
- Carry warm layers and check the fell forecast — subarctic weather shifts fast, and visibility can drop below a kilometre.
About this guide
Compiled with AI assistance from the sources below; this is not a first-hand visit. Place details collected October 5, 2026. Hours, access and ratings can change; confirm with the venue before visiting.
