Handöl: Waterfalls, soapstone history and winter activities

Handöl can be explored through several themes: the Handölsforsen waterfalls, Karoliner and soapstone history, and winter activities. When planning your trip, you can consider whether nature, local history or winter recreation should take priority. Each theme offers different points of interest and can be explored on its own.

Handölsforsen and its total drop

Handölsforsen consists of several waterfalls with a combined total drop of 110 metres. This figure refers to the waterfalls together, not to a single fall. Handölsforsen is therefore characterised by two specific features: a sequence of several waterfalls and their combined total drop. If waterfalls are important to your travel decision, this figure gives you a precise idea of the scale described.

Karoliner and soapstone history

The small Handöl Karoliner and Soapstone Museum covers the history of the Karoliner and soapstone mining in Handöl. The museum also explains the significance of the soapstone era for the village. Alongside the Karoliner theme, mining and local history are also central. This combination makes the museum a distinct point of interest for anyone who wants to discover Handöl through its history.

At Karolinergraven in Handöl, there is a memorial stone and a monument. A small chapel near Karolinergraven houses a soapstone plaque that once marked the mass grave. The memorials therefore differ in location and in their past or present role: the memorial stone and monument are at Karolinergraven, while the plaque is kept in the chapel and formerly marked the mass grave.

Handöl Chapel also has a connection to soapstone history. It was also intended for seasonal workers who worked soapstone in winter. This brings together two aspects of the subject: the importance of soapstone to the village and seasonal work in winter. Together with the museum and memorials, this offers a way to explore Handöl that encompasses both Karoliner history and local soapstone history.

Trails and winter activities

The Naturslingan Handöl consists of two loops that start at the ski stadium in Handöl. The route opened on 2 September 2026; its details may vary depending on the season. For planning purposes, both the shared starting point and the two-loop layout are useful reference points. Check the route details before your visit if you would like to include the Naturslingan in your plans.

Various activities are described for winter in Handöl. On the flat stretch between the village and Lake Ånnsjön, there are classic cross-country ski trails groomed by snowmobile; grooming is seasonal. Ice climbing takes place in winter at Handöl’s inactive soapstone quarry. The trails and ice climbing are clearly different in form: cross-country skiing on a flat stretch, and ice climbing at the former, inactive mining site.

When choosing what to focus on, you can consider the season and your interests together. For winter, both the seasonally groomed trails and ice climbing at the inactive soapstone quarry are described. The Naturslingan, by contrast, is characterised by its two loops and its starting point at the ski stadium, although its details may vary depending on the season. For a trip focused on Handöl’s cultural history, the museum, chapel and memorials offer different points of interest than the winter activities.

Discover more destinations: Åre, Mörsil, Hallen, Undersåker, Ottsjö, Huså, Duved, Mattmar.

Go to the main travel overview: Åre.