3 days in Docksta: discovering its classic day tours (without a car or a boat)

If you are lucky to spend your holiday in the High Coast, the Skuleskogen national park, the Ulvön island, and the Skuleberget mountain have to keep a priority place into your summer’s bucket list.

In Docksta, you find the perfect “base camp” to start visit them.

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In Docksta, we suggest these accommodations by the sea:

Overnight in a real boathouse >

ideal holiday apartment to enjoy stunning overnights with seaview >

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You can even leave your personal means of transport at rest - your own car or boat is not essential to discover the surroundings of Docksta.

Here you have some transportation alternatives:

• by free bus service, you can reach the nearest entrances of the park;

• by ferry from Docksta, you can reach the typical fishing village of Ulvön;

• by walking you can conquer the summit of the Skuleberget just following its beautiful paths or taking the chairlift (if you are not confident with hiking uphill).

DAY 1#

Hiking the Skuleskogen best trails

The National Park is the target of a full day spent hiking and enjoying the beauty of the Höga Kusten world heritage outdoors.

The bus starts from Kustlådan campsite 2km south of the village and stops at Docksta Marina on the E4 (just 50 meters from our piers), then it picks up people at the campsites on the southwest side of the Skuleberget and at the museum & Tourist High Coast Center on the east side, and has a last stop to the campsite at Veåsand before to leave you at the southern entrance of the park. From there, you enter some of the best trails and the most popular spots.

This bus service operates during the summer: here you find more info about how to easily reach the park from Docksta with the summer bus >

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One spot recommended:

Start visiting the beaches at the Kälaviken bay and walk the suggestive path in the forest alongside the coastline and step on its beautiful spots seaside. In the morning particularly, it’s an amazing walk with the rays of the low sun entering in the wood from the sea.

DAY 2#

Cruising to the charming Ulvön

It is the ideal trip to discover the beauty of the archipelago and the magic of a renowned fishing village: for its traditional houses and docks and for the delicacy of its fermented fish, the surströmming.

During the summer, the ferry M/S Kusttrafik starts from the harbor in Docksta every morning at 10am. The cruise along the Docksta and Ullångersfjärden covers the nautical miles to Ulvön in one hour while people enjoy the view of the natural coastline from the deck.

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One spot recommended:

Don't miss the short walk to the step up at the Lotsberget hill to the high viewpoint over the village and the harbor or an incursion on the coastline close to the bay of Flågstängsberget that faces toward the open sea to east.

DAY 3#

Up-up-up to the Skuleberget

Walking its trails or taking the chairlift to reach the summit, from the top of the mountain the views over the surroundings are always astonishing.

If you're based in Docksta, the slopes of the mountain are one step away from your front door (and from the piers of the Marina, too). But you can also have an enjoyable ride, lock your bike and start hiking, taking the chairlift, or visiting the museum about the High Coast World Heritage, or… climbing up a route of the Via Ferrata!

ONE SPOT RECOMMENDED:

The Naturum Höga Kusten Museum lies at the foot of the Skuleberget mountain about 3 km walking or biking north of the village: if you want to know more about the highest uplift of the land in the world, and geology & landscapes of the High Coast, start there!

Staying in Docksta even few days during your holiday, you will notice that there is no shortage of things to discover and do around here outdoor.

If using your car isn't in your plan or you decided to safely dock your boat, start from here to discover the coastline and inland beauty of the High Coast, where the heart of the world heritage beats even stronger.

FREE HIGH COAST INFO MAPS:

HANG YOUR #HÖGAKUSTEN PASSION ON A WALL:

We suggest you these readings:

Skuleskogen National Park without a car: Docksta as a simple starting point

Skuleskogen National Park

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Updated: December 2025 — now includes a more reliable car‑free planning approach and official maps.

This article was originally written with seasonal bus info in mind. It’s now updated to help you plan a smooth Skuleskogen day even when public transport isn’t running.

For years, reaching Skuleskogen National Park without a car was easier thanks to seasonal public transport. In recent years, this service hasn’t been running every season, so it helps to plan a car‑free day with flexible options.

Instead, think of it as a better kind of day: a ride + hike adventure.

Starting from Docksta (Docksta Havet Base Camp), you can turn the commute into part of the experience. The ride to Skuleskogen is around 10 km, on a mix of paved road and gravel. You follow the coastline of Norrfjärden, then continue on a newer road that crosses the forest towards the park’s South Entrance. It’s generally easy, with a few gentle ups and downs.

It’s not “zero effort” — but it’s a beautiful way to arrive: you warm up, you slow down, and you enter the park already in the right rhythm.

Docksta is a practical starting point for Skuleskogen — especially for Airbnb guests, sailors on shore leave, and travellers who prefer a simpler, flexible plan.

Below you’ll find official resources (maps + visitor info), a few highlights, and a straightforward car‑free mindset approach to planning your day.

Quick plan (no car, no stress)

• Start: Docksta Havet Base Camp (Docksta marina)

• Goal: Skuleskogen National Park (day hike)

• Mindset: ride + hike (the commute becomes part of the experience)

• Traveling light? You can rent a bike, a daypack, and a hammock kit (hosted at the marina, no deposit, flexible return)

• WhatsApp us: we’ll confirm availability + suggest the simplest route for today.

Public transport note (check each season)

The World Heritage Bus (Världsarvsbussen) ran with a summer timetable in 2023. Always double-check current info before planning.

Source: www.hogakusten.com/en/world-heritage-bus

Picture above: Docksta Havet Base Camp

The Docksta starting point (why it works)

Docksta is a natural base for exploring the High Coast because you can combine:

• Seaside stays (Airbnb) and a safe guest harbour / marina (leave your boat while you explore on land)

• Local, real-time advice (weather, daylight, trail conditions)

• A flexible day plan that doesn’t depend on a single timetable

If you’re staying with us (or passing by), just ask — we’ll suggest the simplest way to plan your Skuleskogen day based on your pace and the conditions.

From Docksta, the most straightforward access point is Entré Syd (South Entrance) — a simple starting point for a ride + hike day.

At Docksta Havet Base Camp we also run Outdoor Ready / Grab&Go — simple bikes + essential gear for a smooth day in nature without overplanning.

Grab&Go (Outdoor Ready): bikes, daypacks, hammock kits — pricing & how it works →

Official Skuleskogen resources (recommended)

If you want reliable, up-to-date information, these are the best starting points:

1. Official park overview (Sveriges Nationalparker)

2. Visitor information (rules, seasonality, practical notes)

3. Skuleskogen - Official PDF folder (English) (Länsstyrelsen)

If you want a simple hiking-oriented overview (what it feels like, how to pace your day, and what to expect), read about my recommended trek at Skuleskogen.

Why Skuleskogen is worth a full day

Skuleskogen is one of the few remaining large, ancient forests of the coastal region. Red Nordingrå granite cliffs, the uplifted coastline, and dense coniferous forest — with rare species of lichens — shape the park’s character.

Main attractions include:

• Spectacular views over the national park’s dramatic landscape and the surrounding High Coast

• The 7-metre-wide, 30-metre-deep “Hell Gap” crevice (Slåttdalskrevan), which cleaves Slåttdal mountain in two

• Hiking the natural paths deep into the Skuleskogen forest

A simple car-free mindset (practical, not technical)

• Plan your visit as a full-day outing (so you’re not rushed by logistics)

• Keep your plan flexible (weather and daylight matter)

• Bring the essentials: good shoes, water, a wind/rain layer, and lunch

• If you want the easiest version, start from Docksta and ask for the best “today plan” (we share the most suitable starting point and route idea based on conditions)

If you want to visit Skuleskogen without a car, we can help you keep it simple:

• Bike Rental (Grab&Go) — best for a ride + hike day plan

• Perfect Forest Day Kit — bike + daypack + hammock kit (for an easy “full day” setup)
  → Grab&Go Pricing & Booking

Make it easy (Outdoor Ready / Grab&Go)

Many travellers arrive without a car — and often without the right gear for a full day outside.

With Outdoor Ready / Grab&Go, you can keep it simple: bike access, a daypack, and the small essentials that make the day smoother.

Ask us at Docksta Havet Base Camp and we’ll match the setup to your pace, weather, and daylight.

What to bring (quick checklist)

• Good shoes (grip matters)

• Water + lunch

• Wind/rain layer (the coast changes fast)

• A small daypack helps

• Traveling light? Ask us about Grab&Go (bike / daypack / hammock kit)

One last host note

Skuleskogen is best when you’re not rushing. Plan a full day, keep your route flexible, and let the park set the pace.

Need help planning today? Ask us at Docksta Havet Base Camp — we’ll suggest the easiest car‑free plan and the right Grab&Go setup.

Looking for more local day trips? Explore our Guides & Stories >

Hang your #HÖGAKUSTEN passion on a wall:

Sailing to Skuleskogen: the National Park between land and sea

One of the best green breaks, in your cruise discovering the High Coast, is a visit to the National Park of Skuleskogen.

The National Park designation is the best a nature area can receive, as well as unique locations of outstanding natural beauty which ensure that nature can be fully experienced.

Skuleskogen is close to Docksta Havet Base Camp so - by bus, or walking/biking from the piers - it's a fantastic destination after your days of serious sailing around the coast!
 

Suggestions for cruising in the High Coast:
Sailing to Skuleskogen National Park to enjoy its stunning natural beauty

Sights:

• The views over undulating forest and the sea.

• Slåttdalsskreven.

• The Kalottbergen mountains and their forested peaks and bare slopes.

• The flora.

• The Bronze Age barrows.

Area: 2,360 hectares. 
Established: 1984, extended 1989. 
 

Location: Approximately 40 kilometres south of Örnsköldsvik in Örnsköldsvik and Kramfors municipalities, Västernorrland County.

Visiting Skuleskogen: Signs on European Highway E4 show the way to the national park. There is an access road from the south via Käl, and from the north via Näske. The High Coast Visitor's Center (Naturum Höga Kusten) provides an introduction to the park´s human and natural history. There are 30 kilometres of hiking trails, as well as three sleeping cabins and two shelters that are open year around.

Skuleskogen National Park is a wild and majestic section of Ångermanland’s “High Coast”, where the rolling hills of the Norrland forest meet the northern Baltic Sea. This roadless wilderness offers the visitor magnificent views over sea and forest, beautiful lakes, verdant spruce-clad valleys, and fascinating geological formations which, more clearly than anywhere else, demonstrate how much of modern Sweden has risen from the ancient sea.

This national park is a heavily undulating rift valley adjoining the coast, featuring forest and outcrops of flat bedrock, in untouched condition where vegetation and animals have been able to develop freely. This area will offer the visitor the opportunity of enjoying fabulous experiences of unspoilt nature. Features especially worth seeing are Slåttdalsskreven, a gorge, 200m long, 40m deep and 7 metres wide, the bronze age cairn, extensive shingle fields, interesting vegetation and, not least, magnificent views of the archipelago. There is a total of thirty kms of marked trails which offer the hiker several alternative circular routes. The High Coast trail crosses the national park. Overnight cabins are located at Skrattaborrtjärn, Lillruten, Tärnättvattnet and Näskebodarna. (Font: www.y.lst.se)

HIGH COAST SAILOR'S TIPS:

Sailing to the heart of the World Heritage: experience Skuleberget and Skuleskogen National Park >

Skuleskogen National Park (1984) and Nordingrå Nature Conservation Area (1983) are classified Category V - Protected Landscape/Seascape: protected area managed mainly for landscape/seascape conservation and recreation - and defined as "Area of land, with coast and sea as appropriate, where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant aesthetic, ecological and/or cultural value, and often with high biological diversity. Safeguarding the integrity of this traditional interaction is vital to the protection, maintenance and evolution of such an area."

The purpose of Skuleskogen National Park is to preserve in unspoiled condition a coastal landscape of forest, rocky terrain, fissure valleys and steep rolling hills where plant and animal life may develop naturally. (Font: www.naturvardsverket.se)

Skuleskogen is a stupendous area. It combines high mountains, ancient forest and sea coast in a landscape which is without equal in Sweden. Pronounced peaks covered with windswept rocky pine forest are divided by deep rift valleys sculpted by the sea and the inland ice.

There are, in spite of the deserted appearance, traces of human habitation. The oldest of these are Bronze Age burial cairns. The inland ice was unusually heavy here, and pressed the mountains down under sea level. The country has been rising from the sea ever since, to reach today's level of almost 300 metres above sea level. There are also bare boulder fields, swamps and tarns in the park.

The fertile stream valleys are home to many species of bird, such as the very rare grey-headed woodpecker. Several Swedish plants have their most northerly limit in Skuleskogen, for example the decidious trees maple, lime and hazel. The trees are probably relics from warmer ages when deciduous forest was found this far north.

The foremost sights of Skuleskogen are the views of the rolling forest and the sea, Slåttdalsskrevan ravine, Kalottberget mountain with its forested top and treeless slopes, the flora and the Bronze Age burial cairns.

(Font: www.naturvardsverket.se and www.y.lst.se)

Free download the map of the Skuleskogen National Park (.pdf) >

Your boat safely moored to start exploring Skuleskogen and Skuleberget

The Sailor’s Base Camp in the heart of the High Coast >