A Swedish national park that lost its namesake waterfall to industrial development

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Established in 1909 to protect one of Europe's most powerful waterfalls, Stora Sjöfallet National Park now faces a strange reality. Hydroelectric projects have largely silenced its namesake cascades, and the park's central lake is entirely artificial. Yet, it remains a vital, protected landscape of glaciers, mountains, and rare Arctic flora.

When Stora Sjöfallet was designated a national park in 1909, the primary motivation was the preservation of the Stuor Muorkkegårttje, a magnificent five-level waterfall on the Lule River. Each tier of the falls was named after a significant figure in Lapland's history, including entrepreneur SG Hermelin and the theologian Lars Levi Laestadius. However, the government soon authorized hydroelectric development, which diverted the water flow and fundamentally altered the site. By the 1960s, the degradation was so severe that the area containing the falls was removed from the national park's boundaries entirely.

Today, the park is defined by the Akkajaure reservoir, an artificial body of water that bisects the protected land. Despite these industrial scars, the park remains a critical component of the Laponian area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The landscape is geologically ancient, formed roughly 400 million years ago when continental collisions pushed up a massive mountain range. The terrain is dominated by the Áhkká massif, known as the 'queen of Lapland,' which features thirteen peaks and ten glaciers. These glaciers are currently receding, losing about 10 meters of ice annually due to global warming.

The park's ecological value is immense, hosting roughly half of the 400 plant species found in the Swedish mountains. Its unique lime-poor bedrock supports specialized flora like the rare Arenaria humifusa and the unique Sjöfalls' sandstone. Wildlife is equally diverse; the area serves as vital pasture for reindeer managed by the Sörkaitum and Sirka Sami communities. While visitors can explore the northern reaches via the Kungsleden trail, the southern section remains wild and trail-less, preserving a rugged, high-altitude environment where wolverines, lynx, and brown bears still roam.

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