The impressive Tännforsen waterfall is an experience for all the senses. You can hear the thunderous roar of the water, see the spectacular natural beauty around you, taste the spray of the mist, smell the ever-fresh greenery and feel the power of the 38-metre drop of water throughout your entire body. The water mist has created a microclimate where unusual plants and mosses thrive. The waterfall and its immediate surroundings therefore form a nature reserve.
Sweden's largest waterfall is part of the Indalsälven river and connects the lakes Tännsjön (above the waterfall) and Öster-Noren (below the waterfall). The amount of water flowing varies greatly between seasons. In a normal year, the water level reaches its highest level in the second half of May, when 200-400 cubic metres of water flow over the top of the waterfall every second. The lowest level is reached between December and February, when Tännforsen is covered with a layer of ice. The highest water level measured in the twentieth century is more than 800 cubic metres per second. That was during the spring flood of 1995.
An attractive nature trail has been laid out along the waterfall, where you can learn more about the plants that grow there. The route takes about half an hour and is approximately 1 kilometre long. During summer, it is also possible to take guided walking tours. The tourist station houses a restaurant, a souvenir shop and accommodation for pilgrims.
History
Tännforsen became a tourist attraction as early as 1835 when the Skalstugevägen road to Norway was inaugurated by King Karl XIV Johan. Visitors with the time and money to travel and discover new places could then take a boat trip to the north side of the waterfall on the calmer waters of Lake Tännsjön upstream from the rapids. The Swedish Tourist Association took the next step and not only built a motorway to the Tännforsen waterfall, but also constructed a tourist station in 1906.
Older photographs of Tännforsen show a large rock in the middle of the waterfall. This was the Björnstenen, named after the legend that a bear once tried to cross the waterfall but got stuck in the middle. The Björnstenen suddenly came loose during the spring floods of 1992, without anyone noticing
One of the most spectacular events at Tännforsen took place 60 years ago (1953), when Calle Thoresson and Kjell Zetterström from Järpen tested the forces of nature with a true circus act. They stretched a cable one centimetre thick across the waterfall. When they were about halfway across the waterfall, the cable slackened, causing Kjell Zetterström, who was hanging below the cable to keep his balance, to hang partially underwater and pull Calle Thoresson, who was on the bicycle, down with him. However, everything turned out well and both ended up on the other side. No one else has repeated this adventure of cycling over the rushing waters of Tännforsen.
