Vindelfjällen, Nature reserve in Swedish Lapland, Sweden

Vindelfjällen is a nature reserve in the Scandinavian Mountains in Swedish Lapland, covering coniferous forests, birch woods, tundra, and many lakes linked by free-flowing rivers. The terrain shifts gradually with elevation, moving from dense forest at lower levels to open ground and bare peaks higher up.

In the 1970s, an environmental movement blocked plans to build hydroelectric dams on the Vindel River, leading to the area being placed under protection. The Vindel remains one of the few large rivers in Europe that has never been regulated.

The Sami people have used this land for reindeer herding for centuries, and this practice continues today. Walkers who pay attention may spot old camp sites and simple stone structures left behind over generations.

The Kungsleden long-distance trail crosses the reserve for 78 km between Hemavan and Ammarnäs, with overnight huts along the way. Another 500 km of regional trails give access to the protected area. Trailheads are Hemavan, Tärnaby and Ammarnäs, where Naturum visitor centres have exhibitions on the reserve. Wild camping and fires are allowed under the Swedish right of public access if precautions are taken.

The reserve's symbol animal is the arctic fox, critically endangered in Scandinavia and rarely seen. The wolf, once native here, no longer occurs in the reserve. The endangered lesser white-fronted goose is regularly spotted on the reserve's lakes.