Staksrode Forest
Near Juelsminde and along Vejle Fjord you will find one of Denmark’s most beautiful forests. In the hilly nature forest, you will find East Jutland's most dramatic coastline with high slopes down towards Stenhoej Beach. Here there are beautiful views from the exciting hiking routes, historical attractions, and good opportunities for spotting wild animals.
Wild and dramatic nature, where the ocean meets the fjord
As soon as you arrive at Staksrode Forest, you will notice the impressive view over Vejle Fjord. From the forest's characteristic high slopes, you can see all the way to the islands Æbelø and Funen. The wooded slopes are subject to frequent landslides, which has created a particularly hilly landscape with terrace-shaped plateaus, where you will find many rare flowers such as protected orchids. Deep cracks in the ground and overturned trees that lie everywhere, are the result of the great forces of nature that rule here.
Due to its large biological diversity, Staksrode Forest has been declared a natural forest. This means that the forest is untouched by humans. Overturned trees are left lying on the ground, which only makes the forest even more impressive.
Hiking in the forest
In the 218 acre Staksrode Forest there are three marked hiking trails. The trips are between 2.5 and 5 km long and all three routes starts at the forest's parking lot at the end of Stenhøjsvej. Red route (2.3 km) and blue route (5 km) are both suitable for people with walking difficulties and wheelchair users, despite the hilly landscape. Here you mostly walk on the slopes, through pine and hardwood forest.
However the yellow route is definitely the most beautiful. Here you walk through particularly striking nature with many downed trees. The route is popular with both nature lovers and families with children. The kids love to climb the hills and the overturned trees. Even though the route is only 2.4 km long, use some extra time to enjoy the scenery and the view along the way.
See the routes on the Kystlandet's Digital Map (Google Maps).
The ruin Stagsevold
When you follow the yellow route, you will come across the ruins of the medieval castle Stagsevold in the western end of Staksrode Forest. You can reach the historic castle from the 1300s via a small bridge over the old ramparts. Many folk tales relate to the castle. If ruins could speak, they would allegedly tell tales of both pirates, trolls and wars.
Other activities in the forest
There are no definite bicycles or riding trails in Staksrode Forest, but cycling and riding on the forest trails are allowed. However, the hilly trails along the coast are only suitable for walking. The combination of pine and hardwood forest and the many overturned trees provide perfect conditions for mushrooms. Staksrode Forest is ideal, if you want to pick delicious mushrooms in the fall.
Below the high slopes lies Stenhøj Beach. The particularly clayey soil at Staksrode makes it possible to find many fossils on the beach. Take the kids down to the beach and go hunting. Maybe you can find a shark tooth or lilies.
You can also spend the night outdoors in Staksrode Forest. There are two tent sites. One of these has a shelter with sea views and can accommodate 4 to 5 people. The shelter cannot be booked, so the early bird gets the worm. The second tent site in Randskoven Forest must be booked in advance.
Looking for more nature experiences?
Find inspiration for more nature experiences in Kystlandet.
On this page you can find inspiration for hikes in other local forests.
And follow this link for information about experiences around Vejle Fjord.