Kiruna · Sweden
Rautas rest area · E10
Trafikverket 'naturrastplats' with toilets and picnic tables on the E10 between Kiruna and Abisko: a legal, dark place to stop and watch when the town is too bright.
See tonight's live score and best time to go for Rautas rest area in Aurora Atlas
Why it works for the aurora
- View
- Open over the Rautas river valley and forest..
- Darkness
- Very dark sky, grade 0 on a scale from 0 (darkest) to 5. No towns or road lights nearby; the faintest aurora shows.
- Aurora
- Under the auroral oval: aurora can be overhead even on quiet nights.
Getting there
- Distance
- About 25 km by road from Kiruna (estimate), roughly 28 min by car.
- Parking
- Rest area car park with toilets; room for caravans.
- Coordinates
- 67.9913, 19.9222 · Open in OpenStreetMap
Before you go
A snowmobile trail crosses 40 m from the rest area: stay clear of it.
Dress for standing still in the cold, bring a head torch with a red light, and park only where parking is allowed. A forecast is guidance, not a promise: check the road and weather warnings for Sweden before a night drive. See our winter safety note.
Spot information from openstreetmap.org.