A church has stood on this site since at least 1531, when Ytterhogdals kyrka is first mentioned in documents, though the building then would have been an earlier, medieval structure. Excavations in 1952 uncovered 28 coins beneath the floor, the oldest dating from 1504, and further work in 1983 revealed remnants of the old church's walls, supporting the belief that the earlier building stood on the same spot as today's church. That older church was remodelled in the 1600s and extended in the 1700s before finally being replaced.
The present building was constructed between 1799 and 1809 under master builder Johan Christian Loëll of Gävle. It is built of stone with a nave and an unusual east-facing tower, since most Swedish church towers stand to the west. The tower is topped with a lantern, and the sacristy occupies its ground floor.
Inside, the chancel wall is dominated by a striking trompe-l'oeil painting on canvas, creating an illusion of architectural depth with paired Corinthian columns supporting a false entablature, all set beneath draped blue curtains and including a painted false door. A triangular motif bearing the name of God appears within the scheme. The chancel also features an unusual combined altar and pulpit.
The pulpit itself is carved with theological symbols, including a crown of thorns at its centre and a cross and anchor to the sides. Its back panel bears a radiant sun motif, a traditional symbol of God, while the canopy above is carved with fringes and five cherub heads. This decorative woodwork was carried out by Göran Sundin between 1839 and 1848.