About Høvringen
The mountain village of Høvringen is situated at 1,000 metres above sea level in the north of the Gudbrandsdalen Valley, as the western gateway to Rondane National Park. Høvringen was originally a village of summer mountain pastures that greeted it's first tourists warmly welcome in the 1840s.
Høvringen and Rondane well known to have a reliable, dry climate and varied hiking opportunities.
An extensive net of marked paths and ski tracks start right outside the doors of the hotels and the cabins. Stroll through old pine woods or reach for the more demanding peaks. Prepared ski tracks during the winter and marked hiking routes in the summer invites to a spectacular outdoor experience.
How to get there
Only eight kilometres off the E6-highway in the Gudbrandsdalen Valley, Høvringen is easily accessible, both summer and winter, by means of both public transport and car. The road is of good standard and kept open all the year round. There are good bus and train connections to Otta Skysstasjon Station from all over the country, and from there you can either get to Høvringen by hotel transport or local bus.
Distances to Høvringen
Hiking in Rondane National Park
An extensive net of marked paths lead you into mighty mountains. The terrain covers mountain woods and quite plateaus, as well as airy mountain ridges and tops.
Late summer and autumn have a special charm with fantastic colours, as only nature itself can create. This is the season for berries and mushrooms to be picked. Blueberries and cowberries cover the bottom of the woods, and the cloudberries, the gold of the mountains, are to be found in the mountains. The summer season goes from mid-June until late September.
There is excellent possibilities both for day trips and also to walk from hut to hut in the national park.
About Rondane National Park
Norway’s first national park was established in 1962. Rising up about 600 million years ago from a lifeless sea, the area has been formed into mighty, dramatic, yet friendly and round shapes by the effects of earth-plate movements, ice ages and erosion.
The name Rondane comes from the deep indentations running along the mountain near Rondvatnet lake. The mountain side is barren with sparse vegetation, something that makes this area particularly exposed and vulnerable. The vegetation is characterised by plenty of moss and lichen, giving the mountain a yellowish tinge.
The highest peak in Rondane is Rondeslottet at 2,178 metres above sea level. The wild reindeer herd is among the few in Norway with direct links going back to the original wild reindeer herds. The mighty and magnificent mountain areas in Rondane have up through the years inspired many famous painters, poets and composers. The first tourists to the area were English lords who came here to hunt reindeer. Signs of this ritual are still visible in the form of stone huts, such as Garvaghbua and Uløybua.
Tour suggestions
1. Round trip Høvringen
- Length: Six kilometres
- Time: Two hours
- Altitude: 950 - 1,050 metres above sea level
- Markers: Blue markers
- Description: Easy, dry terrain. Specially interesting alternative: the trail along Høvringsåe, with rapids, deep pools and pits and waterfalls. Interesting geology. Below the uppermost bridge: Høvringsfossen waterfall and Høvringsporten gate. This is the cultural trail of Høvringen
- Sights: 10 stopping points around this cultural trail
2. Høvringen – Heimfjellet – S. Horrtjønn – Putten
- Length: Six kilometres
- Time: Up to two hours
- Altitude: 950 - 1,211 metres above sea level
- Markers: Red markers
- Description: Dry terrain, variable nature
3. Smuksjøseter – Steinbuhø – Kjondalen (- Peer Gynt) - Smuksjøseter
- Length: Smuksjøseter - Steinbuhø 4,5 kilometres. Steinbuhø – Kjondalen –Smuksjøseter 8,4 kilometres
- Time: Approximately three hours
- Altitude: 1,121 - 1,526 metres above sea level
- Markers: Red, green and yellow markers
- Description: Dry terrain. Rise from Smuksjøster to Steinbuhø and easy downwards through the Kjondalen valley. You can choose if you want to go direct back to Steinbuhø the same way you walked up or choose an alternative route through the Kjondalen valley around the mountain Solsidevassberget. You can also walk all the way to the Peer Gynt Cabin along the green track and back to Smuksjøster along the red track.
- Sights: Magnificent view at Steinbuhø. You can see into three nationalparks, Rondane, Jotunheimen and Dovrefjell.
Maps
Maps can be bought at the accommodations, cafées and shops at Høvringen, as well as the local book shops and Otta.