The Seven Sisters range, Saltfjellet/Svartisen National Park, Børgefjell Nationalpark, Oksskolten summit, Lomsdal/Visten National Park, Heilhornet summit - these are just some of the most famous mountains in Helgeland, every one of them offering a fantastic experience of the great outdoors.
The Seven Sisters mountain range
The Seven Sisters mountain range, with its characteristic seven summits, lies on Alstenøya Island. Marked trails lead you to every summit, with fairly easy hiking terrain. The summits can be scaled one at a time or all in the same hike. An average hiker should set aside at least one full day for all the summits.
Saltfjellet/Svartisen National Park
Saltfjellet/Svartisen National Park has the most varied landscape of all the national parks in Norway, with a number of valleys and mountains offering great hiking experiences. Storvollen, just south of the Arctic Circle, is a good starting point for hikes in the area, with easily accessible valleys such as Stormdalen and Tespdalen nearby. Tespdalen offers especially good fishing all the way up past the Arctic Circle. After passing the beautiful waterfalls, the landscape opens up into the wide open high plains of Saltfjellet.
Børgefjell National Park
Børgefjell National Park is one of Norway's oldest and largest parks, covering 1,447 square kilometres. This is the realm of the polar fox and the mountain trout, and a hike in these mountains will offer great outdoor experiences. The park is best suited for experienced mountain hikers, even if the terrain is fairly easy. There are several paths into the park, the most used are from Oksvollen in Harvassdalen and Simskardet in Grane.
Oksskolten
The Kjensvasshytta cabin is the ideal starting point for hiking Oksskolten, the highest mountain in Northern Norway, 1,916 metres above sea level. The cabin lies about one hour's drive from Umbukta Fjellstue (mountain cabin). It takes about four hours to hike to the summit. You can also start from Umbukta and follow a marked trail to Kjensvasshytta and further. The hike is a fantastic treat for anyone who loves mountain hiking.
The Nordland County Route
A continuous trail through Nordland, providing a sample of all that the county's landscape has to offer. The route is 570 kilometres long, with the northernmost point at Bjørnefjell in Narvik and the southernmost at Harvasstua in Hattfjelldal.
Lomsdal/Visten National Park
Lomsdal/Visten National Park is there – lush, quiet and beautiful – for those who seek peace and quiet. This is true wilderness, where tent, map and compass are absolute requirements. Here you will find plenty of hiking options and good fishing.
Heilhornet mountain
Heilhornet mountain in Bindal reaches 1,058 metres above sea level, providing a great vista towards the Børgefjell massif in the east, Namdalen to the south, and the Seven Sisters range in the north. A marked trail takes you to the summit, and the hike takes two to four hours depending on how quickly you choose to ascend.
Group hikes
Several municipalities in Helgeland hold group hikes with marked trails to 10-15 summits in their own municipality. The hikes vary in difficulty, and several of them are suitable for children.
In addition, there are countless other hiking opportunities in Helgeland. Contact the various tourist offices for further suggestions.