Nature Areas

More and more of Norway is being built over, but the country still has large untouched nature areas. In Finnmark you can walk for days without seeing anything but a reindeer or two. On the Helgeland coast you can paddle to hundreds of islands. In Jotunheimen and Lofoten there are sharp peaks that set the standard.

But first and foremost — enjoy the local gems right where you live. They are often better than you think, and they are there all year round.

Protected nature

Norway has four main forms of protection: national park, landscape protection area, nature reserve and marine protected areas. In addition there are habitat management areas (biotopvernområder) to protect the habitats of particular species. About 17 % of the mainland is protected, spread across around 47 national parks and hundreds of smaller areas.

For definitions and what the different forms mean, see forms of protection in Norway. For specific rules of movement — whether you may camp, cycle or have a dog off the lead — see movement in protected areas.

Which tur fits where

Summer walking — large plateaus

• Hardangervidda — classic DNT area, long chains of cabins, open terrain
• Dovrefjell — musk ox, open high mountains, varied routes
• Femundsmarka — forest and rivers, lower but varied
• Finnmarksvidda — the largest untouched area, requires experience and overview

Steep mountain tur and climbing

• Jotunheimen — Norway’s highest peaks (Galdhøpiggen, Glittertind, Store Skagastølstind)
• Lofoten — sea-to-summit, dramatic
• Romsdal — Trollveggen, Romsdalshorn
• Sunnmørsalpene — steep mountain skiing in winter

Paddling tur

• Helgeland coast — island-rich, open-sea paddling
• Trondheimsfjorden — varied conditions, easily accessible
• The large lakes (Mjøsa, Femund, Tyrifjord) — for fresh water
• Saltstraumen — the world’s strongest tidal current, for the experienced

Winter tur

• Hardangervidda — the DNT system in full use through winter
• Setesdal Vesthei — varied, with self-service cabins
• Femundsmarka — forest tur, cabins, often less visited

Activities — walking, paddling, climbing, skiing, cycling → (see the front page for the category overview)

Local gems

For most people, the local is more usable than the big and famous. Check:

• DNT local chapters — locally familiar, marked trails, tur tips
• Statsforvalteren — outdoor recreation councils, local trail maps
• Municipal outdoor centres — particularly in municipalities with a strong outdoor focus
• norgeskart.no and ut.no — combined, most of it is available

Next steps

If you are planning a tur in a protected area, check movement in protected areas for what is and is not allowed. To understand what the different forms of protection mean, see forms of protection.

For rules of movement in general: the Outdoor Recreation Act and allemannsretten. For vulnerable nature and movement: sustainability and leave-no-trace travel.

Learn more

• Miljødirektoratet — protected nature
• Norges nasjonalparker
• ut.no
• Statsforvalteren

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Text: Snuitide (2022), revised 2026.