Alvdal between Cultural History and Nature Experiences
Accommodation in Alvdal
Alvdal combines striking natural scenery with unusual insights into art and rural history. The Jutulhogget gorge, the historic Husantunet farmstead and the Huset Aukrust artists’ museum offer very different discoveries. There is also plenty to enjoy outdoors: mountain biking trails, hikes and ski tours each offer a different way to experience the landscape.
Gorge, mountains and trails
Jutulhogget is around 2.5 kilometres long and up to 240 metres deep. The gorge has been protected as a nature reserve since 1959, and its flora and fauna are distinctive. It is possible to hike through the gorge. There is a car park and information board at Jutulhogget, about 400 metres from Route 3 (Rv 3). This makes it easy to combine a visit with a hike while appreciating the gorge’s vast scale.
The Østkjølen area offers a different landscape: in summer, various hiking trails lead through lush surroundings shaped by mountain pastures. If you prefer to travel on two wheels, Alvdal has more than 350 kilometres of natural trails for mountain biking. For a trip focused on outdoor activity, these options offer different ways to shape your stay.
Alvdal Vestfjell offers longer ski tours on touring and cross-country skis. Groomed trails run from Sølnsætra through Sølndalen to Follandsvangen. Marked routes also connect DNT staffed and self-catering cabins, as well as private tourist cabins. Tronfjell reaches an elevation of 1,666 metres, and a road leads to the summit. At Tronsåfossen waterfall in Tronsvanglia, the water plunges 20 metres. The steep approach is equipped with handrails and stairs.
Art and farmstead history
Huset Aukrust in Alvdal is the national artists’ museum dedicated to Kjell Aukrust. Its collection includes around 3,000 original drawings and paintings that can be shown to the public. A visit is therefore focused on one artist and his work. Husantunet offers a different perspective on local history: this farmstead is one of Norway’s best-preserved from the period before 1850 and is now part of the Alvdal Museum.
Husantunet comprises 18 buildings with different functions, most of which still stand in their original locations. The site is open every summer from July to August. The Alvdal Museum also includes Nyhus garveri, a tannery fully equipped with tools and furnishings. It operated from the 1860s until the late 1950s. The old Folldalsvei road at Sognan adds to these historical insights: this 1.8-kilometre cultural heritage road was built between 1860 and 1880, used as a transport route until 1915, and restored and reopened in 2012.
Experiences for different kinds of holiday days
Flåklypatoppen, with the La Pollo XIII moon rocket, is open in summer and until snow arrives in autumn. The Sognan hiking area has a swimming spot, a cultural trail and a shelter; there are also opportunities to swim in the gorge. Sognan is a five- to ten-minute walk from the car park. The combination of nature, a cultural trail and a swimming spot offers a different focus from a hike in Jutulhogget or a visit to historic buildings.
Regional food culture is also part of Alvdal: the Norsk Mandelpotetfestival has been held annually since 1998 on the last weekend before the moose hunt. The grounds of Storsteigen videregående skole then host stalls selling local food, handicrafts, handmade products and almond potatoes. When choosing your holiday apartment, you might consider whether you want to focus your trip mainly on art and history, outdoor activities or these regional experiences.
Alvdal lies between Oslo and Trondheim; Route 3 (Rv 3) and the Røros Railway run through the municipality. Alvdal station is located at Steia, in the heart of Alvdal. You can also include Alvdal and Grimsbu in your choice of places within the subregion.
For the broader travel overview: Hedmark.
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