Discover Oppdal: museums, history and routes

Oppdal combines a railway station on the Dovre Line with an open-air museum and a cultural centre that hosts events year-round. There are also trails, winter sports and historic sites in the wider Oppdal destination. You can plan your holiday according to whether cultural offerings in town or activities in the surrounding region should be the main focus.

Getting here and culture in town

Oppdal station is on the Dovre Line. Trains run from there towards Trondheim and Oslo S. Check the current timetable for specific connections and departures.

North of the town centre lies the Oppdal Museum, an open-air museum with more than 20 historic buildings. They show life in Oppdal from the 16th century to the present day. Farmhouses, barns, storehouses, smithies and summer farms provide the setting for displays of Norwegian architecture, everyday life and crafts. The different types of buildings also illustrate the breadth of the museum’s themes.

In the town centre, the Oppdal Cultural Centre hosts concerts, theatre performances, film screenings, exhibitions and other activities throughout the year. Together with the museum, it offers a varied cultural focus for your plans: you can explore historic buildings and everyday life or plan around events at the cultural centre. Specific dates are not provided; check them before your trip.

When choosing a holiday rental in Oppdal, this mix can be a good starting point. Consider whether you want to set aside time mainly for cultural offerings in town or also include trails and experiences in the wider Oppdal destination. This can help you choose a location that better suits your planned daily routine.

History in the wider Oppdal destination

The Vang burial ground has more than 900 large and small burial mounds and stone cairns. Visitor facilities include a service building, information boards, a two-kilometre walking trail and information cubes. For 2026, the municipality advises against visiting due to clean-up and safety work. The Oppdalsmuseet offers guided group walks with stories at the burial ground by prior arrangement only.

The Kongevegen across Dovrefjell is another historic feature of the wider Oppdal area: the route runs through Drivdalen to Oppdal Church. The present-day church was built around 1650 and consecrated by Bishop Erik Bredal on 12 March 1651. Its baptistery has 12th-century stave construction decorated with painted apostles. Raulåna stands by the church at Vang and was built in 1675. These different dates and building styles offer specific points of reference for the region’s cultural history.

Trails, mountains and winter activities

There are routes of varying lengths and with different focuses for getting active in the wider Oppdal destination. The 70-kilometre pilgrim trail through Oppdal passes through natural landscapes, cultural landscapes and historic settings; trail conditions vary by season. In the Stølen and Fagerhaug area, there are routes from Stølen measuring nine and 11.5 kilometres. This information helps distinguish longer and shorter outings without conflating different routes.

Storskrymten offers a different scale: at 1,985 metres, it is the highest mountain in Oppdal. The hike to the summit covers 30 kilometres round trip and involves 1,400 metres of elevation gain. If you would rather focus on winter activities, Oppdal Ski Stadium has four kilometres of groomed trails, including a lit section. The trail network at Grøtsetra Ski Arena connects with Skaret, Nerskogen, Gjevilvassdalen and Oppdal town centre.

Oppdal Ski Centre spans four mountains and has 13 ski lifts and 35 pistes; seasonal operations may change. Vangslia has a children’s slope, two chairlifts, two drag lifts and eleven runs. Availability here may also vary by season. These details show different forms of winter sports, with pistes and cross-country trails being separate offerings.

For a different kind of active day, Opplev Oppdal offers rafting on the Driva river for beginners and experienced participants. Alongside the cultural programme, historic sites and different routes, this provides a wide choice of activities for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Klæbu, Melhus, Osen.

Return to the regional travel overview: Sor-Trondelag.