Hikes in Os

Pilgrim's Trail, Alpine Farming and Wild Reindeer HabitatThe area of Forollhogna National Park is characterized by its glacial landscape: gentle mountain peaks, moraines, and lakes. The park is inhabited by one of Norway's many wild reindeer herds, which have room to roam in the expansive terrain.The eponymous peak served in the Middle Ages as a landmark for pilgrims passing through on their way to the Nidaros Cathedral. To this day, alpine farming is practiced in the Forollhogna area.

Alone above FemundenWe start with a boat passage on the M/S Fæmund II across Femunden, the third largest lake in Norway, which at 203 km² is also the largest unregulated lake in the country. It stretches over 60 km from north to south and forms the western boundary of Femundsmarka, which is mostly protected as Femundsmarka National Park. The trip from Jonasvollen to Femundshytta takes one hour. The settlement is part of the Røros World Heritage complex and from 1739 to 1822 housed a smelter that belonged to the copper works of the mining town located to the northwest. The place was chosen because of its abundant wood resources at the time, as huge amounts of charcoal were needed for smelting copper and the forests around the main smelter in Røros had already been deforested early on. Evidence of this time in Femundshytta are the slag heaps, foundations, and a playground: children from past times built Røros en miniature out of stones. The hike offers splendid views in fantastic silence from north to south across the long stretched ridge of the mountain massif Flenskampen.

The region stretching from Vangrøftdalen to Såttåhaugen is characterized by traditional Norwegian livestock farming. We hikers particularly enjoy the rustic wooden huts with thatched roofs. Beyond Såttåhaugen, we enter Forollhogna National Park, established in 2001, which covers an area of 1,062 km². The national park was named after Forollhogna, with its distinctive summit shape. It is also the highest mountain in the park and our destination for today. A short stretch of our route follows the Pilegrimsleden, also known as the Olavsweg. It runs from Oslo to Trondheim. The pilgrimage route, which is 643 kilometers long in total, leads to the pilgrimage site of Nidaros Cathedral, the burial church of Saint Olav. Even back then, the pilgrims must have gotten wet feet, as the path winds through numerous raised bogs. We, too, will not be spared this. In return, we’ll be rewarded with a hike through a remote region that feels untouched—at least to Central Europeans.> We leave the large parking lot just before 01 Såttåhaugen via the wooden bridge near the information sign. At the first fork in the trail, we take the path slightly to the right. There’s also a signpost here marked “Forollhogna via Pilegrimsleden.” The trail leads through a sparse forest whose branches are adorned with dark flags. At a fork in the trail, we turn left and reach a 02 bench on a hilltop with a beautiful view. We continue along the faintly worn path. Soon we pass the boundary of Forollhogna National Park, which is marked by a sign. After a longer stretch of the trail, we balance on rocks to cross a stream. At the confluence of two rivers, we reach the 03 crucial point. Here, the route ahead is unclear. We walk a few meters to the left and then climb up at a wooden post stuck into a pile of rocks. Afterward, we can make out a well-trodden path again. The path leads to a wide road, which we now follow to the right. In the distance, Mount Forollhogna already rises from the plain. Another 04 fork in the trail follows. We take the path leading slightly to the left and not the vehicle track continuing slightly to the right toward the houses by the lake. At the base of the mountain we are about to climb, the path turns to the left. During the reconnaissance trip in July 2025, we had to go around a huge snow cornice. The trail then follows the western flank of a secondary peak to a saddle and continues over a broad ridge to the summit of 05 Forollhogna. The return route follows the familiar path back to the parking lot at 01 Såttåhaugen.

Topptur til Forollhogna, Midtre-GauldalTuren til Forollhogna er ikke en typisk topptur som først belønnes etter timer med svette i bratte motbakker. Dette er fremfor alt en flott tur fra første skritt og det er mange som lar seg begeistre og kommer tilbake år etter år for å besøke denne vakre nasjonalparken. Ca. 17 km / 6,5 timer.