Drive it Yourself: The Valdresflye National Tourist Road
If you are looking for a great scenic road near the mountains, I do recommend Valdresflye. Everyone has heard of the Jotunheimen National Park, but you can’t exactly drive through the middle of it. The best way to see the park is to get out of your car and go for a hike. However, if you take the Valdresflye Scenic Road, you do get a glimpse at Jotunheimen’s beauty.
Valdresflye is a mountain plateau in the easternmost part of Jotunheimen National Park. Reaching a height of 1,389m (4,557ft), it’s the second-highest mountain pass after Sognefjellet, a road famous for its bad weather. Valdresflye is a lot safer than Sognefjellet, and it is open longer than Sognefjellet.
Valdresflye Scenic Road is not a long road (49km/30 mi), so you can take the time to park and go for many of the marked hikes.
If you are interested in historical sites, along the road you pass many ancient summer farms and mountain pastures.
I got to do the Valdresflye National Scenic Road in September 2020, when I was travelling from Fagernes to the Gudbrandsdalen Valley. Below you’ll find all the info you need to do the drive yourself!
In this article...
Download this Guide
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We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store.
Online Guide
- Information about points of interest
- Images of each point of interest
- Historic overview of the neighbourhood
- Directions between points
- Historic photos
- Information about facilities along the way
Downloadable Guide
- Information about points of interest
- Images of each point of interest
- Historic overview of the region & towns
- Directions between points
- Historic photos
- Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.
Watch on Youtube
All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like.
The drive: Valdresflye Tourist Road
Hegge Stave Church
Stave Church
Hegge Stave Church is a 13th century stave church located on the hillside near Heggenes village. It has undergone many repairs over the years, altering its appearance dramatically. The staves inside are still original, though.
Beitostølen
Ski Resort/Town
Beitostølen is a small town located 900m (3000ft) above sea level. As of January 2020, the population was 360. It is largely a tourist area, with several large hotels, cabins, shops and restaurants.
Due to the proximity to Jotunheimen, as well as its height, Beitostølen is among the most snow-sure winter sports resorts in Europe, and ski season usually lasts from November to April.
There are alpine slopes and cross-country trails totalling 320km. In summer, Beitostølen is very popular with hikers.
The village has hosted the FIS Cross-Country World Cup and the Biathlon World Cup competitions.
There is the Beitøstolen Health Sports Centre, a rehabilitation for the disabled. Ridderrennet, an international ski race for the disabled, is held at Beitostølen every year.
Today Beitostølen is the second largest tourist destination in Innlandet County after Lillehammer.
Bitihorn
Mountain
The most prominent peak you’ll see after starting the scenic road is Bitihorn, which is 1607m high. It’s a popular hike, and there’s a parking lot on the left where you can park. It’s near a Sami camp.
Bygdin Mountain Hotel
Historic Hotel
The history of the hotel goes back to 1867, when two brothers had an idea to build a hotel here and generate tourism. Originally their hotel was in a different location; when the road was finished and it didn’t go past their hotel, they moved it to the current location. The building was completed in 1897 and is now the oldest pat of the present-day hotel.
Bygdin Hotel quickly became popular thanks to its good standard and location on the mountain pass. In winter, planes would land on the frozen lake with tourists.
The first major renovation of the hotel was in 1910-1912, and you can still see this renovation in some of the historic rooms, the salon, and the entrance.
During World War II, the hotel was used as an officer’s quarters. German and Austrian troops came here to practice warfare in the mountains. Up to 20,000 men and 600 horses passed through the area. At the hotel, a lot of furniture, paintings and valuables were confiscated. The piano was recovered after the war; it was found all the way in Trondheim. The piano is in the ladies’ lounge today.
In 1964 a new brick building was added to the property. New owners took over in 2017, after stopping at the hotel to buy a waffle and deciding to buy it! The new owners are making efforts to preserve its historic character.
You can stop here for a bite to eat and to admire the hotel.
Historical info taken from the hotel’s website.
Flye1389
Scenic viewpoint
This is the highest point on the road, at 1389m above sea level (4557 ft). The cafe inside has food from Valdres and Gudbrandsdalen, plus incredible views over the mountain peaks. You can rent hiking equipment here.
Steinplassen
Monument
At the same photostop where I took the above photos you’ll see Steinplassen, a monument to all the cairns found on mountains. The mountain range here is the Jotunheimen mountains.
Bessheim Fjellstue & Hytter
Historic Hotel
Bessheim is a historic lodgings.
The site was a sæter, which is a kind of old building and base that had everything anyone would need when in the mountains. It was important to those coming to their summer farms, but also for fishers and hunters. They would find equipment here, plus shelter if there was a storm.
As the area became more popular for hikers in the second half of the 19th century, the sæter became a good place for those seeking shelter. Eventually the sæter’s (there were three here) grew into lodges. The first building built for tourism was in 1890. The lodge ceased being used for cows and goats in the 1960s – yes, historically these lodges were also for animals!
There is one sæter still on the property, Sandnesstuggu, which you can rent for the night. The hotel has remained in the family since 1890, with the current owner being the great-great granddaughter of the woman who built the lodge in 1890.
Hindsæter Hotel
Historic Hotel
Hindsæter Hotel is a small, historic timber hotel from 1898. Much like Bessheim, the hotel was originally a sæter; a farm that welcomed guests. As more people began to come here in the late 19th century, the farmer owner built a hotel. The landscape is historic, with old timber houses, stone fences, ski guards and grazing animals. The hotel even has its own hydropower plant.
Ridderspranget Ravine
Natural Attraction
Ridderspranget, or ‘The Knight’s Leap’ in English, is a ravine formed by a river that has gnawed deep into the bedrock, so erosion has only taken place in the riverbed. The name comes from a legend about Sigvat Leirholar, one of the king’s advisers, who received a letter that a beautiful girl was to marry a knight. The girl did not want to marry the knight, so Sigvat decided to set her free! He picked her up and fled with her – the knight cased them but Sigvat jumped after Ridderspranget with the girl in his arms and they were free.
It is a short and relatively easy walk to get to Ridderspranget.
Vågå Municipality
Randsverk
Settlement
Randsverk is a small settlement with mostly cabins and campgrounds. There is a supermarket here, too!
They have a lovely website, which you can view here.
In Randsverk you’ll find signs pointing to Jotunheimen National Park, but keep in mind that the road is gravel. You can also find the road down to Gudbrandsdalen.
Vågåmo
Our final stop is Vågåmo, a picturesque small town located just off the Rv15. Information on Vågåmo can be found via the link below.
Continue the drive
Gudbrandsdalen
After finishing in Vågåmo, we drove east to Otta and then explored the Gudbrandsdalen Valley,
Previous Drive
Numedal Valley
Numedal is home to a large number of medieval buildings, including four stave churches.
If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!
