Flå
Municipality · Buskerud
About Flå
Bears, wolves and lynx up close at Bjørneparken, and quiet forest trails into the Vassfaret wilderness.
What to do and where to stay in Flå
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1BjørneparkenSight
A wildlife park on the edge of Flå with bears, wolves, lynx and moose in large natural enclosures, hourly feedings, two Amur leopards and Norway's largest crocodile exhibition.
Bjørneparkvegen, Flå centre (by Rv7) · 3–5 h · Summer season (check bjorneparken.no)
2Vassfaret nature and culture trailHike
A 16 km marked trail from Øyvatn into Vassfaret, a valley farmed from the mid-1700s until 1921 and since emptied, with 20 posts on its history, forestry and wildlife.
From the car park at Øyvatn, Vassfaret, east of Flå · 5–6 h (16 km) · Snow-free season (about June – October)
3Gulsvik old bridgeHistory & culture
A protected 97 m suspension bridge from 1906 at Gulsvik, the first in Norway hung on steel-wire cables; a memorial nearby marks the fighting here on 25 April 1940.
Gulsvik, by Rv7 · 15–20 min · All year
4Sauvallsvingen flow trailActivity
A machine-built trail for bikes and walkers with berms and jumps, gentle in its first half, with views over Gulsviksetrene and Høgevarde; wide enough for children.
End of Gulsviksetervegen, above Gulsvik · 1–2 h · Snow-free season
5Bjørneparken KjøpesenterLocal oddity
A 16-shop centre in Flå that opens on Sundays (12–18), unusual in Norway, with a Vinmonopol, groceries, 350 free parking spaces and EV chargers.
Flå centre, next to Thon Hotel Bjørneparken · 30–60 min · All year; Mon–Wed 10–18, Thu–Fri 10–20, Sat 10–18, Sun 12–18
6Gulsvik Brygge bathing placeSwim
Flå's main bathing spot, at the marina in Gulsvik on Lake Krøderen, with a floating pier and a diving tower.
Gulsvik, by Rv7 · 1–2 h · June – August
7Veslefjell on the Veneli mountain-forest trailHike
An easy 3 km family walk from Veneli, partly on the marked Veneli mountain-forest and culture trail, to a 993 m top looking over Vassfaret, Norefjell and Høgevarde.
Veneli, east of Flå centre (Fv203) · 1–4 h (about 3 km, 140 m ascent) · Spring – autumn (snow-free)
8Bear sculpture by Rv7Local oddity
A bear sculpture by the main road through Flå, echoing the bear on the municipality's coat of arms; a quick photo stop on the way through Hallingdal.
By Rv7 in Flå (exact spot to be looked up) · 5–10 min · All year
9BuvasskoiaLocal secretHike
A DNT cabin on a point in Buvatnet, built in Ådal in 1942 and moved here after 1952; about 10 minutes on a marked path from the road. Sleeping needs a DNT key; don't park at the private outlet.
East side of Buvatnet, north of Strømsoddbygda (barrier road with card/coin payment) · 10 min walk
10HallingportenLocal oddity
A two-storey tunnel mouth on road 7: the road tunnel runs where an old railway tunnel was, which still sits on top. Fighting took place here in April 1940. Don't stop in the tunnel.
Road 7 just north of Gulsvik