Midtre Gauldal
Municipality · Trøndelag
About Midtre Gauldal
Salmon fishing on the Gaula, the old summer dairy farm at Storbekkøya in Budalen, and a statue of ski star Marit Bjørgen at Støren.
Midtre Gauldal is where valleys meet: the rivers have cut deep into soft rock and thick glacial deposits, leaving steep slopes and narrow side valleys such as Soknedalen and Fordalen. Farms keep to the valley floors, and the land rises through forest to mountains, with Forollhogna at 1,332 m on the southern border.
E6 and Fv30 split here, so it is an easy stop between Oppdal, Røros and Trondheim. Stay a night for old wooden churches, the new stave church at Singsås and walks up the side valleys.
Good to know
- Getting there: E6 and Fv30 meet at Støren, as do two railways. Støren is about 55 minutes from Trondheim and 1 h 45 from Røros.
- Season: Salmon season on the Gaula runs roughly June–August, and the Budal summer farms are in use from late June to August.
- Sleeping: Støren Camping, Vårvolden Camping (15 May–31 August) and Gullvåg Camping (1 May–30 September).
- Food: Soknedal Bakeri bakes its bread, buns and cakes by hand and serves simple lunches and coffee.
What to do and where to stay in Midtre Gauldal
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1Budal churchHistory & culture
Built in 1754 where the Ena and Bua rivers meet, this small timber church is the newest of the ten Y-shaped churches still standing in Norway.
Enodden, mouth of Budalen · 15–30 min · Outside all year; inside at services; check opening hours before you go
2Forollhogna summit from BakksetraHike
A 14.3 km out-and-back hike from the end of Synnerdalen to Forollhogna (1,332 m), the highest point in the national park, gentle at first and steep near the top.
Bakksetra, end of Synnerdalen, Budalen · About 5.5 h (14.3 km return, 670 m ascent) · June–October
3Summer farm valleys of BudalNature
Budal is a selected cultural landscape where 12 farmers still run summer dairy farms and some 40 more graze sheep and cattle in the outfields of the side valleys.
Budalen side valleys, e.g. Synnerdalen and Storbudal · 1–3 h by car with stops · Late June–August, when the summer farms are in use
4Marit Bjørgen sculpture, StørenLocal oddity
A sculpture of cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen by Merete Sejersted Bødtker, put up in 2024 outside the school and culture centre in her home municipality.
Outside Gauldal skole- og kultursenter (GSK), Støren · 10–15 min · All year
5Støren churchHistory & culture
A red octagonal timber church from 1817, drawn by Svend Aspaas, who also worked on Røros church, standing near where the Sokna meets the Gaula.
Støren, near where the Sokna meets the Gaula · 15–30 min · Outside all year; inside at services
6Singsås nye stavkirkeLocal oddity
A small, simple stave church built largely by volunteers and consecrated in 2012 on the medieval churchyard where Singsås's church stood until 1884.
Old church site, Singsås, Gauldalen · 15–20 min · Outside all year
7Singsås churchHistory & culture
Johan Digre drew this white neo-Gothic timber church of 1884 and his father Jacob built it, with room for about 450, some 5 km below the old church site.
Singsås village, on Rv30 in Gauldalen · 15–20 min · Outside all year; crucifix visible only when the church is open
8Gaula and Sokna meeting at StørenNature
Støren sits where the Sokna joins the Gaula, central Norway's largest river and one of the country's top five salmon rivers, with a catch of 42.5 tonnes in 2008.
Støren village centre · 20–30 min (longer if fishing) · All year; salmon season roughly June–August
9Pilgrim route over Forollhogna to BudalenHike
The Østerdalen branch of the pilgrim route to Nidaros crosses the national park on a cairned path and comes down into Budalen past Storbekkøya.
Budalen (end of the mountain crossing) · Short sections of 1–3 h from Budalen; the full crossing takes several days · Summer–early autumn
10Soknedal Bakeri caféFood & drink
A bakery café in Soknedal selling bread, buns, pastries and cakes made by hand in its own bakery, plus simple lunches and coffee, with a summer terrace.
Soknedal village, Midtre Gauldal · 20–45 min · All year; check opening hours before you go