Oppdal
Municipality · Trøndelag
About Oppdal
Musk-ox safaris on Dovrefjell, Trollheimen hikes from historic Gjevilvasshytta, and nearly 900 Iron Age burial mounds at Vang near the centre.
Oppdal is a mountain village where three roads meet: the E6 comes down the narrow Drivdalen, and the Driva then turns west at the village. Almost all the land lies above 600 metres, with high mountains rising to the north-west. Oppdal is best known as a winter sports resort with large ski slopes.
It is a natural night on the E6 between Oslo and Trondheim, or a base for a few days of hiking, rafting and cycling, with Kongsvoll and the Hovden lift close by.
Good to know
- Getting there: The E6 and the Dovre railway come down Drivdalen; Rv70 leaves here for Kristiansund. About 2 hours from Trondheim, 6 hours from Oslo.
- Season: The Hovden gondola runs daily from late June to early August, then at weekends into October; the road to Gjevilvasshytta is open in summer.
- Sleeping: Oppdal Gjestetun Hotell in the centre, Bortistu Gjestegard in the west, and Breesgård Turistsenter, open all year.
- Food: Mathallen in the centre sells local cheese, cured sausages and Oppdal lamb, with Sprø stone-oven bakery inside.
What to do and where to stay in Oppdal
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1Oppdal ChurchHistory & culture
A white cruciform wooden church consecrated in 1651 on the Vang farm, where a stave church stood from around the 12th century; it seats about 450.
Vang, just west of Oppdal village, by Rv70 · 15–30 min · All year (inside only at services/opening times)
2Kongsvold Fjeldstue and alpine gardenHistory & culture
A Dovrefjell mountain inn whose oldest buildings date from 1720, with an alpine garden at 890 m growing about 420 mountain plant species.
Kongsvoll, upper Drivdalen on the E6, about 40 km south of Oppdal centre · 30–90 min · Garden in summer; inn has seasonal opening
3VårstigenHike
A steep, rocky stretch of the old main road over Dovrefjell, made passable for carts in 1704 and used until the 1850s; it is now part of the pilgrim path.
Hillside above Drivdalen, near Kongsvoll · 2–4 h · Summer–early autumn
4GjevilvasshyttaHike
A Trondhjems Turistforening hut on Gjevilvatnet, opened in 1922 in a listed 1819 farmhouse – the oldest building in Norway used as a tourist hut.
Gjevilvatnet, west of Oppdal; toll road north from Festa bru on Rv70 · Half day to full day (start of Trollheimen hikes) · Road open in summer; hut staffed summer, Easter and winter holiday
5AllmannbergetHike
A 1,342 m mountain about 3 km south-east of Oppdal village; from the end of a gravel toll road in Olmdalen it is about 2.5 km on foot to the top.
South-east of Oppdal village, via Olmdalen · 2–4 h · Summer–autumn
6MagalaupetNature
The Driva squeezes through a narrow gorge about 100 m long, a short walk of about 500 m from a small car park by the E6 in Drivdalen.
Drivdalen, south of Oppdal centre · 20–40 min · Snow-free months; most water in early summer
7Hovden gondola (Gondola Oppdal)Viewpoint
In summer the Hovden chairlift at Oppdal ski centre switches to gondolas, lifting you to 1,125 m for views over Oppdal, Trollheimen and Dovrefjell, with trails and bike runs down.
Hovden, Oppdal Skisenter, above Oppdal centre · 1–3 h · Summer 2026: daily 11–17 from 27 Jun to 9 Aug, then weekends to 5 Oct and daily in week 41; ski lift in winter
8The Hill 1125Food & drink
A restaurant at the top of Hovden, seen from the village below, serving wood-fired pizza, soups, cakes and cinnamon buns with views over the valley.
Top station of the Hovden gondola/lift, Oppdal Skisenter · 45–90 min (plus lift) · Open when the Hovden lift/gondola runs (winter weekends + Thu–Fri; daily in high summer; autumn weekends)
9Lønset ChurchHistory & culture
A white octagonal wooden church from 1863 by Rv70 in Lønset, a protected building that seats about 250.
Lønset village, western Oppdal, on Rv70 · 15 min · All year (exterior); interior at services
Book something local
wildlife
Musk ox safari on Dovrefjell ↗
A guided walk of 8–12 km on Dovrefjell to watch musk oxen at a safe distance, leaving from Grønbakken at 09:30.
Oppdal Safari · Meeting point Grønbakken, Oppdal; walk in Dovrefjell
rafting
Rafting on the Driva in Drivdalen, from a 2.5–3 h family trip to a 6-hour run through Gråura for experienced adults, by an operator active for over 30 years.
Opplev Oppdal · Drivdalen, Oppdal
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