Storjord: Nature, Sámi Culture and Art

Nature, art and Sámi culture come together in Storjord. The Nordland National Park Centre is a learning and visitor centre, as well as a southern starting point for hikes in Junkerdal National Park. If you’re looking for a suitable base for your holiday, you can balance days spent exploring exhibitions and culture with time on hiking trails or the cycle path through Saltdalen.

Nature and culture at the national park centre

The exhibition at Besøkssenter nasjonalpark Nordland focuses on five national parks: Rago, Láhko, Junkerdal, Sjunkhatten and Saltfjellet–Svartisen. The centre also shares knowledge about protected areas, nature, art, and Norwegian and Sámi culture in Nordland. The grounds include a reconstructed Sámi settlement with two traditional huts that visitors can enter. A workshop for 12 to 15 visitors offers activities related to art and nature for children and adults.

At the activity courtyard, learning stations with hands-on tasks introduce the centre’s subject areas, with a fire pit in the middle. The grounds also include a disc golf course and a climbing facility, or climbing jungle. This makes it possible to combine visits to the centre with a range of activities, so the day doesn’t have to consist solely of exhibitions.

Discover art and history

The Adde Zetterquist Gallery opened in June 2013 as an exhibition venue for the visual art of Per Adde (1926–2020) and Kajsa Zetterquist (born 1936). It also showcases their commitment to nature conservation, Sámi rights and arts policy. A guest gallery complements the programme with four to six changing exhibitions each year. Guided tours are available at both the gallery and Besøkssenter nasjonalpark Nordland.

Another glimpse into the area’s history can be found at Skogvoktergården. It was the first residence built in Norway by the state-run Norwegian Forestry Administration for its employees. The nature trail also leads there, connecting this stop with natural and cultural history: along the route are a kettle hole from the last Ice Age and an old animal trapping system that bears witness to earlier hunting methods. At an old tar kiln, visitors can learn how tar was extracted from pine trunks. At Klengstua, cones were dried and processed for seed production.

Hiking trails, rivers and forest

The nature trail passes through the Storjord Arboretum, where visitors can discover around 30 tree species from Norway and abroad. The route from Saltdal Turistsenter to Skogvoktergården is described as easy and suitable for a walk with a pram, although there may be some uphill sections along the way. You can take this specific route into account when planning your day.

Longer hikes are also an option in Storjord. The hike up Solvågtind starts at the Nordland National Park Centre or at the car park north of the Junkerdalselva. Several hiking trails cross the Junkerdalselva and Lønselva over airy suspension bridges. The cycle path starts in Storjord and runs through Saltdalen along the Saltdalselva, also known as “Dronninga i nord”.

In the Junkerdalsura Nature Reserve near Storjord is Storjordfjellkoia, an open shelter. Built in the early 19th century, it formerly served as a forest hut. From the centres in Storjord, access is via a suspension bridge over the Junkerdalselva, followed by a signposted cart track to the hut. Planning this route lets you combine a visit to the former forest hut with a hike.

Which base is right for your holiday?

If you’re looking for a holiday apartment as a base for a holiday with culture and activities, consider Storjord.

Other places: Rokland, Rognan.

Return to the main travel overview: Saltdal.