Høvringen: Mountain Trails, Culture and Winter Experiences

Høvringen combines mountain scenery with trails that bring together nature and local history. The village lies in the north of Gudbrandsdalen, on the western side of Rondane National Park. When planning your holiday, you can choose between hiking, cross-country skiing, and learning about the history of the summer-farm village—depending on which experiences you want to shape your trip.

The Culture Trail: Viewpoints and Local History

A distinctive way to explore Høvringen is the marked Høvringen Culture Trail. The trail is about 6 km long, loops around the centre, and starts at Høvringen Landhandleri. Along the way, it passes viewpoints and valleys; destinations also include the natural feature Høvringsporten. The trail also offers insights into the village’s history and culture. This way, one hike brings together scenic views and local history, without requiring you to choose just one.

If you enjoy walking, Høvringen has many well-marked hiking trails through mostly gentle terrain. The steepest peaks are specifically excluded. This lets you choose between trails in gentler terrain and more challenging summit destinations. The Culture Trail adds a marked circular route with a cultural-historical focus and an approximate length of 6 km.

Cross-Country Skiing and Mountain Ski Terrain

In winter, Høvringen is defined by 150 km of groomed cross-country ski trails in the high mountains. If cross-country skiing is your main plan for your stay, this extensive network is an important factor when choosing where to spend your holiday. In and near Høvringen, there is also mountain ski terrain in the Rondane area, including both gentle plateaus and more challenging summit tours. The varied terrain gives you the opportunity to plan your winter activities around the kind of tour you prefer.

Høvringen Ski School offers private and group lessons on its practice slope. The lessons are for children, beginners, and people with some experience. If you want to include ski lessons in your trip, you can consider this alongside the cross-country trails and mountain ski terrain when deciding on Høvringen.

Water and Historical Traces

The mountain lakes and rivers are another possibility for a holiday experience: canoes can be rented at Rondeheim, the Norwegian Mountain School. This adds an activity on the water to the options of hiking and winter sports.

Høvringen’s history extends beyond its present-day role as a holiday destination. Around 1900, with at least 35 summer farms, it was one of the largest summer-farm villages. Høvringen Fjellstue is also connected to this tradition: it traces its origins to Ulsvoldseter, where guests were welcomed in summer alongside the usual summer-farm operations in the late 19th century. This history makes the connection between mountain farming and early guest accommodation a distinctive part of the village’s story.

Getting There and Nearby Places

Høvringen is clearly signposted from the E6 at the exit north of Otta. For cyclists, a new cycle path connects Høvringen with Skogsætrin. The route then continues on county roads through Dovre to the Tour de Dovre near Grimsdalen. You can plan your journey and route according to whether you are travelling by car or bicycle.

For more travel-planning inspiration, you can also explore the pages for Otta, Sel, Heidal and Mysusæter.

Back to the main travel overview: Sel.