Discover Storsteinnes

Storsteinnes combines a varied cultural offering with opportunities for hiking and leisure activities. In the village, a museum and a traditional garden tell the story of the landscape and how it has been used; nearby, a cultural trail leads to rock carvings whose history spans more than 6,000 years. There is also the hike up Balsokken and the sports facilities at Moan. When choosing where to stay, you can decide whether cultural history, activity or relaxation should be the focus of your trip.

Museum and garden: nature, history and plants

The Balsfjord Fjord Museum/Wetland Centre in Storsteinnes has a permanent exhibition about the Balsfjord wetland system. The programme is complemented by changing touring exhibitions. One of them, “Tragedien i Vesterisen 1952”, opened in autumn 2022. It tells the story of five seal-hunting ships that were lost in bad weather in the West Ice. The exhibition connects a specific event with the history of the West Ice.

The area around the museum buildings includes the Museum Garden. It is home to old flowering perennials and traditional cultivated plants, including rhubarb, Seiersløk, chives, horseradish and angelica. The garden is open to visitors free of charge during the growing season, including outside the museum’s opening hours. You can therefore plan the garden as a visit in its own right; access is limited to the growing season.

Rock art and cultural trail near Tennes

Nearby, in Tennes, there are four rock-carving sites. They are considered to be the largest collection of rock art in Troms. These cultural traces span a period of more than 6,000 years. A cultural trail runs through the landscape, which people have used and shaped over this long period. This lets you discover the rock art not just as individual images, but also in the context of a landscape used over generations.

The paths to three of the rock-art sites have been designed to be accessible and suitable for people with reduced mobility. There are several benches along the paths and at the sites themselves. If you would like to add this visit to your trip, the path design and seating may be worth considering when planning your outing.

Hiking and sports in Storsteinnes

Balsokken is a popular hiking destination in the centre of the village and offers good views. The route is suitable for many people as an afternoon hike or a short training walk. You can start the hike from Rislamoen or Moan. If you start in Moan, follow Moanveien and Balsokkveien to the car park at the end of Balsokkveien. These starting points give you flexibility when planning, without assuming a particular walking time.

Moan is Storsteinnes’s activity centre. It has a sports hall, an indoor football hall, Moan Bath, an artificial-turf pitch, and a ski and biathlon stadium. The public indoor swimming pool caters to babies, children, adults, families, schools and groups. You can swim, train or play in the swimming pool and therapy pool; there is also a sauna. The pool is used for activities including swimming lessons, school swimming, public swimming, exercise and various health activities. Moan therefore offers different options for days when you want to focus on being active or swimming.

Waterfront area and chapel

The Storsteinnes waterfront area is used for play, relaxation and teaching, and is considered an important local recreational area. It is one of the places where leisure, playing together and learning come together. Storsteinnes Chapel is one of four churches or preaching venues in the municipality where services are held regularly. If you are interested in local and religious culture, it offers a connection to community life alongside the museum and rock art.

More pages about local destinations to help you plan your trip: Laksvatn, Nordkjosbotn, Mortenhals, Meistervik, Balsfjord.

Go to the main travel overview: Balsfjord.