The jaunt up the Trollstigen road reveals a masterpiece in engineering, but the spellbinding nature is even more impressive. Trollstigen is surrounded by colossal mountains such as Bispen (The Bishop) (1,462 m), Kongen (The King) (1,614 m), and Dronninga (The Queen) (1,544 m) to the west, and Stigbottshornet (1,583 m) and Storgrovfjellet (1,629 m) in the east. These mountains makes you feel tiny and you get a tingling sensation looking down at the valley floor.
Historically speaking, Trollstigen is an old mountain pass between Åndalsnes, at the bottom of Romsdalen, and Valldal in inner Sunnmøre. An important reason for building a road across the Stegafjellet mountain was a large annual market at the farm Devoll, but it was only when the road opened in 1936 that Trollstigen became a popular tourist attraction.
The names of the bends
Each bend on the Trollstigen road has its own name, often named after the foreman of the construction team that built it. It is the skilled craftsmanship along the steep mountainside that allows us to drive cars on this road today. In some places, the road is cut into the mountain rock, in others it’s supported by stone walls. One of the road’s bends is unique, namely Nikkasvingen – Nikka’s Bend. Nikka was a former cook for Trollstigen road’s construction workers. In 2020, she was the first woman to have a Trollstigen bend named after her.
Opening hours
The Trollstigen road is normally open from mid-May until the first snowfall in autumn. Driving the road is free of charge. See opening hours and statistics relating to closures and openings here: Mountain road winter closures
You can drive, cycle or walk to the Trollstigen plateau
It’s fifteen kilometres from Soggebru in Romsdalen to the Trollstigen plateau. During the high season, around two thousand vehicles travel past the Trollstigen plateau. In other words, every ten seconds a car, bus or motorbike passes this popular lookout point, filled with visitors eager to enjoy the view.
It's not only motor vehicles you meet on your journey on Trollstigen road. More and more people choose to cycle this stretch of road. If you choose to cycle the Trollstigen road, we recommend you avoid the busiest times, such as the month of July. In Åndalsnes, you can rent an electric bike or sign up for an electric-bike guided tour.
If you want to walk up Trollstigen, you can follow the old path Kløvstien. The path has been restored and is a popular and exhilarating walking trail for those wanting to experience Trollstigen on foot. Thewalk is five kilometres and it takes about three hours to walk up to Trollstigen from the car park in Isterdalen valley. On foot or by bike, you can really feel the elements of nature as you make your way through the mists of Stigefossen waterfall on your way up to the lookout point.
World-class architecture in harmony with nature
There are two architect-designed viewpoints on the Trollstigen plateau, with wonderful views of the landscape, and a visitor centre with a cafe, souvenir shop with local handicrafts, toilets, parking, beautiful reflection pools, as well as bridges and paths to viewing platforms. Everything is designed by the architectural firm Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter. The architecture is made of steel and glass and provides good shelter from the elements. The structure has been designed to blend with its surroundings, with parts carved into the rock and other parts supported by stone walls.
One of the most iconic scenic routes in Norway
Trollstigen is one of the most iconic scenic routes in Norway. The Norwegian Scenic Route Geiranger-Trollstigen runs between Soggebru Camping in Romsdalen and Langvatnet lake in Geiranger. The scenic route cuts through Western Norway’s most awesome scenery andascends to an altitude of 852 metres above sea level. A dizzying view of steep mountainsides, towering waterfalls, deep fjords and lush valleys makes this stretch of road one of Norway's most dramatic and well-visited attractions.
The Norwegian Scenic Route between Geiranger and the bottom of Romsdalen valley is 106 kilometres, and there’s a lot to look forward to on the way. We recommend allowing plenty of time for the journey, leaving time to stop at viewpoints such as Gudbrandsjuvet gorge and Ørnesvingene. Enjoy the sights of towering mountains, lush valleys, waterfalls and gorges, or pack your walking boots and enjoy an incredible mountain hike on the way.