Kavliheian Mountain Pasture – Easy hike with views of Romsdalsfjord and Grøvdalsfjella

Kavliheian Mountain Pasture in Isfjorden is a short and easy hike that’s ideal for families with young children and anyone looking for a gentle outdoor walk. From the trailhead, you are rewarded with lovely views of the Romsdalsfjord and the surrounding fjord landscape in Romsdal. Map to use: Romsdalsfjella Nord 1:50000.

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Drive 2.5 kilometers eastwards from the center of Isfjorden to Øvre Kavli. From Øvre Kavli, at the crossroads where Romsdal Lodge is located, it is around three kilometers to drive to the parking lot at the end of the mountain road (toll road).

Season, guiding and important safety information

SAFETY & RESPONSIBILITY: Follow the Mountain Code when hiking in Norway. Conditions can change from summer and sunshine to winter and frost within minutes. Always be prepared for rapidly changing weather.

Read about your personal responsibility and how to stay safe in Norwegian nature.

BEFORE YOU GO: Weather and conditions are crucial. Always take this into account before setting out. Avoid the hike in bad weather, fog, thunderstorms, snow or icy conditions. Bring appropriate clothing, good hiking shoes, a map and compass, and enough food and water. Always check the weather forecast before you go.

DIFFICULTY: Easy. This is a general assessment based on distance, terrain, elevation gain and exposure.

DURATION: 1–2 hours.

ELEVATION: This hike starts at approximately 440 masl (Parking lot at the end of the mountain road). Highest point at approximately 450 masl (Kavliheian Mountain pasture).

SEASON: June to September. These are approximate months and depend on weather, temperature and snow conditions in the mountains.

SUITABILITY: This is a relatively easy hike suitable for most people with normal physical fitness. The trail is clearly marked and the hike has few or no exposed sections, but be aware that the terrain can be uneven and slippery in wet conditions.

NAVIGATION: We recommend always bringing a map and compass in case of fog.

MOBILE COVERAGE: Mobile coverage is often limited or unstable on many of the hikes described on this website, and in some areas there is no mobile coverage at all. It is recommended to bring an extra power bank for your mobile phone.

LIVESTOCK ON GRAZING LAND: Keep a safe distance from grazing animals, avoid sudden movements and close gates behind you. Dogs must be kept on a leash as required by regulations for much of the year. Read more about how to behave around animals and nature in Norway.

 

The hike to Kavliheian Mountain Pasture in Isfjorden

View towards the Romsdalsfjord from the parking lot below Kavliheian Mountain Pasture.
View towards the Romsdalsfjord from the parking lot below Kavliheian Mountain Pasture.

See map and more detailed tour description to Kavliheian and further to Husnebbu at Romsdal.com. On this hike you pass Kavliheian and continue to Husnebbu.

From the parking lot you have a great view towards Åndalsnes and the Romsdalsfjord. Turn around and you see eastwards towards mountains like Mt Juratind which is one of the most beautiful and majestic.

It is one a kilometer easy hike in flat terrain to the mountain pasture at Kavliheian. This is also a great starting point for more demanding hikes in the Isfjorden mountains.

Summer idyll... Horses grazing at Kavliheian Mountain Pasture in Isfjorden.
Summer idyll… Horses grazing at Kavliheian Mountain Pasture in Isfjorden.

The Traditional Pasture Farming in Norway was inscribed in the UNESCO Heritage list on December 4, 2024. A great example of traditional pasture farming in Norway is exactly the pastures at Kavliheian.

Although the mountain dairies are no longer in operation, both sheep and horses spend the summers at Kavliheian. There they maintain the beautiful cultural landscape around the old mountain dairies, to the delight of all those who visit Kavliheian.

CABIN FOR RENT AT KAVLIHEIAN – There are opportunities to rent The Red Cabin at Kavliheian, it is also available for renting in winter. Then you have to ski from Øvre Kavli or from Skytebana  (the Shooting Range) in Isfjorden. The red cabin is the beautiful cabin shown in the featured photo, with Mt Juratind in the background.

Isfjorden in Romsdal is an eldorado for those who love hiking in the mountains, all year round.
Isfjorden in Romsdal is an eldorado for those who love hiking in the mountains, all year round.

Kavliheian is also a popular goal for cross-country skiers in winter. Usually there are well prepared ski tracks to Kavliheian and further into the valley. You can start your ski trip from the car park at Skytebanen (Shooting range) or from Hellerøra at Stormyra in Isfjorden.

The mountain road that starts at Øvre Kavli is, under normal conditions, plowed up to the parking lot at Hellerøra in winter (Toll road, it is the same road you drive in the summer, but it is only plowed up to the parking lot at Hellerøra in winter).

NOTE – We recommend that you use the services of a certified guide when ski touring in Isfjorden.

NOTE – Always check the Avalanche Forecast in the area you plan to ski before you ski in Norway. At Varsom.no you will also find Avalanche Danger Scale and great information about avalanches and what to consider before you go skiing in the mountains. There may be a risk of avalanche from i.a. Mt Seinberget. The ski tracks that are prepared to Kavliheian run along the foot of Mt Steinberget.

Kavliheian in Isfjorden is also nice in winter.
Kavliheian in Isfjorden is also nice in winter.

Romsdalsfjord – What to See and Do

From snowy mountains to beautiful coastline of islands and reefs. Experience all this in one day due to the short distance from mountains to coast. Trollstigen, Trollveggen and Rampestreken are great places to visit in the inner part of the Romsdalsfjord, where the fjord meets the spectacular and alpine Romsdal mountains. The Romsdalsfjord is located in the county of Møre og Romsdal, north in Western Norway.

Visit NorthWest

Visit NorthWest is the official destination company for Møre og Romsdal, a region known for its spectacular fjords, mountains, coastal scenery and dramatic landscapes, including the Geirangerfjord, Hjørundfjord and the Romsdalsfjord area.

Hotels and accommodation in and near Åndalsnes

The area at and around Åndalsnes in Romsdal has a large selection of hotels and other accommodation options.

Kavliheian Mountain pasture in Isfjorden at the innermost part of the Romsdalsfjord.
Kavliheian Mountain pasture in Isfjorden at the innermost part of the Romsdalsfjord.

Here you will find an overview of recommended hotels and accommodations in Western Norway – FJORDS HOTELS, FJORD SPA and FJORDS LIVING. You will also find an overview of MICHELIN KEY HOTELS in Western Norway – hotels recommended by Michelin.

There are 13 restaurants that have awarded Michelin Stars and Michelin Guide’s Point Of View in Western Norway. Seven of the Michelin restaurants are located in Stavanger, five in Bergen, and one in Bekkjarvik on the coast near the Hardangerfjord. Here you will find an overview of MICHELIN RESTAURANTS in Western Norway.

USEFUL LINKS is an overview of websites with useful information about Norway and the fjords.

Hike to Kavliheian in Isfjorden – Map Overview