Rondane road trip stop: our short autumn waterfall walk
Rondane gave us a completely different side of Norway: wide open scenery, autumn colours and a waterfall walk that fitted into the day without taking it over. We didn't do the long loop. We took a shorter route, and I'd want the exact trailhead pinned before sending you off to copy it.
After the fjords and the mountain roads around Åndalsnes, the scenery around Rondane felt completely different. We had wide, open views and autumn colours, with the small buildings standing out against the landscape. It was one of the parts of the drive where I kept wanting to stop for photos.
A very different side of Norway
We travelled through this area between Dombås and Otta. This is our experience of a shorter stop on that road trip, rather than a guide to every hike in Rondane National Park.
We chose a shorter waterfall walk
We didn't do the long loop. We took a shorter walk to a waterfall, which left room for the onward journey and the rest of the day. Our photographs show the rocky landscape and autumn colours around it.
I haven't included turn-by-turn directions for that walk because the exact trailhead in our trip notes still needs confirming. Use a current, named route from local visitor information for your own walk, with a clear start point, distance and return plan. Please don't navigate from a photograph or a guessed waterfall name.
Autumn colour was the reason to slow down
The landscape was the highlight for me. It was a lovely contrast to the fjord villages and made the inland return feel like another part of the trip, rather than just the drive back to Oslo. Our September photos capture that particular visit, not a guarantee of peak colour on the same dates every year.
Leave room to stop where it is safe and permitted. A narrow road or an attractive view isn't automatically a parking place. Sometimes the right decision is to keep going to a signed stopping area and enjoy the view from there.
Prepare before you lose reception
Signal was limited during this part of our trip, so download the map and route information before you need them. Know where you are starting, how you will get back and what the weather is expected to do. Take warm layers and waterproofs even for a shorter outing.
If you can't identify the intended trail confidently, choose a clearly signed alternative. There is no need to force an uncertain walk just to recreate somebody else's road trip. The scenery was worth being there for on its own.
Our overnight stops on either side
Dombås stood out for its campsite facilities before this part of the route. Later, we stayed beside the river in Otta. They gave us useful overnight areas on either side of the scenery we wanted to enjoy.
For a campervan trip, I would choose the night's stop around the amount of walking and driving you actually want to do. Keep the longer hikes for a day with enough time and current route information, rather than adding them to an already full transfer day.
Plan the rest of your Norway trip
Get our Norway Fjords guide for the web guide, downloadable PDF, place map and editable itinerary. Read these next:
Watch our Norway road trip
Watch our Norway road trip on YouTube, 68m46s. It is also our latest public full-length upload at publication. Visit Ellen’s YouTube channel.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a complete Rondane hiking guide?
No. It covers our shorter autumn road-trip stop and the scenery we enjoyed.
Can I follow your exact waterfall route?
The trailhead still needs confirming in our records. Use a current, clearly named local route rather than guessed directions.
