On our first night’s camp north of the arctic circle, we stayed at a gorgeous campground called Rago Camping Øyra. We didn’t know it when we pulled in to the campsite, but upon reading the bulletin board at the registration office, we found out that Rago referred to the nearby Rago National Park. The bulletin board also highlighted a number of hikes in the national park, all of which looked amazing … especially the Litlverivassforsen hike. The following morning we woke up extra early so we could fit in the eight mile out and back hike to Litlverivassforsen before driving further north that afternoon.
Here’s a gallery of photos taken on our hike in the Rago National Park … enjoy!
The initial stretch of our hike ascended steeply above our previous night's campsite, which sat on the banks of the Nordfjordelva
After approximately 1,200 feet of elevation gain, the trail flattened out on a swampy shelf perched above the Storskogelva Valley.
A series of boardwalks spanned the swampiest sections of the trail, which followed along the shelf for a couple of miles
Occasionally, the trail would meander close to the cliffs that fell steeply into the Storskogelva Valley, teasing us with spectacular views across the valley
Slowly, the terrain on the swampy shelf became much rockier
Finally, the trail broke free of the bushes and trees which obscured our views and revealed the river valley below
Such a beautiful day for a hike!!
Angela approaching the final destination of our hike, Litlverivatnet Lake. This photo also gives a good picture of the swampy shelf that the trail followed for the majority of the hike.
Litlvervassforsen Falls drops over 800 feet from Litlverivatnet Lake into the Storskogelva Valley. Truly spectacular!!
A suspension bridge crosses over the top of the falls and the trail continues deeper into the Rago National Park
The waters of the Litlverivatnet were crystal clear ... and freezing cold!
No ... no matter how calm and beautiful the lake waters looked, we weren't even remotely tempted to go for a swim. Sooo cold!
But, so peaceful and beautiful
From above the suspension bridge, looking back at the trail we hiked in on
Angela crossing the bridge
The view back down the Storskogelva Valley
And yes my first thought, even with the knowledge of you both being inside the artic circle, is why didn’t you go for a swim. It looks fabulously clear and pristine. Bye the bye, all looks fabulous.
Though it was late summer at the time we went for the hike, it was a bit too frigid for us sensitive Californians to take a dip in Norwegian ice water. 🥶 We had waded into the fjord next to our campsite earlier and learned our lesson with numbed and aching feet!
So are you in Norway ????
Yep, that hike is about 80 miles north of the arctic circle in Norway! The landscape just kept getting more spectacular as we traveled towards the coast.