Elgå: Southern gateway to Femundsmarka

Elgå is a southern gateway for experiencing Femundsmarka National Park. The Besøkssenter Nasjonalpark – Femundsmarka og Gutulia is located in the village. The specific points of interest here are useful when choosing your destination: a discovery trail leads from the visitor centre’s outdoor area down to the landing stage and the Fæmund II. At the park entrance between the centre and the landing stage, there are benches and useful information about the national park.

Finding your way at the park entrance

The park entrance provides a clear reference point for visiting Femundsmarka: the visitor centre, landing stage and information are all located together here. The discovery trail connects the visitor centre with the shore and the Fæmund II. This makes getting your bearings before setting off and seeing the possible routes into the park part of what defines Elgå as a southern gateway.

The outdoor facilities may be seasonal; take this possibility into account when planning your visit. The benches at the park entrance offer a place to take a break, while the information provided focuses on the national park.

DNT trail and Fæmund II

The DNT trail to Svukuriset begins at the southern park entrance in Elgå. The DNT cabin there is 8 kilometres away on foot or 10 kilometres by bicycle. The distances differ depending on how you travel and can help you assess the route according to your own plans.

Elgå is also an important point of reference on the water: the historic MS Fæmund II carries passengers and equipment between Synnervika in the north and Elgå in the south. Along the way, the boat stops at several places from which passengers can reach different parts of Femundsmarka National Park. In the summer months, the Fæmund II sails on Lake Femunden, Norway’s second-largest lake. If you are planning to take the boat, check departure times and stops before your trip.

Exhibition and local history

The exhibition at Besøkssenter Nasjonalpark – Femundsmarka og Gutulia covers local history, South Sámi reindeer herding and wildlife. It brings together different aspects of the region: human history, a living cultural tradition and nature. Elgå kirke also adds a specific historical point of interest to the village. It was completed in 1946; the altarpiece comes from the old church.

Engerdal and the wider context of Femundsmarka

The wider destination of Engerdal has a varied landscape, consisting mainly of mountain plateaus, lakes, rivers and forests. Most of the wilderness lies between 600 and 800 metres above sea level. Femundsmarka National Park stretches between Lake Femunden and the Swedish border, in the municipalities of Røros and Engerdal. This regional context adds to the picture of Elgå without reducing the landscape of the entire area to a single place.

Femundsmarka National Park has countless kilometres of marked hiking trails. Visitors can also follow animal tracks or watercourses. Canoeing or packrafting is possible on quiet lakes and meandering rivers. The wider destination of Engerdal thus offers more nature and outdoor activities beyond the specific points of interest in Elgå, which may also factor into your choice of destination.

Discover more destinations: Drevsjø, Engerdal, Sømådalen.

Go to the main travel overview: Engerdal.