Dovre: Pilgrim Trails, Hiking and Crafts

Explore Dovre through several distinct themes: railway history, Dovre kirke, pilgrim and royal routes, and craft courses. When choosing a hotel in Dovre, you can decide whether you want to focus your stay primarily on hiking, history or crafts.

Trails and Local History in Dovre

Dovre railway station opened in 1913. Dovre kirke also connects local history with the trails: it is clad in large slate slabs and is located on the Gudbrandsdalsleden. In Dovre’s old settlement area, its cemetery is known for numerous distinctive, locally made grave monuments.

In the Middle Ages, the Gudbrandsdalsleden was the main route to Trondheim and Nidaros Cathedral. The Kongevegen begins at Dovre kirke in the centre and can be followed from there as a day hike in the footsteps of kings. From Dovre, the Pilegrimsleden follows the same route as the Kongevegen—a shared trail connection for the pilgrim and royal routes.

Hike de Dovre begins at Toftemo Turiststasjon in Dovre and follows the Pilegrimsleden and the old Kongevegen across Dovrefjell. Its daily stages can be combined with musk ox safaris; specific providers and availability may vary. This offers two distinct reference points for planning a hike: the Kongevegen as a day hike from the church, and Hike de Dovre with its daily stages.

Crafts and Getting Around the Village

Hjerleid offers practical weekend and week-long courses in a range of crafts and techniques throughout the year. The courses therefore also differ in duration: you can find out about weekend or week-long courses. For getting around the centre, Jetta Kafeteria is on the pilgrim trail, right next to Coop Prix Dovre.

Nature and Destinations in Dovre Municipality

There are striking natural landscapes in Dovre Municipality beyond the village of the same name. The northern part of Rondane National Park in Dovre includes the peaks Høgronden and Digerronden. The high-mountain landscape, shaped by the Ice Age, features wide expanses, deep valleys and jagged ridgelines. Dovre National Park lies between the E6 highway across Dovrefjell and Grimsdalen; its landscape is characterised by broad plateaus and rounded peaks. It is also home to some of Norway’s southernmost palsa bogs with permafrost. Part of Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park is also within Dovre Municipality. Grimsdalen is one of Norway’s longest summer-farm valleys.

Wild reindeer live in the Snøhetta wild reindeer area; wolverines and Arctic foxes are also found in Dovre Municipality. Fokstumyra Nature Reserve is a Ramsar wetland, protected for its importance to migratory and breeding birds. Fokstumyra Nature Reserve has a constructed trail and a birdwatching tower; seasonal access restrictions apply during the breeding season.

In Hjerkinn, in Dovre Municipality, stands Eysteinkyrkja, built in 1969 with a fan-shaped floor plan. Named after King Eystein, it serves as a pilgrim church on the route across Dovrefjell, partly as a parish church and as a meeting place for the three administrative districts that meet in Hjerkinn. The Besøkssenter villrein in Hjerkinn offers an exhibition about wild reindeer, reconstructed trapping facilities and a replica of a shelter for travellers crossing Dovrefjell; visitor services and seasonal access may vary. A trail also begins in Hjerkinn, just outside the Norsk Villreinsenter building. It offers insights into trapping and travel in earlier times.

Discover more destinations: Dombås, Dovreskogen, Hjerkinn.

Go to the main travel overview: Dovre.