Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen National Park (1980): Northern Europe'S Highest Mountains, With Galdhopiggen (About 2,469 M) And The Besseggen Ridge · Vaga, Innlandet
Jotunheimen, the Home of the Giants, is the high-mountain heart of southern Norway, spread across Innlandet and Vestland between Lom, Vaga and the inner Sognefjord. It holds Northern Europe's highest peaks, led by Galdhopiggen at about 2,469 m with Glittertind close behind, and a crowd of summits over 2,000 m, much of it protected as Jotunheimen National Park since 1980. People come for Besseggen, the ridge walk above the green glacial lake Gjende that is often called Norway's best-known day hike, for the guided glacier walk to the top of Galdhopiggen, and for two high summer roads, Sognefjellet and Valdresflye, that show glaciers and snowfields from the car window. A network of mountain huts, some run by the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) and some privately, makes hut-to-hut walking easy without carrying a tent. The honest caveats: this is real alpine terrain with fast-changing weather, the season for most visitors is short (roughly late June to mid September), and Besseggen on a fine July Saturday is a busy procession rather than a wilderness.
Jotunheimen mountains; Gjendesheim at the east end of Lake Gjende (Besseggen), and Juvasshytta below Galdhopiggen, reached from Lom, Vaga, Innlandet, Norway
Open mountain terrain with no gates or entry fees, all year. The practical season is roughly mid June to mid September: the Gjende boat runs from about mid June to mid or late September, the Juvasshytta road and guided Galdhopiggen tours run roughly late June to early September, and the Sognefjellet (Fv55) and Valdresflye (Fv51) roads close in winter, usually opening around May or June and closing around October or November - confirm with the road authority before you drive. Reach Gjendesheim by car via Fagernes or Otta, or by summer bus; Lom is the base for the northwest side. Book the Gjende boat, hut beds and glacier tours ahead for July.