What’s the best way to hike Vidden?

It’s common to hike Vidden in both directions, and both routes have different advantages. Here’s a breakdown of both routes so you can choose the option that best suits you or your group. 

Option1: Fløyen to Ulriken 

Best for: beginners, groups checking their fitness level and unpredictable weather

While this route technically has slightly more total elevation gain, it offers much better control and and safety options during the first leg. 

From Fløyen to Rundemanen
This entire first strech up to Rundemanen (568 m) is on a wide and well-maintained gravel road. This is a perfect warm-up to assess your group’s fitness. From the top of Rundemanen you have a view of mountain plateau in the distance. If there’s fog, it’s too wet or windy, or your legs already feel heavy, there’s no shame in turning back. In fact turning back in time, is rule 8 of the Norwegian mountain code (Fjellvettreglene)!. If you want to turn back from Rundemanen, you can either go back the way you came or take Tarlebøveien down to Svartediket. 

Rundemanen to Øvre Jordalsvatnet
From the top of Rundemanen there’s a descent of about 100 metres while you follow Tarlebøveien (Tarlebø road) for approximately 750 metres. This brings you to a fork in the path where you will see a sign pointing towards Ulriken and Vidden. As soon as you turn left here, the trail changes significantly. The gravel road tanstionas to a mountain trail with varying and uneven terrain. From here to the lake Øvre Jordalsvatnet it’s about 1.5 km.

Øvre Jordalsvatnet is a drinking water soruce, so swimming and wading in the water is prohibited. At the southwest end of the lake, you’ll find a little stream that flows down to Tarlebøvatnet. This is the most suitable place to fill water for the rest of the trip across cidden, and it’s a spot that is fequently used for breaks. 

Up Trappefjellet to Borgevardegga (580–637 m.a.s.l.)
The next section of the trail to Vidden, is a steep and often muddy ascent up to Trappefjellet (580 m). If you or anyone in your group experiences vertigo, it’s highly recommended to stick to the middle trail, as the trail on the right has an airy dop down to the lake below. 

From the top of Trappefjellet you continue to Borgevardegga (637 m). Here, the trail becomes less muddy, and inclines gently on more solid mountain ground surrounded by a beautiful and open landscape. 

Borgaskaret 
You continue to follow the line of cairns southward to Borgaskaret, which meets the trail up from Isdalen. Borgaskaret is a relatively steep dip on the trail. When you walk in the direction from Fløyen, you get a gentle decline down to Borgaskaret with a short, steep scramble back to the plateau. Meanwhile when you walk in the direction from Ulriken to Fløyen, you get the steepest section as a descent. If you or anyone in your hiking group is a bit inexperienced in the mountains, this is also a reason why it’s smart to hike Vidden from Fløyen, as it’s usually a bit easier to go up steep sections than down them. 

Hauggjelsvarden to Ulriken
Once part Borgaskaret you continue to Hauggjelsvarden (673 m) which is the highest point on the hike. After Hauggjelsvarden the trail continues on towards Storfjellet and the radio mast on Ulriken becomes increasingly visible in front of you. The trail itself on this last stretch of the hike is clear, but it starts to become slightly more rugged, with small ups and downs here and there. The very last leg to Ulriken has a small ascent. 

When you arrive at Ulriken, you’ve officially completed Vidden and can celebrate with a bite to eat in the restaurant or refreshments in the café. To get back to the city centre you can take Ulriksbanen down, challenge your knees with 1,333 stone steps down Oppstemten or walk via Montana.