The Right to Roam – joys and duties
Just think how lucky we are: The right to roam is a common good that is free to everyone and gives you the right to travel in uncultivated land, regardless of who owns it. For a long time, people in Norway have had the right to travel in forests and fields, along rivers, on lakes, along the coastline and in the mountains. As long as you show consideration and don’t leave any waste behind, the right to roam allows you to travel freely in nature.
The main principles of the right to roam are legally established in the Outdoor Recreation Act of 1957. A basic rule for everyone who exercises the right to roam is: Leave nature the way you would like to find it yourself!
Drones
Section 3, paragraph 7.3 of the Conservation Regulations state that the use of drones in the national park and in the protected landscape is prohibited.
The Right to Roam. Visitors are free to walk and ski wherever they want. Feel free to follow the waymarked/signposted trails or the staked ski trails in the national park. Visitors are permitted to ride horses and bikes on trails and roads. You are allowed to pitch your tent wherever you want, as long as you are at least 150 meters away from inhabited houses or cabins. Remember to tidy your campsite when you leave! You are allowed to pick berries, mushrooms and common flowers, but do not pick endangered and protected species such as orchids.
Cairns are waymarks that help you follow the trail, especially on days with poor visibility. Do not build new cairns when you stop for a break, as this could lead people off-course. It is also important that you don’t remove stones from old cairns. Some of them are cultural monuments.
Motorized travel. Typically, using motorized transport in the national park is prohibited, this also applies to electric bikes.
Cultural monuments such as old homesteads and pitfall traps are protected sites, so don’t move stones from old walls.
Keep Jotunheimen clean.Make sure you clean up after yourself and take your garbage with you when traveling in Jotunheimen.
Visitors are permitted to light a campfire between 15 September and 15 April, and throughout the rest of the year in places where there is no risk of causing wildfires. Be aware of local restrictions. Show consideration when finding firewood.
Hunting and fishing. .Visitors may hunt and fish in the national park as in other mountainous areas. Remember to buy a hunting/fishing license. Fishing with a fishing rod is free for children/young people under the age of 16. Using live fish as bait is prohibited. Visitors are also prohibited from taking live fish or wet fishing gear from one watercourse to another.
Dogs in the national park. Visitors are welcome to take their dogs on a trip. All dogs must be kept on a leash between 1 April and 1 October/ 1 November. You are obligated to show consideration regarding wild animals, grazing animals and other visitors all year round. The reindeer are especially vulnerable in the period directly after Christmas and during the spring.
Regulations concerning keeping your dog on a leash also apply to small dogs and dogs that are trained not to chase sheep. Remember that there are species of birds here that build their nests on the ground.
Clothing and equipment. The weather in the mountains can change very quickly, during both the summer and winter months. It is not unusual to experience low temperatures and thick fog during the summer. During the winter, visitors might experience sun and great visibility, or cold winds and dense snow drifts. You are responsible for assessing the weather and conditions, and your own physical ability and skills. You must also be prepared with appropriate clothing and equipment before setting off on a trip. Hiking in the mountains can be challenging. Going on a trip with a mountain guide provides safety and useful advice.