Are Norway's mountain roads open in May, or is it too early for a road trip?
Opening dates on scenic mountain roads and how to plan around them.
Short answer
Some seasonal mountain roads in Norway are open by May, but others, such as Trollstigen and Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, have opened as late as June in previous years. Valdresflye and Sognefjellet have opened by early May. A May trip can work if you plan around roads that are open all year and check the Statens vegvesen traffic map every day.
Why
- Trollstigen has opened between 29 April and 12 June in previous years, and the road from Langvatnet to Geiranger between 27 April and 17 June.
- Gamle Strynefjellsvegen between Grotli and Videsæter has previously opened between 15 May and 29 June.
- Valdresflye has opened between 22 March and 5 April and Sognefjellet between 12 April and 1 May, according to Nasjonale turistveger.
Details
Visit Norway says Trollstigen is usually open from mid-May to October or November, and that the road can close at short notice because of heavy rain. Even after opening, these mountain roads may be closed for a period at night and in bad weather. Ørnevegen, the road that leads to Geiranger, is open all year.
Tip
Build the trip around roads that are open all year and treat the seasonal mountain roads as optional detours, checking their status on the traffic map the day before and the same morning.
What may differ
Opening dates depend on the amount of snow each year, so the dates above come from previous seasons and are not fixed.
People also ask
- When do Norway's mountain roads open in spring?
- Is May too early for a road trip in Norway?
Sources
- Visit Norway: When is Trollstigen open?Checked at:
- Norwegian Scenic Routes: Geiranger and TrollstigenChecked at:
- Norwegian Scenic Routes: Gamle StrynefjellsvegenChecked at:
- Norwegian Scenic Routes: ValdresflyeChecked at:
- Norwegian Scenic Routes: SognefjelletChecked at:
This answer is for reference only. Opening dates change every year, so check Statens vegvesen before you travel.
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