Nærøyfjord Rim Trail

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Overview

Nærøyfjord Rim Trail: Rimstigen Above the Fjord

Published 17 July 2025 Updated 5 June 2026

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HikeList Score

Nærøyfjord Rim Trail scored 80/100 on HikeList's trail-quality metrics.

Very Good

See score breakdownHide breakdown

Ideal length 55
Balanced challenge 74
Scenery & wildness 98
Varied terrain 89
Accommodation 75
Food & support 81
Path quality 98
Season flexibility 76

Computed from length, challenge, scenery & wildness, terrain variety, accommodation, food & support, path quality and season flexibility.

The Nærøyfjord Rim Trail is the steep Rimstigen day hike above the west side of the Nærøyfjord near Bakka, Aurland, in Norway. Treat the listed 14 km as the Gudvangen-based round trip; the core Rimstigen climb from the trailhead is about 6 km return. It is a hard out-and-back, gaining sharply to a 725 m viewpoint, and suits confident hikers comfortable on narrow, rocky, slippery mountain paths rather than anyone seeking an easy fjord walk.

Route Overview

Rimstigen starts and finishes at the trailhead near Kvernaviki/Tufto, just up the road from Bakka on the west shore of the Nærøyfjord. There is no public transport to Bakka; access is by car, transfer or guided trip from places such as Gudvangen, Flåm or Voss. The path climbs beside the Tufteelvi waterfall, zigzags up the historic Rimstigen staircase, passes from birch forest into open mountain, and tops out at the Rimstigen viewpoint beside Rimstigbotnen before returning the same way. This is not a Bakka-to-Gudvangen rim traverse. For other Norwegian hiking styles, compare the Aurlandsdalen Valley Trail, Besseggen Ridge or the Hardangervidda Traverse.

Rimstigen: A Farm Path to the High Pastures

Rimstigen was a working mountain-farming path before it became a viewpoint hike. Farmers from Bakka used the route to move livestock from the fjord farms up to high summer pastures, known in Norway as seter. The stone-laid zigzags on the steep hillside are part of that practical heritage. The wider Nærøyfjord landscape is now part of the West Norwegian Fjords UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised since 2005 as an archetypal fjord landscape.

Notable highlights

Rimstigen viewpoint (about 725 m): The climb ends above the fjord with a near-vertical view down onto the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord and across to the mountains opposite.
Historic farmers’ path: Rimstigen was used by Bakka farmers to drive animals to high summer pastures; the stone steps and tight zigzags make that history visible underfoot.
Tufteelvi waterfall: The route climbs the steep south side of the Tufteelvi river as it drops towards the fjord, adding noise, spray and exposure to the ascent.
Rimstigbotnen hanging valley: The viewpoint sits beside this high valley above the water, a clear glacial fjord landform.
Nærøyfjord UNESCO landscape: The Nærøyfjord is about 17 km long, narrows to roughly 250 m, and is walled by mountains rising to about 1,761 m.

Challenges to expect

Expect a relentless climb: about 700 m is gained in under 3 km on the core Rimstigen path, while the 14 km Gudvangen variant records about 1,250 m ascent. The route is narrow, rocky, muddy after rain and slippery on stone steps. Avoid spring, fog, thunderstorms and heavy-rain periods because of avalanche, landslide and slip risk. There are no huts, shops or resupply on the path.

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Ranked #513 of 974

See the Top 100 →