Hiking the U
Hike and bike on Senja
June 19, 2025
Hiking the U
Hiking the U is a fantastic four-day hike in the mountains north of Lillehammer. The trail winds up through forests and marshland to reach the famous Rondanestien, the Rondane Trail. There you will get beautiful views of the snowy peaks of Rondane and Jotunheimen. The other leg of the U goes through the forest, passing beautiful hidden lakes.
Route
There are two possible starting points. The most beautiful start is right from the guesthouse of our basecamp - can't be better. An alternative starting point is Mageli Camping, from where you can follow the pilgrims' trail until you reach the beginning of the route. The first part of the “U” leads you through beautiful forests into the vast mountain landscape — our backyard. You'll hike to the summit of Rokfjellet, passing through old birch forests, wetlands, and traditional Norwegian summer farms. Gradually, you climb higher above the treeline until you reach the Rondanestien, the Rondane Trail. In the direction of Rondane, you’ll enjoy stunning views of both Rondane and Jotunheimen, continuously walking above 1,000 meters in elevation. From Ringebufjellet, the trail slowly descends again. The route takes you past hidden mountain lakes and lush forest trails, ending at Elstad Camping, where you can catch the bus back.
The other way around? It’s also possible to do the route in the opposite direction and finish at our place.
The downside is that you’ll have fewer views of Rondane and Jotunheimen along the way.
Getting there
To the start:
Tretten is easy to reach by public transport or car. To get to our place, however, you’ll need a car — or you can hike up on your own.
If you’re staying with us, we’re happy to pick you up in Tretten. Public transport tickets are easiest to book via: Entur.
To get the Mageli camping you can take the bus from Tretten to Ringebu.
Returning:
From Elstad camping you can take the bus to Tretten, your own car or wherever the rest of your trip takes you.
Sleeping
There are plenty of beautiful camping spots along the route. In the mountains it can sometimes be quite windy, but in the forests you can always find sheltered spots where you can stand out of the wind.
Along the way, you also pass a few mountain huts. Vetåbua is a hut of the Norwegian Tourist Association (DNT) and is paying. The two huts named Saubua are open and free.
Climate
The trail is suitable for hiking from early June to late September. In May there is often still snow at this altitude and everything is wet and boggy. In October the new snow arrives.
Even during the summer months, temperatures can go below zero at night and it can be quite cold during the day. There is hardly any shelter in the mountains so rainy days are pretty tough. But fortunately, the weather is also often nice with pleasant termperatures and lots of sunshine. Still, you should always be prepared for the weather in the Norwegian mountains. That means good rain gear, a beanie and warm clothes for the evening.
Food and water
It is strongly recommended to bring food for four days. In Vetåbua, the DNT hut, it is possible to buy some food from the pantry, but you need a key to enter the hut. In Tretten there are two supermarkets where you can find everything for a 4-day trek.
Along the way there are plenty of streams with fresh water you can drink without filtering. During the summer months, many sheep and cows run loose in the mountains. Streams coming from the swamp are naturally filtered, and streams higher up from the mountains are also safe. Be careful not to drink standing water.
Goed om te weten
Rondanestien: De volledige Rondanestien is 460 kilometer en vertrekt helemaal uit Oslo. Meer informatie vind je op de website van DNT.
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