
Snøhetta in the winter. The highest mountain in Dovrefjell
'Dovrefjell' is a mountain range in central
Norway that forms a natural barrier between the southern regions of Norway and the area around
Trondheim. As a result, it has been heavily trafficked during and probably preceding historical times. Several mountain inns were established in the middle ages to house pilgrims traveling to Trondheim, and there are even ruins of an old
leprosy colony in the northern area.
The main south-north highway (
E6) and railway
Dovrebanen in Norway runs over Dovrefjell. The highway is a year-round highway but is at rare occasions closed for short periods during heavy winter weather conditions.
The natural habitat for many rare plants and animals, it has become a national park in several stages starting in
1911, when some plants were put under protection. When the railroad was built from
Oslo to
Trondheim in
1921, one of the marshes was reserved. In
1974, parts of the range became a
national park and the park was extensively enlarged in
2002. Together with
Rondane it has Norway and Europe's last stock of wild
reindeer of
Beringia orign. Dovrefjell (west of
E6/
Dovrebanen) also has a stock of
musk oxen, imported from Greenland in 1932.
The Dovrefjell area has now been almost entirely protected as two national parks:
★
Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park, founded
2002, which encompasses the previous and much smaller Dovrefjell National Park.
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Dovre National Park, founded
2003, connecting the protected areas in the
Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park with
Rondane National Park.
The highest mountain in the region is
Snøhetta at 2,286 meters above sea level. The range provides cross-country skiing and hiking opportunities.
External links
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Kongsvoll alpine garden