Borgefjell National Park

Borgefjell, called Byrkije in South Sami, became Norway's second national park in 1963 and covers about 1,447 square kilometres between Nordland and Trondelag. What distinguishes it is a deliberate policy of non-development: there are essentially no marked trails, no bridges and no tourist cabins inside the boundary, a decision taken to keep the area genuinely wild. Walkers navigate by map and compass across open plateau, glacier remnants, lakes and river systems. The area is important Sami reindeer herding land and holds one of the healthiest arctic fox populations in Norway along with breeding rough-legged buzzards and gyrfalcons. Rivers here are unregulated and can rise fast, which is the main practical hazard.

History

The Sami have kept reindeer in Børgefjell for at least 500 years and controlled the land until the beginning of the 20th century, and their settlements and hunting stations survive in and around the park. The first farms appeared at the end of the 1700s, and the park was established in 1963 and enlarged in 1973 and 2003 (Wikipedia, Børgefjell National Park).

What you'll find

• The unmarked wilderness - no trails, bridges or tourist cabins.
• The plateau and glaciers - open high ground with small remaining ice.
• The arctic fox - one of Norway's better populations in the park.
• The reindeer herding - active Sami use of the land throughout.

When to go

July to September, after the rivers have dropped from snowmelt and before the autumn storms; the window is short and weather-dependent. Calving and herding periods bring restrictions in some areas in spring.

Things to know

This park demands real navigation and river-crossing skills, and there is no infrastructure to fall back on. Phone coverage is largely absent and rescue is slow. Unbridged rivers are the most common cause of trouble here, and they rise quickly after rain.

Nearby

Trofors and the Helgeland E6 corridor lie west; the Swedish border runs along the eastern side.

Key facts