Once I left Kystriksveien, I drove straight through Trondheim and continued south, planning to stop for the night when I saw an area that I wanted to explore further. I settled in at Granmo Camping, in the town of Oppdal, had dinner, and jumped online. To my amazement, I had stopped within 20 kilometers of the home of Norway’s only Musk Ox Population. Talk about serendipity!
The next morning I headed to Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella Nasjonalpark and set out on the Musk Ox trail.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that this area of the highlands in central Norway resembled that of the section I had explored further south weeks before, it too displayed the distinct alpine tundra, rolling hills, and vibrant colors.
As I was hiking I overheard whisperings of musk ox sightings and felt a surge of optimism at seeing them with my own eyes. But when I had nearly reached the turnaround point and had yet to spot any my optimism sank. Hungry, I found a spot with an exceptional view to have some lunch and settled in. When I looked up, to my complete amazement, I saw two lying in the valley just below me. How had I not seen them earlier? I felt gitty at my luck.
I bundled up into more layers as the rain began and the wind picked up. I was completely mesmerized by their slow, intentional movements. I watched as one stood up and then laid back down. Then the second one stood up, turned around, and laid back down. They seemed to take turns in their movements, the other keeping a lookout. Eventually one got up and slowly walked out of view. Then the other followed suit. I packed up my belongings and began the return journey after a full hour of observation.
Almost immediately the clouds started to thicken around me and the visibility became zero. As I passed hikers on their journey I realized how lucky I had been. There was no way any Musk Ox would be spotted until the weather cleared. And the ones I had seen had slipped out of view altogether. I felt inspired to count my lucky stars, yet again on my journey!
Lessons from: Musk Ox of Norway
- Musk Ox also live in Alaska, Greenland, and Northern Canada. Their name is derived from the strong odor the males emit during the seasonal rut.
- Gudbrandsdalsleden, the longest pilgrim path in Norway at 643 kilometers, runs through Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella Nasjonalpark. The path stretches from Oslo to Trondheim and was the main road to Nidaros, today’s Trondheim, during the Middle Ages. It would be an exceptional scenic pilgrimage to take and one I hope to do someday!
- There are many trail options to view the Musk Ox ranging from 4.5 km to 15 km in length. Check out this website for detailed info.
- There are a few different areas to park to access the trails. I parked at Kongsvoll Stasjon, which was free. Check out this website for all parking options.
Something interesting: The Kongsvold Mountain Lodge
Just across the road from the Kongsvoll Stasjon parking area, I noticed a beautiful assortment of vibrant, old buildings. After the hike, I wandered through and learned that this site was that of the Kongsvold Mountain Lodge.
Originally, the lodge was named “Hullet” (The Hole), but was renamed in 1704 by King Frederick IV to Kongsvold (King’s Hill).
In December of 1918, all the buildings were burnt to the ground by Norwegian Soldiers during the Great Nordic War in an attempt to slow the advances of the Swedish army. As a result, the oldest remaining buildings of Kongsvold are from 1720.
It is a very interesting area to walk through when visiting the park. And the lodge is still open and welcoming guests!
A look behind the curtain.
Admittedly, I set out on the Musk Ox hike in a bit of a funk yet again. Perhaps funk is too strong a word; I was tired. After nearly 4.5 weeks on the road, moving and exploring every single day, my body was wearing down. It seemed to color my thoughts with impatience and irritability. I did not like it. I wished I could snap out of it. What a waste to feel that way in such a majestic place, yet the reality was that my exhaustion was warranted. I was learning that I would have benefited from having rest days baked in along the way.
I quickly snapped out of it when I saw the Musk Ox. As I was walking back, feeling immensely fortunate, I also felt that I was undeserving. Why should a grump receive such a great reward? I felt humbled. This was another gift from Norway.
She Simply Wanders 
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