When
Mid June - September
Written by
Matthew Tolley
Distance
225km
Days
2-4
High point
1315m
Difficulty
6/10
Unpaved
80%
Total Ascent
4000m
Ferries
(1)
Tunnels
.
The first thing to decide is where to start: Gol or Vinstra? Both starting points involve a similar amount of elevation gain, each kicking off with around 800 meters of climbing. However, starting from Vinstra makes the ascent up the challenging Slettefjellet mountain a bit more manageable compared to tackling it from the Gol side. If you’re booking last minute and relying on train access, Gol might be a better bet for available bike spaces. For this guide, I’ll start in Vinstra, set in the scenic Gudbrandsdalen valley.
The adventure for most will begin at Vinstra Station, where riders cross a pedestrian bridge over the river and head past the E6 highway. From here, the Mjølkevegen route wastes no time, with a climb along the paved Fv243 road toward Fefor. As you rise, the valley spreads out behind you, a view that fades as the road shifts to gravel around the 15km mark, giving way to a forested landscape. Small lakes along the path invite a cool swim, and picnic benches provide perfect spots for a rest.
After the steepest climb, about 16km in, the route begins to gently roll through fields and small villages, peaking at 900m. This is a great area to camp if you’re aiming for a scenic evening stop. The path then descends toward Ruten, where snow-capped peaks appear in the distance. You can find overnight options at Ruten Fjellstue or Dalsetter Fjellhotel, or head to Olstappen Lake for idyllic wild camping right by the water (mosquitoes may be about in peak summer).
Just after Ruten, Mjølkevegen signs direct you along a scenic gravel path that hugs Olstappen Lake. With tranquil views and swimming spots (I was tempted to linger here)! The gravel track then heads uphill on to the famous Jotunheimvegen, a quiet toll road offering stunning plateau views and scattered wood cabins with grass roofs. After 50km of epicness, you finally reach Bygdin mountain cabin, where you can refuel at a café or spend the night in the historic lodge. An alternate route includes a boat ride across Bygdin Lake, though that skips the gorgeous Slettefjell climb, one of the route’s highlights.
Beyond Bygdin, the paved Scenic Route Valdresflye takes you around Bitihorn mountain and leads to a swift descent into Beitostølen, where you’ll find restaurants, shops, and plenty of accommodations. After Beitostølen, you quickly hit back onto the gravel roads with the mighty Slettefjellvegen climb offering spectacular views.
Reaching the plateau at 1315m, you’re rewarded with a sweeping and fast descent to Ryfoss (take care heading down), where you can grab a meal before tackling the next climb toward Syndisfjellet. At the top stop by Syndinstøga cabin for a treat of waffles and a hot beverage, then continue through flat open terrain and some single track to Vaset.
In Vaset, a short paved section leads to gravel roads across a scenic plateau dotted with lakes and reservoirs. After passing the Golsfjellet ski area, the trail veers onto a narrow path through serene pine forests, offering lovely rest stops. Passing the Storefjell ski area, the route descends on gravel, returning briefly to the tarmac before following a gravel trail along a river into Gol.
Gol, a small tourist town, marks the route’s end. After over 230km of mountain tranquillity, its modern contrast, with cafes, restaurants, and shops along the high street is a weird reminder that the journey has sadly ended. Gol offers many options for accommodation, including campgrounds that line the valley and the train station has several departures to Oslo or Bergen each day. Ensure you book in advance with a bike.
If you’re looking to extend your adventure, Gol offers several exciting routes in all directions (see maps below). You can cycle the peaceful forest gravel roads to Geilo and then hop on the train to Haugastøl, where the renowned Rallarvegen mountain road begins. Another option is to complete the loop by cycling the remote roads to Lillehammer and then following the famous Peer Gynt Vegen gravel road back to Vinstra. Lastly, National Cycle Route 5 continues from Gol to the coastal town of Larvik through Norway’s historic and long medieval valley. You can discover more about this route here!
This route mostly follows wide, hard-packed gravel roads with minimal traffic and are generally in good condition, though recent repairs may affect surface quality in spots. The route kicks off with a tough yet manageable 800m climb before levelling out into long, comfortable stretches. The most challenging section is the Slettefjellet climb—manageable when heading south toward Gol, but a serious test (with gradients averaging over 10%) going north toward Vinstra. For those wanting an alternative, you can bypass the mountain using paved roads or take an extended route with a scenic boat ride to Bygdin Mountain cabin (see main route map).
The route can be tailored to match your desired pace with small loop routes available that cycle the flat plateau region (see maps below). For resupply, small supermarkets are available about every 30–50km (except on the Jotunheimvegen stretch, where distances extend to 60km). Cafés and restaurants are found in towns and larger villages, and fresh mountain water is easily accessible from rivers. Norway’s transit system makes logistics simple, with train stations in Vinstra and Gol offering direct connections to Oslo, and access from Bergen and Trondheim if needed.
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Imagine yourself in the shoes of someone who’s ridden this route. Check out our friend Gjermund’s creative and captivating blog post about his weekend adventure on Mjølkevegen!
This is the official route. You will notice there are plenty of mountain cabins for accommodation and food shops scattered along the route.
If you want to end up where you started, this is a great option to extend the route with more remote gravel roads. This includes the wonderful Peer Gynt Vegen (photo), which takes you to Lillehammer (Starting in Gol).
There are plenty of short loops in the southern part on flat areas of Valdres (ideal for children). In the North section, you have two shorter loops that include the tough climb up Slettefjellet. More information about all these routes here
If you want to combine the two most popular cycling routes in Norway you can cycle Gol - Geilo on quiet gravel roads through forest scenery. However, Haugastøl (Start or End of Rallarvegen) - Geilo is on the main road 7 (22km) which is not a pleasant experience at times with tourist traffic and supply trucks passing you. You have an option to bypass this section by train but you must book in advance (entur.no)
Røros - Grimsdal - Mjølkevegen - Rallarvegen: This is a further extension of the above route. It was put together by Martin Storli, a local who cycled this 700km epic gravel route that combines all of Norway's most famous gravel areas. Note, that the road/route turns into a hiking area in one small area of the east with some creeks and streams to cross.
If you start or end in Vinstra there is a fantastic mountain gravel day ride as an add-on that follows the historic 'Milk Way'. Peer Gynt Seterveg was originally an old transport route to the historic mining town of Røros, transporting milk from mountain farms in Valdres. See more here
Full information about Norway’s Public Transport can be found here
Mosquitoes will also be present during peak summer, especially around lakes and when wild camping.
There are no tunnels on this route
You may have warm and sunny weather on Mjølkevegen, but you must prepare for cold and possibly wet weather over the mountain passes and plateaus. High winds are also common in unprotected areas. Water/windproof gear is essential if the weather is unsettled. Gloves should also be in your bag even in peak summer. The mountain region can get very cold at night if wild camping.
Finnmark too has a certain mystique. Being about the same distance from Oslo as Istanbul, in some ways, it’s basically the last stop before the North Pole. The undoubted highlight of the journey is simply cycling the wild expanse of Europe’s last great wilderness. It will feel very lonely up here but isn’t that a reason to cycle it? The cycling heat maps of the world are full of well-ridden roads. Here you will join a small group of cyclists seeking something extraordinary. Passing wild herds of reindeer and perhaps not seeing another human for many hours is why you came – right? The ride comes to an end in the town of Kirkenes which has Russian road signs. This will indicate you have reached the boundaries of the Western world!
Finnmark too has a certain mystique. Being about the same distance from Oslo as Istanbul, in some ways, it’s basically the last stop before the North Pole. The undoubted highlight of the journey is simply cycling the wild expanse of Europe’s last great wilderness. It will feel very lonely up here but isn’t that a reason to cycle it? The cycling heat maps of the world are full of well-ridden roads. Here you will join a small group of cyclists seeking something extraordinary. Passing wild herds of reindeer and perhaps not seeing another human for many hours is why you came – right? The ride comes to an end in the town of Kirkenes which has Russian road signs. This will indicate you have reached the boundaries of the Western world!
All cycling routes published on CYCLENORWAY.com are simply a planning resource to be used as a point of inspiration in conjunction with your own due-diligence. All route guidelines were prepared under diligent research. However, we can never for certain insure the complete accuracy of the routes. Cycling in Norway is in general very safe. Nevertheless, should you choose to cycle this route you do so at your own risk.
Check out this helpful video to see how the routes can be uploaded onto your mobile device and cycling computer.
Cycling long distance is tough, and you should not attempt routes that are beyond your level.
If you discover any inaccuracies on this page, please let us know so we can correct them.
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