How to Hike Reinebringen (+ Helpful Tips & Photos)

It’s a hard, steep, challenging hike on long, stone staircases and muddy, rocky trails, so it’s not to be underestimated. Don’t let the short distance fool you…it’s a tough hike and you need to have a good level of physical fitness to do this.

Reinebringen Hiking Stats

Distance: 3 km (2 miles) round trip
Total Ascent: 510 meters (1677 feet)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length of Time: 3 hours

These statistics include hiking to both viewpoints on Reinebringen, which accounts for the longer distance than you may read on other blogs.

Reinebringen Elevation Profile

Should You Hike Reinebringen?

Before we get into how to hike Reinebringen, we have to ask the question, should you hike Reinebringen?

Instagram and Facebook have made this a very popular hike. The view from the top of Reinebringen truly is spectacular. When I first saw this view several years ago, the Lofoten Islands got bumped up to the top of my travel wish list. This is just another example of how social media is influencing where people choose to travel.

However, the high traffic on Reinebringen is seriously damaging the trail. Trail erosion and rock falls are becoming a common occurrence, sometimes injuring other hikers on the trail. In fact, on August 24, 2019, a lady was injured when she was struck on the head by a falling rock and she had to be airlifted off of the mountain. 

Between 2016 and 2021, stone steps were added to the trail to help cut down on erosion and make the trail safer to hike.

Since the reopening of the trail in 2021, Reinebringen has received a record breaking number of hikers. Reinebringen’s popularity is also putting a strain on the local infrastructure. There is just not enough parking for the number of people who want to hike this trail. 

So, if you absolutely must have this view, then hike Reinebringen. However, if you are looking for a hike that is more enjoyable and still gives you breathtaking views of the Lofoten Islands, take a look at our recommendations at the end of this post.

Where to Park

The town of Reine is receiving so many visitors that there is not enough parking for those who want to hike Reinebringen. It’s becoming such an issue, with cars parking along roads and in places that they shouldn’t, that the Moskenes community reached out to us. 

If you want to hike Reinebringen, here is a list of where you can park, sent to us by the Moskenes community:

Reine Harbor. From here, it is a 1.8 km walk to the trailhead. Parking fee 40 NOK/hour.

Reine Parking. This parking lot is located on E10 south of the trailhead. From here, walk 1.3 km north along the side of the road until you get to the trailhead. Parking is free.

Reine Cultural Center (Kultursenter). Located in Reine. 150 NOK per day.

The hike is short but the parking lots are located a bit of a walk from the trailhead. There is a good chance that you will have a farther walk between the parking lot and the trailhead than the trailhead and the top of Reinebringen.

How to Hike Reinebringen

Step-By-Step Trail Guide

The trailhead is located on the road that runs along the outside of the Ramsvik tunnel. Look for the stairs and the sign in the photo below.

It’s only about 1 km to hike up to the viewpoint. It’s basically one long stair climb to almost the very top of Reinebringen. 

As you get higher, the steps continue. Here are the steps just before you get to the Reinebringen summit.

The steps lead right to the summit. There are several viewpoints in this area, some from the steps and some from a sandy trail that leads off of the steps. Our photos below were taken before the steps were added, so the area will look a bit different when you are here.

Sprawling out in front of you are the tiny islands of Reine, Hamnøy, and Sakrisøy, with a backdrop of tall, rocky mountains.

Panorama that Tim took with his iPhone

The view from the higher viewpoint.

Hike back down the same way and take your time.

Helpful Tips for Hiking Reinebringen

Avoid hiking Reinebringen in rainy, wet conditions. Not only is the trail more dangerous when it’s wet, but you will also contribute more to trail erosion. Plus, once you finally get to the top, you may have zero visibility. We spent a rainy day in Reine and all day the top of Reinebringen was stuck in the clouds.

The trail is busiest midday. Consider hiking Reinebringen early in the morning or in the evening to avoid the crowds.

Stick to the trails. If the trail is muddy, do not leave the trail. If you leave the trail, you will be creating more parallel tracks, which damages the mountain and causes more erosion and rockslides.

Park only in designated areas. 

Our Thoughts on the Hike

Honestly, there is really nothing fun about this hike. It’s just an uphill stairclimb to the top, but what you do get is an amazing view. It is worth hiking Reinebringen for the view, but we did several other hikes in the Lofoten Islands (and northern Norway) that we liked a lot more.

Ryten is a longer hike but what you get is a very cool view over Kvalvika Beach and a stunning mountain landscape. It was unexpectedly awesome.

Svolvaer Fløya and Festvågtind are similar to Reinebringen, where you hike to a viewpoint and look out across a series of islands.

Our final day in the Lofoten Islands was a rainy one, so we missed out on hiking Munken, which is a shame, because it looks and sounds amazing. It’s just around the corner from Reinebringen, so if you are looking for great hike near Reine, this is a good one to add to your list.

Where We Stayed

We stayed in Hamnøy at Reinefjorden Sjohus. This place is wonderful. We stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment, which is really a two-level cabin with a kitchen and a living area. The view from the living room was AMAZING! We could look across the water to Sakrisøy and Reine and see Reinebringen in the background. My only complaint is that they do not have black out curtains, so with the midnight sun, I did find it difficult to sleep. That’s easy to fix by bringing along a sleeping mask. But without a doubt, we would stay here again.

Does this look like something you would like to do? If you have any questions about how to hike Reinebringen, leave in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to Norway:

LOFOTEN ISLANDS: For an overview of the best things to do, read our Lofoten Islands Top Ten List. Get lots of travel planning advice in our Lofoten Islands Itinerary. For advice on where to stay, read our Lofoten Islands Hotel Guide.

ADVENTURES IN NORWAY: Trolltunga and Kjeragbolten are two of the best hikes to do in Norway. For an even bigger adventure, climb Svolvaergeita in the Lofoten Islands. Traveling to Svalbard in the arctic circle is an adventure in itself, but you can also go glacier kayaking or hike to one of the tallest peaks on Spitsbergen.

NORTHERN NORWAY ITINERARY: On this 10 day Norway itinerary, road trip through Senja and the Vesteralen Islands, two beautiful off the beaten path destinations, and visit the Lofoten Islands.

BEST OF NORWAY ITINERARY: In this guide, we share two different ways to plan a 10 day trip that includes both the Lofoten Islands and southern Norway.

PLACES TO GO IN NORWAY: For a list of top experiences in Norway, don’t miss our Norway Bucket List. If you are a hiker, we also have a hiking guide with 14 epic day hikes to do in Norway.

EUROPE TRAVEL INSPIRATION: For more great ideas on where to go in Europe, check out our article 30 Beautiful Places to Visit in Europe and the 20 Best Hikes in Europe.

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