Orkdal: Find hotels for culture and hiking

Orkdal offers several distinct starting points for planning a trip: a cultural landmark, a hiking trail along the Orkla River, and a round-trip hike up Omnfjellet. The information helps distinguish cultural interests from specific hiking plans. If you are looking for a hotel in Orkdal, you can first consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay. For the two hikes, it is also important not to compare only the numbers: the 10 kilometers of Orklaparken and the approximately 8 to 9 kilometers at Omnfjellet describe different types of routes.

Cultural history in Orkdal

The Thamspaviljongen was built at Christian Thams’ Strandheim Brug in Orkanger; its reconstruction is located in Orkdal. Today, it is a unique cultural landmark and a symbol of Norwegian history, craftsmanship and community volunteer work. It brings together different aspects of the region’s cultural heritage: its place of construction points to its craftsmanship, its status as a cultural landmark gives it historical context, and the volunteer work adds a community dimension. This combination offers a specific reason to include culture in your trip planning alongside the hiking trails. The locations can also be stated precisely: Strandheim Brug is in Orkanger, and the reconstruction is in Orkdal.

Hiking trails and distances

Orklaparken is a 10-kilometer hiking trail from the fjord at Båtklubben Ternas småbåthavn in Orkanger to Forve Bridge in Fannrem. It runs along the salmon river Orkla. The route description combines a specific distance with two named endpoints and a course along the river. For your orientation, this means that the 10 kilometers refer to the trail from the fjord to the bridge, not to a round trip. If you want to include a river route in your plans, you can distinguish Orklaparken from a summit hike using this information.

At 830 meters, Omnfjellet is the highest mountain peak in the former municipality of Orkdal. The hike starts at the trailhead in Langlidalen at Våvatnet; the round-trip distance is approximately 8 to 9 kilometers. Here, the elevation and distance answer different questions: 830 meters gives the summit’s elevation, while the number of kilometers indicates the approximate length of the round trip. Compared with Orklaparken, the hike is therefore not only listed as shorter, but is also measured differently: Orklaparken is the route between the fjord and the bridge, while Omnfjellet is a round trip. Check current trail conditions and access before setting out on a hike.

Different priorities for your stay

Each attraction centers on a different question: the Thamspaviljongen is defined by its cultural significance; for Orklaparken, you can assess the route by its starting point, endpoint and length; and for Omnfjellet, the summit elevation and approximate round-trip distance are useful. This distinction is more helpful when choosing an outing to focus on than simply comparing the numbers.

Discover more destinations: Hoston, Fannrem, Orkanger, Hitra, Midtre Gauldal, Åfjord, Selbu, Osen.

Go to the broader travel overview: Sor-Trondelag.