4 Best Nature Spots Near Trondheim

September 2, 2026

Trondheim’s setting is genuinely more forest and coastline than dramatic mountain scenery, and these 4 spots are the easiest way to get outside without leaving the city behind.

1. Bymarka forest

A roughly 80-square-km nature reserve on Trondheim’s western edge, Bymarka has more than 200km of trails through forest, lakes, and rolling hills, plus cross-country skiing once the snow arrives. The historic Gråkallbanen tram, the world’s northernmost, runs right up to Lian at the forest’s edge, so you don’t need a car to get in.

2. The Trondheimsfjord

The fjord that gives the city its name is worth a boat trip for birdlife, islands, and history, Munkholmen sits in it, but it’s honestly a landscape of broad, calm water and wooded, rounded hills, not the towering cliffs of Norway’s dramatic western fjords like the Sognefjord. Frame your expectations accordingly and it’s a genuinely pleasant, calmer alternative rather than a letdown.

3. Munkholmen island

A short summer ferry from the Ravnkloa fish market (roughly NOK 95, verify) reaches Munkholmen, a small island in the fjord with a real mix of natural and historical interest, a former Viking-age execution site, monastery, prison, and WWII gun position, now with walking paths, a beach, and a restaurant. The ferry runs roughly May or June through August or September, weather dependent, so a winter visit isn’t an option.

4. The Ladestien coastal path

An 8 to 9km walking route from Ladehammeren to Rotvollfjæra, the Ladestien hugs the fjord shore past old farms and historic churches for an easy-to-moderate 2 to 2.5-hour walk. It’s a good option if you want fjord views on foot rather than by boat, and it doesn’t require any particular fitness or gear beyond decent shoes.

Getting there

None of these require a car. Buses reach the edges of Bymarka, the Gråkallbanen tram runs directly to Lian, and the Ladestien and Ravnkloa ferry dock are both walkable or a short bus ride from Midtbyen. Pack a rain layer regardless of season, Trondheim’s coastal weather changes quickly even in summer, and daylight varies enormously across the year, from close to 20 hours 47 minutes around the June solstice down to about 4 hours 39 minutes in December, so plan an outdoor day around the season you’re actually visiting in.

For trail-focused hiking beyond these highlights, see our hiking areas guide , and for a longer day out that combines nature with real history, see Stiklestad and the Trondheim day trips .