Preikestolen — Pulpit Rock
The flat rock 604 metres over the Lysefjord
Don't miss
About
A square rock shelf hanging 604 metres over the Lysefjord, and the easiest of the famous Norwegian hikes to actually do: four kilometres each way on a heavily upgraded stone path, most of it laid by Nepalese sherpas. It's busy, and there's no pretending otherwise. Start before eight or late in the afternoon and you'll share the shelf with far fewer people. The rock has no railing. Sit down before you edge out, and keep children close. Reached from Stavanger by car or seasonal shuttle to the Preikestolen Fjellstue trailhead, where parking is paid and plentiful.
- 🕒 How long
- Half a day from Stavanger, including the drive or bus
- 👤 Suits
- Anyone reasonably mobile. This is the most accessible of Norway's famous hikes.
- 🗓️ Season
- Walkable most of the year per ut.no. Winter needs proper gear and daylight planning; summer mornings are best.
This is personal opinion, not a sponsored listing.
Practical
🥾 The hike
- ▶
- Starts: Preikestolen Fjellstue car park
- 🏁
- Ends: Preikestolen plateau (604 m)
- 📏
- About 4 km one way (ut.no trail page, turforslag 1111875 (4 km one way, 8.2 km round trip))
- ⏱️
- ut.no estimates about 2½ hours; most visitors take 4–5 hours round trip with stops
- 💪
- ●●●●●difficulty 3/5
Graded 'middels krevende' (moderately demanding) by ut.no. Stone-stepped and busy in season. Crowds thin dramatically before 8 in the morning.
Time estimate, difficulty and notes are our editorial rating, not an official grade. Check conditions before you go.
- 📍
- Strand, by the Lysefjord
- 🕐
- Not listed — check the official website before you go.
Coordinates are the Preikestolen viewpoint (OSM). Length, time and season from ut.no's trail page (turforslag 1111875, read 2026-07-24). Parking at Preikestolen Fjellstue is paid.