Norway: DNT reworks Ryfylke trails for wild reindeer

Den Norske Turistforening (DNT) says it plans a major reorganisation of huts and trails in Ryfylke for the red-listed wild reindeer (villrein). Three huts — Storsteinen, Grasdalen and Eidavatn — are to be demolished; two new ones will replace them (a smaller hut by Helvetesvatnet and a new hut farther north in Grasdalen).

About 60 km of existing T-marked paths will be removed and roughly 30 km of new marking added farther west, away from critical reindeer migration corridors. The main north–south Ryger route will shift to a line west of Svartevassmagasinet ending at Lysebotn.

These three huts are among seven DNT had already flagged for closure. Work in Ryfylke will start no earlier than 2027; if everything falls into place, about a three-year rollout. Route updates go into the UT trip planner continuously.

The measures sit within the government’s action plan for the Setesdal–Ryfylke and Setesdal Austhei wild-reindeer areas: the climate and environment ministry adopted that plan on 13 October 2026 (85 measures). DNT also stresses curbing cabin sprawl and motorised traffic in reindeer mountains, plus stable funding from the government’s villreinfond.