| Hardangervidda National Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Sunset by a river near Rembesdalsvatnet | |
| Location | Hardangervidda Counties: Buskerud, Vestland, and Telemark Country: Norway |
| Nearest city | Bergen |
| Coordinates | 60°3′N 7°25′E / 60.050°N 7.417°E |
| Area | 3,422 km2 (1,321 sq mi) |
| Established | 1981 |
| Governing body | Directorate for Nature Management |
 | |
Hardangervidda National Park (English: Hardanger Plateau National Park,[1][2][3] Norwegian: Hardangervidda nasjonalpark), at 3,422 square kilometres (1,321 sq mi), is Norway's largest national park. It spans from Numedal and Uvdal in the east and Røvelseggi and Ullensvang in the west across the Hardanger mountain plateau (Hardangervidda). Designated as a national park in 1981, today it serves as a popular tourist destination for activities such as hiking, climbing, fishing, and cross-country skiing. The Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT) maintains a comprehensive network of huts and paths across Hardangervidda. The Bergen Line and the main Highway 7 cross the plateau. The park lies in Buskerud, Vestland, and Telemark counties.
It has the southernmost stock of several arctic animals and plants. Its wild reindeer herds are among the largest in the world.
Several hundred nomadic Stone Age settlements have been found in the area, most likely related to the migration of the reindeer. Ancient trails cross the plateau, linking western and eastern Norway; one example is the Nordmannsslepa linking Eidfjord and Veggli in the Numedal valley with Hol and Uvdal.
The name Hardangervidda is put together by the name of the district Hardanger and the finite form of vidde, 'wide plain, large mountain plateau'.
- ^ The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 31. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1998. p. 915.
- ^ Gostelow, Martin (2002). Norway. Lausanne: JPM Publications S.A. p. 42.
- ^ "Marispelet". Rauland Turist. 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2018.