SummitClimbs Field Note: Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) is a nearly flat plateau of about 25 × 25 m that drops 604 m straight down to Lysefjorden, in Strand, Rogaland, and one of the most visited natural attractions in Norway, with around 300,000–350,000 hikers a year. The path from Preikestolen Fjellstue is about 4 km each way, with roughly 330–350 m of height difference, largely laid with stone by Nepalese Sherpas. Plan on 4–5 hours there and back with breaks. It is a certified National Tourist Trail, but it is rougher and longer than many people expect, and the cliff edge has no fence.
The Pulpit Above Lysefjorden
The plateau stands on the north side of Lysefjorden, near its western end. Its old local name was Hyvlatonnå, the plane’s tooth; the name Prekestolen was coined around 1900 by Stavanger Turistforening, which began promoting it as a hiking destination, and the “i” was added later to match the local Nynorsk form. The trekking association built Preikestolhytta in 1949, the road reached it in 1961, Preikestolen Fjellstue followed in 2004, and in 2020 the route was certified as a National Tourist Trail.
The cliff was formed by frost shattering about 10,000 years ago, when the edge of the ice sheet lay just above the mountain: water froze in the cracks and broke off large, angular blocks, which explains the plateau’s square shape. A crack several metres deep runs across the plateau, but geologists have concluded that Preikestolen is safe and will not fall in the foreseeable future.
Preikestolen at a Glance
- Height: the plateau is 604 m above Lysefjorden; about 25 × 25 m
- Location: Strand, Rogaland; about 25 km from Stavanger, about 40 minutes by car via the Ryfylke tunnel
- Start: Preikestolen Fjellstue / Preikestolhytta, at about 270 m (paid parking for about 1,000 cars, toilets, kiosk)
- Distance: about 4 km each way (7–8 km round trip)
- Height difference: about 330–350 m (more in total, as the path rises and falls)
- Time: 2–2.5 hours each way; 4–5 hours round trip with breaks
- Grade: medium; marked, built path; rough and uneven in places
- Best season: April to October
The Route From Preikestolen Fjellstue
The trail runs from the car park through varied western Norwegian nature: woodland, rocky ridges and several fine viewpoints on the way, with old railway sleepers across one bog. In 2013–2014 Sherpas from Nepal rebuilt most of the path with stone steps and paving, making it wider and gentler on the ground, but it is still undulating and uneven for most of the way. Experienced hikers walk it in under two hours; children and less fit walkers should allow two to three hours each way without breaks. Remember to save time and energy for the return, which is as long as the way in.
For a more demanding approach, a path climbs from Bratteli, a stop for the tourist ferry along Lysefjorden, taking 4–5 hours each way. You can also see the cliff from below on a Lysefjord boat trip, which runs all year.
Avoiding the Crowds
The busiest times are the middle of the day, especially at weekends, and June to September. In summer, make use of the long evenings: there are far fewer people on the path after 15:00 and before 09:00. If you want quieter nature in high season, there are several other hikes from the same car park, including Moslifjellet (718 m) and Vatnerindane.
Safety
- No fence: the authorities have chosen not to fence the cliff (“we cannot fence in all nature in this country”). Fatal accidents are very rare, but keep a safe distance from the edge.
- Rescues happen: local volunteer rescue teams are called out regularly, usually because of poor footwear, too little clothing or starting too late and being caught by darkness.
- Kit: wear good shoes (in dry weather sturdy trainers are enough), check the forecast and bring extra layers; it is always windier and colder on top than at the car park.
- Winter: the hike is not recommended in snow and ice; if you do go, the days are short, the path is heavier, and crampons can be rented at the car park.
- No camping or fires: camping and campfires are discouraged on the route.
The SummitClimbs Take
Preikestolen deserves its fame: a short, well-built path to one of the world’s great viewpoints. Respect it anyway, with good shoes, warm layers and time for the walk back, and go early or late to share it with fewer people. For a bigger Lysefjord day, add Kjerag at the end of the fjord.
Route facts from the UT.no route to Preikestolen; other facts from Wikipedia and Norwegian Wikipedia (Preikestolen).