Bunessanden og majestetiske Helvetestinden
Bunessanden og majestetiske Helvetestinden. Foto Benjamin Fredriksen.

The name of the National Park stems from the outermost headland on Moskenesøya, Lofotodden. Here, the tidal current Moskstraumen separates Værøy and Røst from the rest of Lofoten. Moskstraumen is infamous as one of the world’s most powerful ocean currents and described in several older sources, notorious for its wildness and insatiable appetite for ships and crew. Throughout history, Lofotodden has been an important landmark for fishermen and marine traders faring through Moskstraumen destined for Lofoten. These wild mountains have through the years stood as the welcoming portal to the fish-eldorado that is Lofoten, the spawning ground for the largest cod stock in the world – the famous arctic cod called Skrei.

Today, Lofotodden is better known for its coastal alpine landscape, a haven for outdoor lovers and summit enthusiasts. The landscape is characterized by steep walls surrounded by wild open seas, abyssal depths and narrow fjords. White sandy beaches and azure blue waters form powerful contrasts to the dramatic mountains of the Lofoten massif’s north side.

Turgåere med Kvalvika i bakgrunnen
Turgåere med Kvalvika i bakgrunnen. Foto Jon Olav Larsen.
Reinrosehei. Reinrose er egentlig en fjellplante, men langs kysten i Nord-Norge finner man den like gjerne helt nede i strandsonen
Reinrosehei ved Bunessanden. Foto Benjamin Fredriksen.

Why a national park?

Lofotodden National Park was protected on 22 June 2018, aiming to preserve a unique coastal alpine landscape, unparalleled in both Norway and the rest of the world. The landscape is the result of a number of geological processes and are of great intrinsic value from a natural-historical perspective.

The national park is an important habitat for sea eagles, golden eagles and several endangered seabird species. Several marine mammals also live along the coast. Despite a nutrient-poor and uniform bedrock, there are zones with interesting flora, especially associated with the beach environments and areas with previous settlements. Lofoten became ice-free early during the last ice age, and some mountain plants may have their oldest occurrences in Norway right here in Lofotodden.

In a landscape characterized by human activity for over 6000 years, Lofotodden National Park has an array of intriguing cultural monuments. In sea caves along the outside of the national park, we find traces all the way back to the Stone Age in the form of cave paintings. 

Traces of more recent settlements, like house foundations, cobbled roads, stone fences, gardens and boat slipways, are also prevalent. Along the outside of Lofoten, small fishing communities lived until the 1950s. The settlements could only be reached by boat, and harsh sea conditions meant that the people who lived here at times could be completely cut off from the outside world.

What is permitted within the park?

Lirype
Lirype. Foto Benjamin Fredriksen.

Les mer om planter & dyreliv her

Vårmarihånd er en av de tidligst blomstrende orkideene om våren.
Vårmarihånd ved Bunessanden. Foto Benjamin Fredriksen.

Les mer om geologi her

Hermannsdalstinden, på 1029 meter over havet, er den høyeste fjelltoppen i Lofotodden nasjonalpark
Hermannsdalstinden (1029 moh.) er den høyeste fjelltoppen nasjonalparken. Foto: Ole-Jakob Kvalshaug

Les mer om forvaltning og oppsyn her

Statens Naturoppsyn på befaring i Kvalvika
Statens Naturoppsyn på befaring i Kvalvika. Foto: Ole-Jakob Kvalshaug