Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
Sometimes I stumble across an activity or a place and plan an entire adventure around it. This happened when I saw images of this stunning turqoise lake in Norway and found information about biking Lake Loatnet. This lake nestled in the Fjords near Ogden and Loen is stunningly gorgeous and offers a winding road perfect for a biking day trip.
In this article you’ll find details for biking Lake Lovatnet as well as other things to do in the area. I highly recommend biking this lake. You can also find more details of what we did during our time here in my article: Things to do in Loen, Norway.
I love exploring places with turqoise water! If you do too, make sure to check out: Lake Bled, Moraine Lake, and the Soca River.
Quick Overview of Lake Lovatnet
Lake Lovatnet in Norway both beautiful as well as historic, most notably, two rockslide disasters in 1905 and 1936 caused tsunamis in the lake and reshaped the surrounding area. Its vivid turquoise-blue color comes from glacial water that feeds into the lake, the glacial sediment scatters sunlight and creates the lake’s hue, especially during the summer melt. The lake us just above the end of the Loen Fjord.
Biking Lake Lovatnet
This entire area is known for it’s dramtic scenery and incredible hikes, but biking the lake is a fantastic way to see this entire lake without too much work. The majority of the road along the lake is flat with only a few hill sections. The road is an out and back that follows the lake the entire way so you have really gorgeous views and can choose how far to explore. While there are cars on the road in this area, there aren’t many and most cars are going slow to admire the scenery. We did this ride with my 70 year old father and 3 teenagers and it would be a great ride for most people. The distance to the end of the lake is about 15 miles with 1500 feet of elevation gain.
Renting Bikes in Loen
Rent your bikes through Loen Active (via the Loen Skylift). This small bike shop is right at the base of the lake near Hotel Alexandra. You can rent both mountain bikes and ebikes (we rented 3 of each). Since we had a large group, we reserved bikes in advance. They even let us switch our days when our rental day was super rainy. The bikes were great and the location is perfect for getting to the lake. From the bike shop, bike up the hill. This is the most uphill until the end of the ride. Once you get to the lake the road is mostly flat.
You can rent bikes for the full or half day. I recommend a full day.
Map of Biking Lake Lovatnet
The Bike Ride
From the bike shop you will bike up the hill along the water cascading down from the lake. After you reach the end of the lake, the road continues to the left. You will follow this road the entire way to the far end of the lake (about 7 miles). The scenery continues to get more dramatic throughout the rise with larger mountains and waterfalls that cascade directly into the lake.
There are plenty of places to stop for photos, water or a snack and we even bumped into some roaming cows along the way. About 1 mile from the end of the ride, the road leaves the lake and you have some elevation to go up and over a hill. This offers some of the best views of the ride but also the steepest part of the ride.
Once you reach the end of the lake, you are rewarded with the Kenndalstova café. A small restaurant where you can get some tea and goodies. We stopped for a snakc before biking back. From here you can rent a boat, hike up to the glacier or take the ferry back to the start of the lake. It is possible to board the ferry with your bike making this a one-way ride.
The hike up to Kjenndalsbreen is a quieter version to the nearby Briksdalsbreen.
Other Things to do in Lake Lovatnet
While biking is a fantastic way to take in the lake, the area around Lake Lovatnet offers plenty of other activities. You can hike to the nearby Kjenndalsbreen Glacier for stunning views without the crowds of Briksdalsbreen, rent a boat to explore the lake from the water, or simply stop at the Kjenndalstova café to enjoy a snack while soaking in the scenery. The surrounding mountains, waterfalls, and fjords provide endless opportunities for photography, short walks, or full-day adventures. Whether you’re seeking active exploration or peaceful relaxation, the Lake Lovatnet area has something for everyone.
If you are looking to stay in the area, we splurged and stay in hotel Alexandra, but you can also find other hotels and campgrounds in the area.
Final Thoughts
This is a fantastic bike ride and a beautiful, less visited part of Norway. I highly recommend spending the day exploring this lake and the area.
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