Preikestolen, the Pulpit Rock, is a flat-topped cliff that towers 604 metres above the Lysefjord. Visit Norway calls it Norway's most famous hike, and says more than 300,000 people visit the rock every year.
That popularity is the main thing to plan around. The trail is short by Norwegian standards, the route is well trodden, and the plateau at the end is where everyone wants to be at the same time.
The figures below come from Visit Norway and the official Preikestolen website, checked in September 2026.
The Preikestolen hike at a glance
- Distance: 8 km round trip.
- Time: about four hours round trip according to Visit Norway, and four to five according to the official site.
- Climb: about 500 metres, with some steep sections.
- Difficulty: medium. Visit Norway says you need some trekking experience in rough terrain.
- Season: mainly May to October.
So this is a half-day hike rather than a stroll. The climbing arrives in stages, and the official site describes terrain that changes from swampy ground to forest to stone stairways built by Nepalese sherpas.
Getting to the trailhead from Stavanger
The trail starts at the Preikestolen Fjellstue mountain lodge. Visit Norway describes two ways to get there by car: take the ferry to Tau and drive via Jørpeland on Rv 13, or take the ferry from Lauvvik to Oanes and drive from there. There is also a bus service from Stavanger.
Ferry and bus timetables change, so check the current details before you set off. Visit Norway also notes that there are no toilets along the trail, so sort that out before you start walking.
Beating the crowds
Visit Norway's own suggestion is to start the walk at night and watch the sun rise from the top, or to go in the afternoon. A night start only makes sense if you're confident in the route and the forecast, and it's the reason a headlamp is on every equipment list for this hike.
More broadly, Visit Norway recommends travelling outside the main summer season, which it puts at mid-June to the end of August, wherever your plans allow. A shoulder-season date does more for this walk than any piece of gear.
Who the hike suits
Visit Norway's overview of Norway's iconic hikes describes Preikestolen as the easiest of them and the most suitable as a full-day hike for families. That's a relative ranking. The trail is still graded medium, it climbs about 500 metres, some sections are steep, and Visit Norway says it takes some trekking experience in rough terrain.
Allow the full four to five hours plus time on the plateau, and build the ferry or bus around that rather than the other way round. If anyone in the group is uneasy near drops, agree beforehand how close to the edge you'll go.
What to bring
Visit Norway's equipment list is short and sensible:
- Map and compass, a first-aid kit, a fully charged phone and a headlamp.
- Good hiking boots and wind- and waterproof outerwear.
- Extra clothing, including a hat, scarf and gloves.
- A 30-litre backpack, with food and water.
The plateau is exposed, so clothes that were comfortable on the climb can feel thin once you stop. Layering solves that. If you're still deciding on footwear, boots versus trail runners covers the trade-offs, and the day hike packing list covers everything else.
Safety on the plateau
Visit Norway is plain about one thing: hikers need to be rescued every year. Most of the trail is straightforward, and the risks are the ordinary mountain ones: weather, tiredness and being under-equipped for wet ground and cold wind.
The cliff edge is the exception. The drop is 604 metres. Keep well back from it, particularly when the plateau is crowded, windy or wet, and check what's behind you before you step back for a photograph. Hiking in bad weather explains when to change plans, and the Norwegian Mountain Code, published by DNT and the Red Cross, puts it in three words: vend i tide, turn back in time.
Outside the main season
From November to April, Visit Norway says access requires special equipment and a guide. Snow and ice change what the trail asks of you. The winter hiking essentials are a starting point, and they don't replace a local guide.
Other hikes in the same part of Norway
The Kjeragbolten boulder, wedged between two mountains, is another famous stop in the Ryfylke and Stavanger region, according to Visit Norway. For a much longer, more demanding day in a different landscape, the Trolltunga hike guide sets out the trailheads and timings. To compare Preikestolen with the other big names, six classic hikes in Norway puts them next to each other.
About Erik Lindqvist
Erik Lindqvist is a Scandinavian trail guide and outdoor writer based in Norway. He has spent fifteen years hiking fjord paths, mountain ridges, and forest tracks across Norway, Sweden, and Iceland.
