Vettisfossen | World Waterfall Database

CATALOGED
This waterfall has been surveyed, mapped and measured in person by the World Waterfall Database.

With a sheer plunge of 902 feet, Vettisfossen is among the tallest free-falling waterfalls on the planet. Flowing from a marshy, tundra like valley on the Jotunheimen plateau, the Morka-Koldedøla (also known as the Morkaelvi) accelerates across the lip of the valley and hurtles into a huge semi-circular amphitheater with sheer thousand-foot tall cliffs lining all sides and moss coating just about every surface it can grab hold of. The river is fed largely by meltwater from three glaciers (two of which are fairly insignificant), which ensures a consistent volume throughout the year. But during the spring and early summer months when the winter snowpack is melting, the added water gives the falls quite a bit more oomph. When we surveyed the falls in June of 2011, the plume of mist rising from the base of the falls could be seen from over a kilometer away drifting out of the amphitheater and rising to elevations nearly above the top of the falls, essentially creating its own clouds.

Vettisfossen is often claimed to be the tallest waterfall in Europe, the tallest unregulated waterfall in Norway and sometimes even the tallest free-falling waterfall on the planet. None of these are accurate claims, but there is merit to such ideas. Further survey work will have to be done to validate these ideas, but the most likely scenario is that Vettisfossen may be the tallest waterfall in Norway which consists of only one drop, that is entirely free-falling, is not regulated and flows with a considerable volume (this last stipulation is necessary because there is at least one free-falling waterfall which is taller, but dries out during the later summer months).

HISTORY AND NAMES

Also Known as: Mørkfos
Vettisfossen is the Official name of this waterfall

The falls were named for the nearby farm, Vettigard.

Our thoughts

The Utladalen is said to harbor Norway's highest quantity of waterfalls which have not fallen victim to development for hydroelectric generation. Unfortunately more than half of the major waterfalls in the valley are quite difficult to access thanks to the lack of trails. Visitors who make the trek to see Vettisfossen will surely forgive such an oversight however, as the awe-inspiring cataract is without question one of the finest on earth. Were it the only waterfall of any size present in the area, it would be worth hiking twice as far to see all by itself. If you only have time to see one waterfall when visiting Norway, Vettisfossen should immediately become one of the top candidates.

Location and directions

Vettisfossen is usually the destination of choice in the Utladalen area near Jotunheimen National Park. Take Route 53 to Øvre Årdal, then turn north onto Route 301, following signs pointing to Vettisfossen. The trailhead is found at the end of the road about 7 1/2 km from Route 53. There is room for maybe 20 cars at the end of the road, while a larger parking area is found just before Hjellefossen further back down the road if the smaller one is full. The first five kilometers of the trail follows a single-track gravel road to the Vetti farm, which is used as a bed and breakfast during the summer months. Once at the farm, follow the road to its very end at a barn marked with a sign reading "Vetti". Walk past the barn then make a hard left on a narrow path towards one of the farm houses then very shortly after head uphill and to the right, looking for a sign marking the trail to Vettisfossen. From this point the trail becomes much narrower, rocky, root-filled, muddy and steep. The trail drops back down to the Utla River and follows along the rocky bank for another kilometer to the outwash plain at the base of the falls, just over 6km from the parking area. The trail basically ends when it encounters the river below the falls. The majority of the falls can be easily seen from here. Better views of the falls might be possible from the opposite side of the Morka-Koldedøla, but under no circumstances should attempts be made to cross the river outside of the absolute lowest flow periods.

View this location in Google Earth

Vettisfossen is shown in the center. The 10 closest waterfalls within a 8km radius are shown as well (if any). Click any icon or see the list below for more information.

Additional Nearby Waterfalls

Name of Waterfall	Distance
Stølsmaradalsfossen	1.08 mi / 1.73 km
Høljafossen	1.4 mi / 2.25 km
Avdalsfossen	2.71 mi / 4.34 km
Hjellefossen	3.16 mi / 5.05 km
Kyrfoss	3.86 mi / 6.17 km

Or Find More Nearby Waterfalls within:

Click any image to enlarge

Photographs which appear on this website are copyright their respective owners. No photograph may be used, repurposed or retransmitted either digitally or in print without the consent of the author. Some photographs may be attributed with a Creative Commons General licence and may be used without restrictions.

Photography tips

Vettisfossen faces northwest but is in a deep recess within a deeper valley, so it may only receive a few hours of direct sunlight in the mid afternoon. A waterfall of this height will pose a problem, namely the falls (if you are shooting from the base) will appear to pour out of the sky. Ordinarily, we prefer to shoot on overcast days, but for the aforementioned reason, a blue sky is more desirable. Though the trail ends along the river almost 300 meters below the falls, the spray from the falls can easily drift into on-looking camera lenses, so be aware of water spots.

Find More media

Search for pictures of Vettisfossen on:

Search for video of Vettisfossen on:

User comments

We will be adding the ability for registered users to post comments about waterfalls they have visited in the future.

Vettisfossen Sogn Og Fjordane, Norway