Preikestolen, the Pulpit Rock, is a flat shelf of rock about 25 by 25 metres that hangs 604 metres above Lysefjorden in southwest Norway. Around 300,000 people hiked to it in 2024, making it one of the country's most visited natural sights, and in 2014 a photo of a family posing with a baby near its edge spread around the world.
Where is Preikestolen?
The cliff stands in Strand Municipality in Rogaland county, about 25 km from Stavanger. Since the Ryfylke Tunnel opened in April 2020, the drive from Stavanger via National Road 13 takes about 40 minutes. From the south, a ferry links Lauvvik and Oanes on a limited timetable, and tourist boats sail along Lysefjorden all year, giving the classic view of the rock from below.
The plateau formed during the last ice age, roughly 10,000 years ago. Water froze in cracks in the rock and split off angular blocks, leaving the square, almost flat top. A deep crack still runs through the plateau, but geologists do not expect it to collapse in the foreseeable future.
The Preikestolen hike: distance, time and climb
The trail starts at the car park by Preikestolen Fjellstue, just south of Jørpeland, at about 270 metres. It is around 3.8 km each way, or 8 km return, with a net climb of 334 metres; because the path crosses several ridges, the total ascent is higher. The official site rates it moderate and suggests 4 to 5 hours for the round trip.
The route mixes forest, open bog and bare rock, with long stone stairways built by Nepalese Sherpas during the path upgrade that began in 2013. A non-profit foundation, Stiftelsen Preikestolen, runs the car park and maintains the trail.
The viral baby photo and the open edge
There is no fence at the top. Norwegian authorities chose to keep the cliff open, noting that deaths are extremely rare, and the platform is broad enough to sit well back from the drop. That openness is why the 2014 picture of a baby close to the edge drew so much attention: nothing but bare rock separates visitors from a 604-metre fall. In June 2024 a man died after falling from the cliff, a reminder that the edge deserves respect.
When to go and what to expect
The trail is open all year, but conditions change a lot. Summer brings the most daylight and the biggest crowds; start early or late in the day for a quieter platform. Outside summer the coast is often wet and cold, and cloud can hide the fjord completely. In winter and spring, snow and ice make the hike much harder and sometimes the top cannot be reached: go with a guide in winter and carry traction devices.
Film fans know the cliff from the final fight of Mission: Impossible – Fallout and the last scene of the second season of Vikings.
More Norway and high places
Compare the experience with the Mount Hua plank-walk feature or the high-alpine walkway of Peak Walk by Tissot. The official Preikestolen website has current trail status and parking information. Related reading:
- Trolltunga, Norway: The View and the Walk Behind It
- Jotunheimen, Norway: Mountain Country Beyond a Single Famous Ridge
- A Snowy Evening in Bergen, Photographed by Espen Haagensen
- The Arctic Light: Lofoten’s Long Spring Twilight
- Would You Give Johannes Your Jacket? The Oslo Campaign Film
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