When DNT was founded in 1868, the core idea was simple: to help more people experience Norwegian nature. Over 150 years later, outdoor recreation (friluftsliv) has become a shared national identity.
Since its inception, DNT has been a powerful advocate for a simple, sustainable outdoor lifestyle. The organization has successfully evolved from an exclusive club for the 19th-century elite into a massive, nationwide popular movement.
"Let us make it easy and affordable, so that many people can come to see what is great and beautiful in our country."
Thomas Heftye
Founder of DNT
Ever since Thomas Heftye—the father of the Norwegian Trekking Association—founded the organization on January 21, 1868, this quote has served as DNT's guiding philosophy.
In the 1800s, exploring nature was largely reserved for the upper-middle class who possessed the time and financial means. Today, things are entirely different. People from all walks of life seek out nature. DNT now maintains trails, cabins, and activities in the high mountains, along the coast, through dense forests, and right inside Norway’s cities. The association is also incredibly popular with younger generations, boasting over 200 local children's hiking clubs.
As Norway's largest outdoor recreation organization, DNT has spent over a century and a half creating unforgettable hiking experiences. Today, DNT has over 300,000 members, 53 independent member associations, 1 million iconic T-marked stone cairns, and 22,000 kilometers of marked trails—all made possible by more than 750,000 annual volunteer hours.
The First Hikers
The mountains have always been a vital resource for the Norwegian people—used for transport, mountain farming, iron extraction, hunting, and fishing. While mountain communities relied on these landscapes for survival for thousands of years, a new national consciousness awoke in the early 19th century following Norway's separation from Denmark. A desire emerged to explore and appreciate the homeland in a brand-new way.
Scientists and artists ventured into Norway's fjords, mountains, and valleys, driven by discovery and Romantic-era enthusiasm for nature. Wealthy English tourists were among the very first recreational mountain hikers.
An old Norwegian saying from the time perfectly captured the locals' bewilderment at these early adventurers:
"Either he's stark raving mad, or he’s an Englishman."
Gradually, more locals set off on hikes. As the wanderlust grew, so did the need to support it. In the autumn of 1866, a group of prominent men—later known as DNT’s founding fathers—gathered to form an association inspired by European alpine clubs, but with a distinct Norwegian character. On January 21, 1868, the Norwegian Trekking Association was officially established.
The Allure of Jotunheimen
The initial board naturally began its work in the forested areas of Eastern Norway, close to Oslo. In 1868, DNT purchased its very first cabin: Krokan, located by the famous Rjukanfossen waterfall. However, it was the high peaks of Jotunheimen that truly captured everyone's imagination.
1870: Tyinhytten (at Tvindehaugen) was completed, and Memurubu was purchased.
1872: Gjendebu was built.
Shortly after: Leirvassbu, Gjendesheim, and Krækkja followed in quick succession.
During its first 50 years, DNT built 16 new cabins in Jotunheimen and on the Hardangervidda plateau. These two massive mountain regions were eventually linked together with the construction of Iungsdalshytta and Geiterygghytta, a feat made possible by the opening of the Bergen Railway in 1909.
Early Mountain Sports and Local Guides
Shortly after its founding, DNT introduced a system of licensed mountain guides (patentførere) to safely lead tourists across treacherous mountain passes in Jotunheimen, over the Jostedalsbreen glacier, and through other rugged terrain. These guides were primarily local mountain farmers. They played a monumental role in the development of Norwegian mountaineering, though their contributions were sometimes overshadowed in the diaries of early city pioneers.
For instance, it was not Thomas Heftye who first climbed the famous vertical crack on Store Skagastølstind (which bears his name today, Heftyes renne). Instead, two local guides from Årdal climbed up first and safely hauled Heftye up behind them using a rope.
The meeting between local mountain guides, urban climbers, and hikers triggered a massive boom for Norwegian mountaineering in the late 1800s. Though interest temporarily dipped during the mid-1900s while general hiking surged, the formation of the DNT Glacier Group (Bregruppa) in 1962 successfully revitalized interest in climbing and glacier trekking. Today, many member associations have dedicated mountain sports groups, unified under the national forum Norsk Fjellsportforum.
Skiers Conquer the Winter Peaks
To DNT's founders, the idea of exploring the high mountains on skis during winter would have seemed impossible. Skiing as a sport was in its infancy, and accessing the mountains in winter was far too difficult for a brief holiday.
However, the historic Arctic skiing expeditions of Fridtjof Nansen and others in the 1880s and 1890s sparked a fascination with winter landscapes. The expanding railway network made travel easier, and in 1907—nearly 40 years after DNT was founded—Glitterheim became the first DNT cabin to open for Easter guests. Other cabins quickly followed, equipped with lanterns and foghorns to help skiers find their way in roaring blizzards. The winter conquest of the high mountains had officially begun.
A History of Nature Conservation
DNT was an early and vital voice in the establishment of Norway's national parks. As early as 1904, DNT chairman Yngvar Nielsen campaigned heavily for preservation. Decades passed before Rondane National Park, the country’s first, was finally established in 1962, followed by Jotunheimen National Park in 1980.
Protecting the famous emerald-green lake, Gjende, from hydroelectric development was one of DNT's most hard-fought battles, lasting 70 years until its permanent protection in 1973. However, DNT’s history also includes more complicated chapters; in 1920, facing severe financial hardship, the association made the difficult decision to sell the waterfall rights of Skjeggedalsfossen to A/S Tyssefaldene.
Bringing Outdoor Life Close to Home
While DNT members in the 1900s were predominantly upper-class men from the worlds of science, art, and politics, the 1920s saw a massive demographic shift as the working and middle classes joined the movement.
To make nature more accessible and affordable, DNT turned its focus back to local wilderness areas. The construction of cabins in the Ringeriksåsene hills during the 1930s and 40s was a direct effort to make weekend getaways easy and cheap for the working-class people of Oslo.
Over the past 30 years, local community initiatives have flourished. Today, DNT's 56 member associations and local hiking teams focus heavily on facilitating outdoor experiences right where people live. Volunteers maintain local trails, run nearby cabins, and lead community trips.
1988: DNT ung (DNT Youth) was founded, growing into a vibrant organization that now boasts over 40,000 young members.
1999: The first local Barnas Turlag (Children's Hiking Club) was established. Today, there are around 230 children's clubs and over 30 specialized "Turbo Clubs" across the country, organizing activity days, base camps, and outdoor courses for families.
Milestone Membership Growth
"We must aim to reach at least 20,000 members, and it is my firm conviction that we can reach that number very soon if we only have the will."
— Dr. A. Bjartnes, DNT Yearbook, 1932
Dr. Bjartnes' wildest dreams have been thoroughly surpassed. Today, DNT has grown into a community of over 300,000 members utilizing a network of more than 600 cabins all across Norway.
