A steep but well-built stone staircase above Reine, leading to the most-shot panorama in Norway. 1 850 steps to the top, every one of them worth it.
Reinebringen sits above Reine village in the Moskenes municipality of Lofoten, Norway. The view from the 448 m summit – the fishing village curled around the fjord, the jagged peaks rising sheer from the water on the far side – is the single most photographed scene in northern Norway. It is on every Lofoten travel article and Instagram feed for a reason.
The hike up is short but steep. Nepalese sherpas built 1 978 stone steps between 2019 and 2023, replacing what had been a dangerous scramble up loose scree. It now takes about 45 minutes one way, with around 400 m of elevation gain on the steps alone. The trailhead is signposted off the E10 highway just before the Reine bridge, with a small parking lot that fills early in summer.
Drag to compare · Reinebringen, edited with Alpine 06
Two windows work for photography. June and October. Everything outside May–October is closed, frozen, or visually wrong – skip those months.
The handheld summit viewpoint at the top of the steps, and the drone position over the fjord east of the summit. ~250 m apart but give noticeably different framings of Reine.
From Leknes airport: ~1 hr south on E10 to Reine. From Bodø: ferry to Moskenes + 5 min drive.
Reinebringen trailhead parking: Free, ~30 cars at the base of the stairs. Limited capacity – overflow at Reine village.
Capacity: In summer midnight-sun season, the lot is full 18:00-23:00. Park in Reine and walk 15 min back to the trail.
The steps: 1 978 stone steps built by Nepalese sherpas between 2019 and 2023. Maintained, well-marked, no scrambling required. The middle third is the steepest section.
Closures: The steps are closed in winter (typically mid-October through April or May) due to ice. Check the Visit Lofoten site before driving up – they post current trail status.
Drone use: No regional drone ban as of 2026, but standard Norwegian rules apply – under 250 m altitude, line of sight, away from people. Wind picks up dramatically above the ridge, especially in afternoon. Launch and recover in the lee of the summit cairn if possible.
Every photo on this page was edited with a preset from my Lightroom Nordic pack. Six presets per pack, calibrated for high-contrast alpine light, real RAW files behind every preview. 30-day refund if it's not for you.
Photographer's guides to other spots I've shot, same treatment as this one.
Best in October · 5 min walk
GuideBest in September · 2 hr hike
GuideBest in September · cable car
GuideBest in October · cable car or car
GuideBest in September · 2 hr hike
GuideBest in September · 40 min walk + toll road
GuideBest in August · 2 hr hike
GuideBest in late April · 2 hr hike