Keiservarden from Rønvikfjellet, Bodø

From the car park at the end of Fjellveien on Rønvikfjellet, a marked trail climbs north-east across the hill country behind Bodø to Keiservarden, 366 m, which Bodø kommune calls one of Bodø's most popular hiking destinations. Visit Bodø describes the way as gravel road, stone stairs and trail, with a trail just wide enough for two people. Bodø kommune, which gives the Rønvikfjellet car park as a start, says to keep left when you reach Svartvatnet, because the path to the right can have a risk of rockfall; our line follows the west shore, with the water on your right. At the top there is a metal direction disc put up by Bodø og Omegns Turistforening for lining up the landmarks all round, and the Kværmannsbu shelter, built by Bodømarkas venner, which Visit Bodø suggests as a place out of the wind. In clear weather Visit Bodø lists the Lofoten wall to the north and west, the Helgeland coast to the south and the border mountains towards Sweden to the east.

It is 4.7 km there and back with 221 m of ascent by our height data, mostly on path; allow about 2 to 2½ hours with time at the top. Visit Bodø gives 5.5 km and about 2½ hours there and back, and also suggests a loop that comes down by the gravel road and rejoins the Keiserstien by a marked trail near Kretjønna; ours is the direct way up and the same way down. The grade is Moderate, which is also how Visit Bodø describes it: a steady climb on a marked trail.

The top is open and exposed to the wind, so take a layer. OpenStreetMap rates the whole line as plain hiking (sac_scale hiking), the easiest class, so there is no scrambling. Neither Visit Bodø nor Bodø kommune gives a season or closing dates for the walk, so none is given here.

Visit Bodø says buses run from the city centre to the Vollen sykehjem stop in about 10 minutes, with several departures a day, and that Fjellveien leads up to the start, about 3.5 km from the centre; walking, cycling and driving up it are all possible. Bodø kommune has Fjellveien closed at the Holstveien junction from 26 August 2026 for pipe work, planned until 23 October, with access to Vollen by Rønvikveien (see the notice). OpenStreetMap marks the car park at the start as free.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.