To help hikers find their way in the Norwegian mountains and forests, and to ensure they choose the hike that is best suited to their ability, Norway uses a shared standard for grading all its marked paths. The trails are all colour-coded to let hikers know what to expect.

Norway’s grading system is based on four difficulty levels used both nationally and internationally: green, blue, red and black. The trail grading colours (and the difficulty levels they correspond to) are as follow:

Green - Easy

Suitable for

  • Beginners.
  • No special skills required.
  • Mainly short walks.
  • Special symbols mark the areas suitable for wheelchair users/prams.

Elevation gain and length

  • < 300 m
  • < 5 km

Type of path

  • Tarmac, gravel, forest roads and good paths.
  • Work done on paths to enable easy walking.
  • Firm, even and obstruction-free path.
  • No streams to be crossed.

Degree of elevation/ exposure

  • Moderate ascents, but no steep or difficult sections.
Bondhusvatnet.|© Ranveig Marie Photography

Blue - Medium

Suitable for

  • Beginners.
  • Walkers of average fitness.
  • Basic skills.

Elevation gain and length

  • < 600 m
  • < 10 km

Type of path

  • Similar to green trails, but can have more challenging sections.
  • Can be rocky but no demanding scree.
  • No streams to be crossed.

Degree of elevation/ exposure

  • Most ascents are moderate, but can include some steep slopes.
  • Certain sections can be considered precipitous for some.
Mt Hornelen.|© Sverre Hjørnevik

Red - Challenging

Suitable for

  • Experienced walkers.
  • Good stamina.
  • Good equipment and hiking boots required.

Elevation gain and length

  • < 1000 m
  • < 20 km

Type of path

  • Path, open terrain, rocky, scree and rugged mountains.
  • Crossing streams, traversing steep slopes and long stretches of both loose rock and marshland.
  • Up to two streams to be crossed.

Degree of elevation/ exposure

  • Several types of ascents and challenges.
  • Several precipitous and exposed sections.
  • Can include technical challenges and parts that require some climbing.
The Aurland valley.|© Sverre Hjørnevik

Black - Expert

Suitable for

  • Experienced hikers.
  • Good stamina.
  • Good equipment and hiking boots required.
  • Knowledge of maps and use of a compass.

Elevation gain and length

  • No maximum.

Type of path

  • Longer and/ or more technical trails than "red".
  • Can include a number of streams to be crossed.

Degree of elevation/ exposure

  • Typical walks are long summit trips with steep ascents on uneven paths.
  • Can have precipitous and exposed sections sections/passages where scrambling is necessary.
  • Narrow ridges, smooth rock, scree etc.
Trolltunga.|© Sveinung Klyve