Pikefossen – Kautokeino

Pikefossen (Sámi: Nieidagorži, the girl’s waterfall) is an 8 metre waterfall in the Kautokeinoelva river in Kautokeino, south of Masi. You see it from a rest area right by the E45, which makes it an easy stop on the long drive across the Finnmarksvidda plateau.

Local legend: a young herding girl let the reindeer she was minding fall through the ice above the falls, and the angry owners threw her into the waterfall – in another version she was put in a barrel and survived. It is said that if you stay in a lavvo by the falls, you can still hear her scream.

Good to know when travelling by camper: park at the rest area; the viewpoints are a few steps away. The paths down to the river are informal and can be slippery, so stay back from the edge. In high water the falls are a mighty sight, and in deep winter they freeze into an ice castle.

In winter the E45 across the plateau is exposed to wind and drifting snow, and traffic can be light. Check the road reports before you go and carry warm clothes in the camper in case you have to stop.