Trollstigen (Troll’s Path)

Trollstigen earns its name—the Troll’s Path—through sheer audacity, its 11 hairpin bends clawing up a near-vertical cliff face with gradients hitting 10 percent and turns so tight you can practically shake hands with yourself. Built in 1936 by convict labor, this engineering impossibility connects Åndalsnes with Valldal through some of Norway’s most savage mountain terrain. The route passes directly beneath Stigfossen waterfall, where 1,000 feet of glacial meltwater crashes beside the road, and crests at 2,800 feet with views across the Romsdal Valley that’ll stop your heart.

This is expert-level mountain driving on narrow tarmac with minimal guardrails and no margin for error—RVs and trailers are banned for good reason. Any confident driver in a capable vehicle can manage it, but ice, fog, and tourist traffic create deadly combinations. Open only May through October, with parking at the summit viewing platform and camping available in Valldal. You tackle Trollstigen for the pure adrenaline rush of conquering one of the world’s most intimidating mountain roads—and earning permanent bragging rights among serious drivers.