Northern lights in Alta

Viewing spots

• Komsa hill Small mountain right next to Alta centre, a short hike that lifts you above the street lights with a view over the… Mostly dark skyAbout 3 min from Alta
• Gargia mountain lodge Lodge in the hills south of Alta at the start of the trail to the Alta Canyon, well away from the town lights on the… Dark skyAbout 30 min from Alta
• Forsøl · Hammerfest Small settlement over the mountain pass north of Hammerfest with an unobstructed sea view to the north; the bay by the… Dark skyAbout 2 h 04 from Alta
• Salen · Hammerfest town mountain Hammerfest's town mountain, recommended by a local photographer in Nordnorge's guide: a ten-minute zigzag path lifts… Mostly dark skyAbout 1 h 52 from Alta
• Transfarelvmoen rest area · E6 Statens vegvesen main rest area (hovedrasteplass) at Transfarelvmoen on the E6 east of Alta, out of the town lights… Dark skyAbout 12 min from Alta
• Leirbotnvannet rest area · E6 Rest area on the open E6 plateau north-east of Alta by Leirbotnvannet lake: above the treeline and away from every… Very dark skyAbout 27 min from Alta
• Eibydalen rest area Main rest area with toilets and room for 20 cars in Eibydalen south of Alta; a dark, legal stop inland, where the sky… Very dark skyAbout 24 min from Alta
• Altaelva viewpoint · Rv93 Roadside viewpoint over the Alta river on the Rv93, a few minutes from town: river and riverside forest in the… Dark skyAbout 6 min from Alta
• Kvenvik rest area · E6 by the Altafjord Large rest area on the E6 on the shore of the Altafjord west of Alta, with an open view north over the water. Dark skyAbout 11 min from Alta
• Transfarelvmoen rest area · E6 east of Alta Main rest area on the E6 east of Alta towards Lakselv, a quick escape from the town lights. Dark skyAbout 12 min from Alta
• Hovdenes rest area · Langfjorden road north of Talvik Small rest area on the road from Talvik towards Langnes, on the open west shore of the Altafjord. Very dark skyAbout 25 min from Alta
• Skjåholmen rest area · Kvalsund Large rest area with picnic tables at Kvalsund on the road to Hammerfest, a dark stop for anyone driving up from Alta. Very dark skyAbout 1 h 33 from Alta
• Fuglenes · Hammerfest Public car park on the Fuglenes peninsula by the old Skansen fort and the Meridian monument (Struve Geodetic Arc… Some light pollutionAbout 1 h 54 from Alta
• Masi (Máze) rest area · Rv93 Main rest area with toilets on the Rv93 just north of the Sámi village of Masi, halfway between Alta and Kautokeino. Dark skyAbout 1 h 18 from Alta
• Kvænangsfjellet nord rest area · by Gildetun Statens vegvesen rest area on the E6 over Kvænangsfjellet in Kvænangen, 0.6 km from the Gildetun inn, with a viewpoint… Mostly dark skyAbout 1 h 31 from Alta
• Storvikeidet rest area · E6 west of Alta Statens vegvesen main rest area (built 2018) on the E6 west of Alta, with 24/7 toilets and a low horizon to the north… Some light pollutionAbout 9 min from Alta
• Áisaroaivi rest area · E6 Sennalandet Rest area on the E6 on the Sennalandet plateau (Hammerfest municipality), on the open fjell between Alta and Skaidi… Mostly dark skyAbout 1 h 06 from Alta

Drive times are estimates from Alta by straight-line distance, as the app estimates them before it knows your route; ferries and winter closures are not counted.

Good to know in Alta

• Alta, the town of the northern lights Alta has studied the aurora since the Haldde observatory opened in 1899, and the Northern Lights Cathedral in the centre hosts an exhibition on it. Inland valleys south of town are often clearer than the coast. Source
• Guides chase between plateau and coast Alta sits between the dry Finnmark plateau and the Arctic coast, so local guides pick the direction each night from the forecast. Going with a guide raises your chances on nights with patchy cloud. Source

Nearby destinations

• Karasjok 100 km
• Kautokeino 110 km
• Lyngenfjord 130 km
• Kilpisjärvi 140 km
• North Cape 150 km
• Tromsø 170 km