Skjolden is located at the head of Sognefjorden, Norway's longest fjord. Nicknamed the ‘King of the Fjords,’ Sognefjord extends 127 miles (205 km) inland. During the last major glaciation, ice reached a maximum thickness here of nearly 9,800’ (3,000 m). People have been in this area for thousands of years. In August, 2006, a discovery was made that dates early Neolithic migrants in the Skjolden area to some 4,000 years ago. Known as the Jotunheimen shoe, it the oldest article of clothing ever discovered in Scandinavia.
Bordering the fjord is nearby Jotunheimen National Park. Established in 1980, it is situated in the heart of the Scandinavian mountains and is regarded as one of Norway’s main wilderness areas. This is true mountain wilderness in the purest sense, 29 of Norway’s highest peaks are in Jotunheimen, including the highest, Galdhøpiggen, at 8100’ (2,469 m). One of Norway’s tallest waterfalls, Vassbakken, which plunges nearly 750’ (230 m), can also be seen here.