Perched beside the vast Hardangerjøkulen glacier, Finse’s Snowy Plains captures the austere beauty of Norway’s high alpine landscape. This remote outpost became forever linked with cinema when the glacier and surrounding ridges stood in for the ice world Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back, shot during punishing snowstorms that etched a sense of isolation into its terrain. The atmosphere here is a hush of wind and powdery snow, with trains from Oslo or Bergen rumbling into the small station and travelers feeling miles from anywhere. Today, the site draws hikers, photographers, and Star Wars fans who seek the same stark terrain that helped shape a galaxy far, far away.

Perched on the high plateau of Finse, the research outpost embodies alpine isolation and a spirit of exploration. Located near the edge of the Hardangerjøkulen glacier, Finse Station has long served as a hub for scientific study in extreme conditions, drawing researchers to its windswept, sunlit terrain. The remote, snow-swept landscape creates a stark, cinematic atmosphere that has attracted filmmakers and hikers alike. Notably, the area’s icy expanses were used to depict the planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back, cementing Finse’s place in science fiction folklore and film history.

Finse sits on the edge of Norway’s high alpine plateau in Vestland, where stark glacier-blue terrain and wind-swept plains create a dramatic, otherworldly atmosphere. The location earned lasting fame as the icy world Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back, with exterior scenes filmed on the Hardangerjøkulen glacier during severe winter weather. Its remote, elevated setting exudes a quiet, rugged beauty—cold winds, endless white vistas, and a sense of isolation that invites quiet exploration as trains chug in and out of the tiny station. Today, visitors encounter a rare blend of film lore and wild alpine scenery, where legends of cinema history meet the real-world drama of high-mountain landscapes (with safety reminders about avalanches and protected areas).