Knutshøe is right next to Besseggen. The hike delivers very similar, stunning views but doesnt take as long and is easier with finding parking. The hike has two passages that are a little bit more exposed and are a little bit more challenging to walk/climb. So would I recommend it ? Absolutely! We even went up there with our tent and enjoyed the stunning views in a sunset/sunrise light all night long.
Hiking Knutshøe promises you stunning views, all along the hike. Its beautiful location in the Jotunheimen Nationalpark makes it a very attractive destination.
Hiking Knutshøe is a challenging, yet rewarding hike. The trail starts right by the parking lot and after you go shortly down and up trough a little valley, the incline up the mountain begins. Most important is to mention that there are two passages where you have to use your hands addiotionally since they are a little steep and exposed. We hiked the up with our heavy backpacks with the tenting gear, so we had to be a little extra catious, but it worked out very fine and we didnt had any problems. Fortunetaly, the first passage is right at the start and the hardest one, so you can see right away if you're comfortable with it. The second one comes at the end at the top but is a little less challenging. There are no or just little markers along the way, so the best is to always check the GPS. The trail follows the ridge to almost the very end, so always stick to that and dont try any shortcuts since they're dead ends or too dangerous.
The start of the trail lays on the scenic route Valdresflye. So even if you dont go there to do the hike, the views from the car will already be worth it. However, there is a parking lot right next to the road (61.464387, 8.808043), where you can park right by the trailhead. The parking is for free, but since the parking lot isnt the biggest one, it can get full quite fast. People parked next to the road aswell, but do to the uneven ground it was very lopsided, so it wasn't a good option for our van.
As everywhere in Norway/Scandinavia the Allemannsretten (Right of Everyone) allows you to access the nature and sleep in it. We brought up our tent and slept on top, which was an unforgettable experience. It was a little windy this day but we managed to find a little covered spot so it went all fine. The whole night is was almost not getting dark, so we got to enjoy sunset and sunrise views almost all night long. Due to the light we could also not sleep that much, so we started with breakfest and the ascent around 4am. Hence we had a beautiful light all the way down. We where quite tired and groggy the rest of the day but it was definetly worth it!