The history of tree houses

It all started with the idea of living in the treetops

The story of Tretopphytter.no began in the early 2000s. Frode’s deep interest in nature, the outdoors, and memorable experiences gave him an idea: Why not build cabins high up among the trees—and let guests experience nature from a whole new perspective?

There were no similar places to stay in Norway. The idea marked the beginning of an adventure that has continued to evolve.

After many hours in the woods—climbing, building, testing, and developing—it was The Pine Hut complete. It became Norway’s first treehouse approved for overnight stays, and interest was immediate. The media began writing about the project, and guests came to experience something completely new.

Today, it is actually the third, modernized edition of " The Pine Hut " that welcomes our guests.

From a single cabin to an entire treetop cabin concept

The Pine Hut marked the beginning of a process in which each new cabin has given us the opportunity to try out new ideas and solutions.

The Larch Hut It was built according to architectural plans and came into being in collaboration with the landowner, Veldre Almenning, who also became a co-owner. The cabin became larger and more comfortable, featuring, among other things, a solar panel system, a shower, and a composting toilet. Builder and friend Steinar Kråbøl became an important partner in the project.

Since we wanted to make the treehouse experience accessible to even more people, we built The Spruce Hut. Here, a 35-meter-long, open wooden ramp was chosen instead of stairs, so that families with small children and strollers, as well as guests with mobility challenges, could reach the cabin.

Then came The Sky Hut —our first cabin with large skylights. Here, guests could lie in their beds on the loft and look straight up at the starry sky. The cabin also earned a very special place in Norwegian TV history when the show The Sky Hut with Dorthe Skappel aired on TV 2 over several Saturday evenings.

The Birch Hut It featured an even larger porch, large sliding doors, and a brighter aesthetic. Here, we continued to develop the idea that the cabin itself should be part of the nature experience—not just a place to sleep.

When Dreams Come True

The Climbing Hut Helgøya turned out to be a very special project. It was built in collaboration with Pete Nelson and the team from Treehouse Masters in the U.S. The project later became a 50-minute documentary on Animal Planet.

And then came The View Nest —perhaps our most unconventional project.

The cabin is built from a single pine tree and can be rotated around the tree. This allows guests to choose which direction they want the view to face, depending on the sun, wind, and weather. You can go to sleep looking out at the sunset and wake up to the morning sun.

As far as we know, The View Nest is the world’s first rotating treehouse.

Two people—one shared project

Frode started out on his own with that first wild idea. Ann-Marijoined later, and together we've continued to develop Tretopphytter.no.

We are different, and that is precisely what has been our strength.

Frode has always had a strong creative drive—the ideas, the curiosity, and the desire to build something no one else has done before. Ann-Mari has contributed different perspectives, structure, execution, and an eye for the guest, the experience, and the details. And perhaps it is precisely this combination of daring to think big while also paying attention to the small details that has made it possible to develop Tretopphytter.no over the past 20 years.

Forest View – All the Experiences in One Cabin

In the fall of 2025, a new chapter began in our history when we purchased Forest View from the Veldre e Almenning.

The cabin was originally part of a small cabin project that never came to fruition. We saw an opportunity to create something new—a cabin that isn’t a traditional treehouse, but one that builds on the same idea: getting close to nature and making the location itself part of the experience.

Forest View was renovated to include, among other things, a spacious sleeping alcove, a large porch with a wood-fired hot tub, and a location high above the forest with a fantastic view. We’ve also made it easy to enjoy birdwatching and wildlife encounters.

Here, we’ve drawn on our experience from seven Tretop huts and many years of hosting guests, building, developing, and enjoying nature —and we’ve incorporated much of what we’ve learned into one new cabin.

We build for nature—and one day we'll give it back

Building Tretop huts is both challenging and costly. The cabins must withstand wind, weather, snow, and extreme temperature fluctuations, and therefore require constant maintenance. But the trees and nature are always the starting point. The treetop cabins are not meant to last forever. When a cabin has reached the end of its useful life, it must be dismantled. Then nature reclaims the area and the trees.

We’ve been allowed to use a small part of the forest—and we’re grateful for that. Perhaps this is the most important part of our story: We’ve never just wanted to build cabins in the trees. We’ve wanted to create experiences that bring people closer to nature.