The Nigardsbreen is one of the most visited glaciers of the entire Jostedal Glacier. It is easily accessible, and for more than fifty years experienced guides have offered hikes on the ice.
All of the Jostedalsbreen Glacier is protected, through establishing the Jostedalsbreen National Park in 1991, and earlier the Nigardsbreen Nature Reserve.
The glacier is not static, it runs downhill like a river in slow-motion. The amount of snow surplus from year to year on the ice cap decides the speed of the downhill movement. But due to melting, the movement does not make the glacier grow constantly. The balance between speed and melting decides if it actually grows or shrinks. Forskarar forventar at breen kan koma til å trekke seg tilbake 300 meter dei neste fire åra.