In the early Viking Age, before King Harald Fairhair, the Orkla Valley was also a petty kingdom.

As the river progresses, the valley widens and flattens out.

From Rennebu northwards, the valley is fairly heavily populated with good farmland.

Oppdal Municipality and Skaun Municipality are often traditionally counted as a parts of the district also even though they lie outside the actual valley of the river Orkla.

The river itself actually begins in Oppdal Municipality and then winds its way north to the Trondheimsfjord.