In the national parks of Sodankylä you can find some of the most beautiful snow shoe landscapes in the country. Follow the marked routes and you’re sure of a lovely time.
Snow-shoe routes in the Urho Kekkonen National Park and in Luosto
If you know how to walk, you know how to walk in show shoes. In a deep snowdrift, walking in snow shoes is even easier than normal walking! So, go for a walk in snow shoes on the beautiful Ukko-Luosto ridge or in the landscapes of the Urho Kekkonen National Park. A choice of marked routes awaits you in both national parks. As the spring approaches the routes are often so well-travelled that you can walk on them in normal winter shoes.
Snow-shoe walking is much harder work than walking, although it is fun. Don’t over-estimate your fitness level, and always remember to carry a bottle of water with you.
Hire snow shoes easily on site
You can hire snow shoes quickly and easily from tourist firms operating in the national parks. Many firms also offer guided snow-shoe hikes.
Our route tips in Luosto
In Luosto, you can go snow-show walking from Off-Piste 4 (map), for example. There is a large car park on site in the middle of the village and on the slope of the fell. You can download a PDF map of the Luosto snow-shoe walking routes here.
- The route to Torvisen Maja is 3.7 km in each direction. Along the route, just a kilometre or so from Off-Piste 4, is the Tikkalaavu shelter, a picnic spot maintained by the Forestry Administration If you continue your journey all the way to Torvisen Maja, you can enjoy the treats of an atmospheric cabin café (during opening hours).
- A circle route from the bottom of the Luosto ski slope will take you to the Lampivaara Amethyst Mine. The route is 7 km long from Off-Piste 4. You can shorten the circuit by leaving your car at the carpark on Ukko-Luostontie, which will make the walk just 5 km long. You can find a map on this page.
Routes in Tankavaara and Kiilopää
The Tankavaara routes begin at the parking lot of Tankavaara conference center and the Gold museum and the Kiilopää routes at the Kiilopää gate. You can find all the routes and extra information on Luontoon.fi.
There are several routes and we recommend these ones at the very least!
- The Tankavaara Urpiainen Trail and the Kiilopää Vasapolku trail, are both 1 km long circle walks and ideal for families with children. There are picnic spots at the start and end of the Urpiainen trail and Vasanpolku trail.
- The Geological Trail, 7 km long, starts at Tankavaara. The route is tamped down for snow-shoe walkers from time to time.
- The Kuukkeli Trail is a 6 km circle route in Tankavaara. The route takes you to the top of the Pikku-Tankavaara hill, where you can admire the Nattanen fells on a clear day. There is a fireplace and a cabin along the route.
If you wish, you can also snow-shoe walk your own path, while taking consideration of others and honouring the everyman’s rights. Please note that not all routes are tamped down in the winter, so you could end up having to wade through deep snowdrifts. Take plenty of drinking water with you and don’t overestimate your fitness level.
