Oulanka National Park

Oulanka is a park of moving water: clear rivers, roaring rapids and gorges cut through pine forest near the Russian border. Its Bear's Trail, the Karhunkierros, is one of the classic long-distance hikes of Finland, strung with suspension bridges over the whitewater.

History

The first inhabitants of the area were Sámi, who lived here until the end of the 17th century, when Finnish settlers arrived, and hunting, fishing and later farming were the main ways of life. From the 1930s the Finnish Tourist Association kept boats on the river and restored the old wooden cabins across the area as free shelters for hikers. The national park was founded in 1956 and enlarged in 1982 and 1989 to 270 km², bordering Russia's Paanajärvi National Park, and in 2002 it became the first Finnish park to join the WWF's PAN Parks network (Wikipedia, Oulanka National Park).

What's there

• The Bear's Trail - the famous long hiking route past rapids, gorges and hanging bridges.
• Kiutakongas rapids - powerful red-rock rapids on the Oulanka river.
• Suspension bridges - swaying wire footbridges over the rushing water.
• Wild flowers and rare plants - the calcareous soil supports flora rare in Finland.

When to go

Summer for hiking and high water; late August and September for autumn colour and fewer mosquitoes. The full Bear's Trail takes several days; day walks sample the best of it.

Before you go

The full trail is a genuine multi-day wilderness hike needing proper kit and planning, though shorter loops give you the highlights in a day. Mosquitoes are fierce in midsummer. It is remote in the far north-east, so reaching it takes real travel.

Nearby

The Ruka ski resort and Kuusamo are close; the Kitka river rapids offer rafting nearby.

Key facts