Urho Kekkonen National Park

Trek through this magnificent arctic fell country on foot or on skis, finding your way to a welcoming wilderness hut for the night. This vast park extends eastwards from the resort of Saariselkä through the wilderness of Finnish Lapland all the way to the Russian border. The remote fell of Korvatunturi is famous among Finns as the home of Father Christmas. The night sky is illuminated by the Aurora Borealis in winter and the Midnight Sun in summer.

In Urho Kekkonen National Park, the wilderness areas of the fells are protected for the current and future generations to enjoy. In the second oldest national park in Finland, the tradition of nature-based industries lives on.

Enjoy the peace and tranquillity of fell huts, with wilderness stretching as far as the eye can see. The area's natural beauty can be experienced on long treks in the park's extensive wilderness areas, or on shorter one-day hiking or skiing trips around Saariselkä Fells. The national parks' marked routes are situated aroud Saariselkä for daytrips and more demanding hiking areas are situated in the middel- and eastern parts of the national park for longer treks. The remote fell of Korvatunturi is famous among Finns as the home of Father Christmas.

In nature conservation areas, everyman's rights do not apply in the normal way. Please always check the rules of the destination before making your trip. National parks are nature reserves, whose key task is to safeguard biodiversity and enable people to enjoy and relax in nature on the terms of nature conservation.

All national parks in Finland are managed by Metsähallitus.