Urho Kekkonen National Park
Finland · Lapland · Saariselkä
Finland's second largest national park, covering 2,550 km² of subarctic wilderness northeast of Saariselkä. Ancient fell plateaus, primeval spruce forests, and reindeer herds form a landscape that has barely changed since the last ice age.
Named after Finland's longest-serving president, Urho Kekkonen National Park protects a vast swath of the Finnish-Russian border zone. The park is accessed via a network of wilderness huts — some free, some reservable — that allow multi-day treks deep into landscapes where mobile phone signals fade and the sky takes over. The Saariselkä fell area at the park's western edge is the most visited, offering accessible day hikes with panoramic views over the treeline. The eastern sections, reachable only on foot or ski, are among the most remote places in the EU. In winter the park transforms into one of Finland's prime cross-country skiing destinations.
Practical info
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