Blue moments, snowy forests, the Milky Way’s stars and the northern lights, illuminating the sky – are all waiting to be discovered by you on your winter hike! The winter trails of Salla National Park showcase the area’s nature in a variety of ways, with options for travelling on foot, on snowshoes, winter cycling, and even by skis. The routes lead outside the national park, where, in addition to the shorter routes, you can explore Ruuhitunturi, also by walking, winter cycling or skiing.
THE OLD FORESTS IN THE SNOWY HIGHLANDS
The winter landscapes of Salla enchant with their snow crowned trees, enticing you to explore the wilderness, even during the colder frosts. During the winter, moist air condenses within Salla’s highlands, clinging to the tops of the fir trees, collecting up to several thousand kilos of snow. The Salla National Park and surrounding areas are a part of the Kuusamo highlands, known for its abundance of snow. In the highlands, there are also plenty of conifer trees for you to admire within the national park, for example, whilst snowshoeing in Iso Pyhätunturi or while winter biking on Tunturikumpu. The best time to admire the snow crowned trees is between December and February, if the weather hasn’t been too windy.
THE ABUNDANT SNOW MAKES SALLA THE PERFECT SKI DESTINATION
In Salla National Park and the surrounding areas, there is an extensive network of trails for cross country skiing – both traditional and skate skiing. There are more than 100 km of maintained routes in total. The Kaunisharju maintained ski track and part of the Around-the-Tunturi route are located within the national park. The majority of the trails in the network, whether it’s a quick ski to a local cafe or an adventure deep into the wilderness, are located outside the Salla National Park. The Kaunisharju route (12 km) runs through a beautiful spruce forest for the majority of the route. Despite the route running relatively close to the tourist centre, skiers can still enjoy the wilderness atmosphere. The Around-the-Tunturi route (8.6 km) goes around the fell – Pieni Pyhätunturi, as its name suggests. A part of the route runs inside the Salla National Park, providing great views of the national park and the highest peak in the area, Iso Pyhätunturi.
CYCLING AROUND PAHAKURU
You can experience a real feeling of the wilderness by winter cycling around the Pahakuru circuit (18 km). The route showcases almost all of the finest landmarks within Salla National Park. Winter cyclists can enjoy the old forests, as well as Scots pines, Hemlocks, and a variety of evergreens. There are plenty of fell landscapes along the route that are visible in many directions, with Iso Pyhätunturi being visible from several different directions. The finest part of the route is the Pahakuru rest stop, with its ancient trees, rocky gorges and the cliffs of Aatsinginhauta, rising above the trees. For a winter cycling trip, you must remember to be well equipped. You can travel long distances, quickly by bike and phone coverage is not always guaranteed. Make sure you pack enough warm clothes, a fully charged phone, a map, snacks and something to drink!
WINTER LANDSCAPES WHILE SNOWSHOEING AND WALKING
Salla’s fell landscapes are well suited for snowshoeing. A popular snowshoeing route within the national park is the Sky Reachers Journey (4.7 km) allowing you to reach the top of Iso Pyhätunturi. The route leads hikers up the fell, through beautiful forests, right up to treeless summit. From the observation tower located on the peak, you can admire the pure white landscape and on a clear day you can see the old Sallatunturi on the Russian side, surrounded by the beautiful Lapland snowscapes. Kaunisharju’s winter walking route (1.5 km / direction) mostly winds through thick pine forests. The route will lead you to the Kaunisharju natural phenomena observation site, which is located on top of a steep ridge. At the observation point, you can admire the landscapes opening up to the north, over the national park. If you are lucky and the weather is favourable, you may even catch a glimpse of the northern lights blazing through the sky. You can begin planning a winter trip in the national park from the destination’s website. You can find a lot of information about the area’s routes, attractions, servicesand the unique nature. You will also find handy tips for exploring the Salla National Park from the Salla Nature Centre. The nature exhibition inside makes the Nature Centre worth visiting all by itself. In the renovated, experiential nature exhibition, you can become familiar the area’s nature, animals, cultural history and hiking opportunities.
