Hiking
Venturing outside marked trails requires hiking and orienteering skills and getting forward in deep snow in the winter is an additional challenge. You can experience this vast wilderness by skiing in the winter and on foot during the snow-free season.
Although hiking trails are not marked in the terrain, established trails have emerged in the park, which are also marked on hiking maps. They are usually located in terrain with medium difficulty. Hikers are recommended to use existing paths.
Urho Kekkonen National Park has a unique network of wilderness huts and reservable huts and numerous other campsites. Even if you intend to stay overnight in the huts, you should always bring your own tent/shelter. And even if you stay overnight in a tent, it is a good idea to plan your hike from one hut to another, from one campsite to another. This way, you can use chopped firewood and toilets, and some huts also have a sauna. It is also environmentally friendly hiking.
- A map and a compass as well as orienteering skills are always essential on a hike. A GPS locator alone is not sufficient.
- Winter hikes require wider fell skis or forest skis, as you will travel through pristine snow.
- The most common starting points for wilderness hikes: Kiilopää and Saariselkä as well as Raja-Jooseppi in the northern part of the park and the Aittajärvi parking area in summer. On the Savukoski side, the starting points for hikes include the Kemihaara parking area and the Haukijärvi parking area in Nuorttijoki.
With map and compass to Luirojärvi
There is no marked trail to Luirojärvi. Luirojärvi is a popular wilderness destination located in the middle of Urho Kekkonen National Park. No matter which direction you come from, you should allocate several days for the trip. There are many routes to Luirojärvi, allowing you to see other natural attractions of the wilderness national park along the way.