Koli National Park Trails

Parking

When setting off from Nature Centre Ukko's Upper Yard, park your car in the upper yard's parking area P1 (for short-term parking) or P2 (for long-term parking). In the village of Koli, you can park your car in the designated area next to the Kulmakivi tourist information building. There are also parking areas at Koli Harbour and at Ollila. When hiking in the southern parts of the national park, you can park your car at the Likolahti, Paimenenvaara, Peiponpelto, Pirunkirkko, Seppälä parking areas and Rykiniemi and the Rantatie Road lay-bys.

Summer Trails

• There are several alternative starting points for the summer trails which you will find in each trail's description.
  • Starting from Nature Centre Ukko's Upper Yard, there are trails that continue across the Koli peaks to the national park's southernmost areas. In addition to these, there are also trails beginning from the upper yard that run via the Kolin Uuro gorge to the shore of Lake Pielinen and to the north to Koli Harbour and the village of Koli.
  • Koli Harbour and the village of Koli are also popular starting points.
  • In addition, there are starting points by the Rantatie Road and all the national park's parking areas.

Scenic Trails 

Huippujen kierros Trail ("The Trail of The Tops"), 1.4 km Circle Trail

When there is no snow on the ground, travel time 0.5–1 h.

Using the trail without stairs, most of the circle trail can be accessed with a pram. 

Starting Point: Koli Nature Centre Ukko Upper Yard, Ylä-Kolintie 39, Koli

Description of the Huippujen kierros Trail

Ukko-Koli, 0.4 km / Direction

When there is no snow on the ground, travel time 0.5 h.

Visitors with prams can also walk this trail without using stairs all the way to the scenic lookout.

Starting Point: Koli Nature Centre Ukko Upper Yard, crossroad no. 11 behind the Nature Centre, Ylä-Kolintie 39, Koli

Description of the Ukko-Koli, back-and-forth trail

Sataman polku ("Harbour trail"), 2.1 km / Direction

When there is no snow on the ground, travel time 1,5–2 h.

The steep slopes make this trail challenging. The ascent from the other side of Ipatti via Vaaralanaho is a bit easier. 

Starting Point: Koli harbour, Rantatie 12, Koli

Description of the Sataman polku, back-and-forth trail

Nature Trails

Kasken Kierros Nature Trail, 2.5-5 km Circle Trail

When there is no snow on the ground, this relatively easy basic trail (2.5 km) takes 1-2 hours to walk.

Starting Points: The main trail is just over 2 km long, with up to an additional 2.5 km depending on the starting point. The shortest trail is when starting from Koli harbour (Rantatie 12, 200 m longer); the longest is from the Upper Yard (Ylä-Kolintie 39, tot. 2.4 km longer). In addition to this, visitors can start at Koli village, walking first to, for example, Mattila (approx. 2 km longer) or from the Ollilla parking area (Ylä-Kolintie 12, 800 m longer).

Description of the Kasken Kierros Nature Trail 

Kolinuuron Kierros Nature Trail, 3.5 km Circle Trail

When there is no snow on the ground, travel time over 1h.

This trail is somewhat demanding due to major variations in elevation.

Starting Point: Koli Nature Centre Ukko Upper Yard, Ylä-Kolintie 39, Koli

Trail description of the Kolinuuron Kierros Nature Trail 

Other Circle Trails

Koli Summer Café Tour, 6.8 km Circle Trail

When there is no snow on the ground. Walking time: one day.

Most of the trail sections are wide and in good condition, but the altitude differences are considerable.

Starting Points: You can start the café tour from any café.

Description of the Koli Summer Café Tour

Mäkrän kierros Trail, 7.5 km Circle Trail

When there is no snow on the ground, travel time 3-4 h.

The trail is challenging due to major variations in elevation.

Starting Point: Koli Nature Centre Ukko Upper Yard, Ylä-Kolintie 39, Koli

Trail description of the Mäkrän kierto Trail

Hiking Trails

Herajärvi Trail (30 to 61 km)

When there is no snow on the ground. Visitors are recommended to reserve three days (of which the first and last are not full hiking days) for the trail around the northern end of Lake Herajärvi, and four days for the entire 60 km trail.

The Herajärvi trail is a demanding hiking trail, as it is slow to walk and there are variations in elevation. 

Starting Points: Several starting points.

Description of the Herajärvi Trail

Boating Routes

A boating fairway leads to Koli Harbour across Lake Pielinen from Lieksa, from Juuka and Nurmes in the north as well as through Ahveninen from the Pielisjoki River and Joensuu in the south.  Lake Pielinen is linked with Lake Saimaa by fairways.

Read more about boating routes.

Canoeing Routes    

Paddling on Lake Pielinen can be challenge due to the long, open expanses of the lake, but the experience of paddling across wilderness-like waters is unforgettable.

Read more on canoeing routes.

Biking Trails
 

Finnish National Biking Route 6

Starting Point: You can get onto it from main road 6, which runs between Joensuu and Kajaani. From main road 6 turn onto road 515 in the direction of Ahveninen and then turn left onto the biking route.

Read more about biking routes.

Riding Trails

Farmhouse Paimentupa (paimentupa.fi) arranges cross-country riding excursions along small roads in Koli National Park.

Winter Trails

In the winter, you can go cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, walking and downhill skiing in the Koli National Park.  The winter trails in the Koli National Park invite you to a wide range of winter sports. The national park and its vicinity boast more than 50 km of maintained cross-country ski trails. The Koli peaks also attract snowshoers, in particular, however you can also walk along the trodden paths, summer trails and the maintenance tracks. You can even go downhill skiing on the Ukko-Koli ski slopes. The snowmobile route near the village of Koli passes by the National Park. There is updated information on the state of the campfire sites, winter trails and maintenance routes on the What is New page.

Walking Routes

Ukko-Koli, back-and-forth trail, length 0.8 km

Travel time 0.5h.

Starting Point: Koli Nature Centre Ukko Upper Yard, Ylä-Kolintie 39, Koli

Description of the Ukko-Koli, back-and-forth trail

Cross-country Skiing Trails

Track maps showing the hours, skill level and length of each track can be obtained from most businesses in the Koli area. For updated track information, contact Koli Tourist Information at (tel.) +358 45 1387 429. See up-to-date track information on the Koli website (koli.fi) or download a track map at mapline.fi/koli. Tracks are maintained by Kolin Latupooli. Hannu Mustonen oversees maintenance of the ski tracks +358 400 204 373. Track feedback can be submitted at info(at)koli.fi.

Please Note
For safety reasons, skiers are requested to keep to the maintained ski trails particularly in the area of the Koli peaks.

The hillyskiing trails of the Koli National Park, 3 and 7 km Circle Trails

The ski trails are unlit.

The 3-km ski trail is not demanding and suited mainly for classical cross-country skiing. The 7-km ski trail is demanding because of the steep ascents and descents. 

Starting Point: Ukko-Koli at the number 2 parking area (P2)

Description of the hillyskiing trails

The Loma-Koli - Kopravaara, a lit ski trail, 22 km

Trail is lit and suited for both classical and free-style cross-country skiing. The trail can be skied in both directions.

The trail has demanding and semi demanding parts.

Starting Points: Kopravaara, Jero, Leppäsärkkä (Ylä-Kolintie Road 16), the village of Koli and Loma-Koli.

Description of the Loma-Koli - Kopravaara, a lit ski trail

Snowshoeing Trails

Snowshoeing trail on the Koli peaks, 1.5 km Circle Trail

Starting Point: Koli Nature Centre Ukko Upper Yard, crossroad no. 11 behind the Nature Centre, Ylä-Kolintie 39, Koli

Description of the snowshoeing trail on the Koli peaks

The Koli peaks - the village of Koli, 3 km in one direction

Starting Points: The village of Koli and Koli Nature Centre Ukko Upper Yard

Description of the Koli peaks - the village of Koli

The snowshoeing trail from Ukko-Koli Hill onto the shores of Lake Pielinen, approx. 2 km / in one direction

Starting Point: Koli Nature Centre Ukko Upper Yard, crossroad no. 11 behind the Nature Centre, Ylä-Kolintie 39, Koli

Description of the snowshoeing trail from Ukko-Koli Hill onto the shores of Lake Pielinen

Downhill Skiing

The Ukko-Koli ski slopes (koli.fi) 

For safety reasons, downhill skiing is prohibited outside the Ukko-Koli slope areas on the Koli peaks. 

Starting Point: The parking area for the ski slopes, equipment rental and the ticket office is located along the Rantatie Road by the Rinnetupa hut.

Riding Trails

You can visit the national park's cultural landscape on horseback in winter as well. Further information is available at the Paimentupa farmhouse (en.paimentupa.fi).

Snowmobile Routes

In Koli National Park, snowmobiling is prohibited, including the islands. The snowmobile route runs outside Koli National Park from Ahmovaara (via the village of Koli) onto Lake Pielinen, passing by Koli Harbour and Hiekkasaaret Islands. By Koli Harbour and the Rinnetupa hut, snowmobiles can be parked on the ice. From Koli, the snowmobile route further continues to Juuka and Nurmes, Lieksa and finally to Eno and Joensuu.