Get the app

Outdoors Saariselkä

Urho Kekkonen National Park

An outdoor spot in Saariselkä, free to visit and worth about 3 hours. Best time to go: Midday twilight.

Open in Google Maps Apple Maps Official website
Urho Kekkonen National Park in Saariselkä
Photo: Beasai · CC BY-SA 4.0 · license

Why go

One of Finland's largest national parks, with groomed ski trails, wilderness huts and open fells east of Saariselkä.

It is one of 7 curated places we feature in Saariselkä, alongside 3 activities, 1 place for a drink and 1 outdoor spot. The closest of our other picks is Kiilopää, 22 km away as the crow flies.

Type
Outdoors · Nature
Price
Free
Time needed
3 hr
Best time
Midday twilight

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Saariselkä, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Kiilopää

    Fell centre run by the Finnish outdoor association Suomen Latu, with ski and snowshoe trails and a lakeside smoke sauna.

    Activity · 22 km straight-line
  2. 2
    Ski Saariselkä

    Floodlit downhill slopes and a sledding run on the sides of Kaunispää, a few minutes from the village.

    Activity · 25 km straight-line
  3. 3
    Kaunispää

    438-metre fell above the village with a summit restaurant, ski slopes and an open northern horizon for auroras.

    Outdoors · 25 km straight-line
  4. 4
    Holiday Club Saariselkä Spa

    Spa hotel in the village centre with indoor pools, slides and saunas open to day visitors.

    Activity · 26 km straight-line
  5. 5
    Teerenpesä

    Restaurant and pub in the centre of Saariselkä village, a warm stop between aurora checks.

    Drinks · 26 km straight-line
  6. 6
    Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort

    Resort of glass igloos and log cabins south of Saariselkä, known for watching auroras from bed.

    Stay · 27 km straight-line

On these curated routes

Urho Kekkonen National Park is a stop on our Rovaniemi, Saariselkä & Helsinki route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

When to go

Average daily highs in Saariselkä run from -11°C in January to 17°C in July; July is usually the wettest month. For Urho Kekkonen National Park itself, we suggest: Midday twilight.

Modelled monthly averages for Saariselkä from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Saariselkä weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Urho Kekkonen National Park, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Coordinates
68.33333, 28.00000
Destination
Saariselkä, Finland
Website
nationalparks.fi

Urho Kekkonen National Park: quick answers

How much time do you need at Urho Kekkonen National Park?

Plan on about 3 hours at Urho Kekkonen National Park. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Urho Kekkonen National Park?

Our pick: Midday twilight. Insider tip: Trails start right from the village; carry a headlamp, as daylight is only twilight in December.

Is Urho Kekkonen National Park free?

Yes, we list Urho Kekkonen National Park as free to visit. Check the official website before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.

Which TripsCircle routes include Urho Kekkonen National Park?

Urho Kekkonen National Park appears on Rovaniemi, Saariselkä & Helsinki, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Urho Kekkonen National Park to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Saariselkä.

Get TripsCircle

Plan Saariselkä

Lists & regions

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.