Snowshoeing and skiing in Saariselkä

7 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

Urho Kekkonen National Park stretches east from Saariselkä all the way to the Russian border. Metsähallitus, which manages Finland’s national parks, gives its area as 2,550 km² and calls it the second-largest national park in the country. It was founded in 1983 and named after the former president; the wider forest wilderness, part of which it protects, is called Koilliskaira. Close to the village you move along marked trails and maintained ski tracks. Further in, you navigate with map and compass.

The snowshoe and ski tours by Outdoor Expert start a few steps from the park border. Downhill skiing has its own place too: Finland’s northernmost ski resort covers the slopes of Kaunispää and Iisakkipää right next to the village. Our page on Saariselkä village covers the slopes.

Tracks, winter trails and the rules

The regional tourist office counts about 200 km of maintained cross-country ski tracks around Saariselkä. Do not confuse this with the roughly 200 km of marked hiking trails that Metsähallitus lists around Saariselkä, Kiilopää and Kakslauttanen, of which about 80 km lie inside the national park. They are separate networks.

The tracks are run by a local cooperative under the name Saariselkä Trails. Most are groomed every morning, and part of the network is lit from 06:00 to 22:00, which matters in December and January when the sun barely rises or stays below the horizon. One trail fee covers the ski tracks, the winter trails and the snowmobile trails. The ski tracks are for skiing only. For walking, snowshoeing, fat biking or taking your dog, use the maintained winter trails, and note that dogs are allowed on only two ski tracks, on a lead.

The main track from Saariselkä via Laanila, Kiilopää and Kakslauttanen to Tieva and Muotka is the first to open once there is enough snow. Saariselkä does not store snow from the previous winter, so the first track is made from artificial and natural snow, usually in late October or early November. In 2025/26 grooming ran until 3 May.

Inside the park, everyman’s rights do not apply in full. The park is divided into zones, and camping is only allowed at designated sites. Reindeer graze here too, and the Sámi Parliament asks visitors never to approach a herd without the owner’s permission, also on skis.

Snowshoe walks from Saariselkä

Outdoor Expert Saariselkä has its office a few steps from the national park border, and its snowshoe walks start there. You choose a two-hour walk, a four-hour walk or a two-hour evening walk, in a group of up to ten. Snowshoes and a warm drink are included; outdoor clothing is your own. The operator describes the walks as suitable for beginners and for experienced snowshoers. A guest remarks that you could in theory walk the route alone, and the winter trails are indeed open to everyone.

Safartica’s daytime snowshoe safari lasts 2.5 hours, picks up from your accommodation and ends with hot chocolate and marshmallows. Warm clothes and the snowshoe gear are included, and guests must be at least 12. In the dark, Safartica also runs a 2.5-hour snowshoe walk with an eye on the northern lights; a guest called it quite a physical activity. Lapland Welcome combines snowshoeing with ice fishing and a light lunch at an open fire.

Snowshoeing from Ivalo

Two treks start in Ivalo rather than Saariselkä. Arctic Guides meets at the K-Market car park, picks up within 10 km of Ivalo and leads up to eight people for three hours, with snowshoes, poles, warm drinks and a light snack; thermal clothing is available if you need it. The operator describes it as suitable for all fitness levels and needs at least two guests.

Xwander’s evening trek in the polar night starts from its headquarters in Ivalo and lasts three hours, with overalls, boots, hot drinks and snacks provided. Transfers from Saariselkä, Kiilopää, Kakslauttanen, Inari and Nellim are offered at extra cost. A guest found it very strenuous.

A first cross-country lesson

Outdoor Expert also teaches cross-country skiing. The lesson lasts 90 minutes and starts at the company’s office in Saariselkä, with the ski equipment provided. It runs as a private lesson or in a small group, and the operator replied to a guest that it needs at least two participants and that lessons start at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00. Bring your own warm clothes in layers.

After the lesson, the tracks around the village are the obvious place to practise. The tourist office calls April especially popular, with longer days, milder temperatures and good spring conditions. By 1 March the sun is already up from 07:33 to 17:14, and on 1 April it sets after 20:00.

Backcountry skiing off the tracks

For skiing away from the groomed tracks, Outdoor Expert runs guided backcountry tours of two to four hours for up to six people aged 8 and over, with the skis and a warm drink included. According to the operator, they are usually easier for beginners than classic cross-country skis, so this is also an option if the lesson on the tracks felt hard. On one tour the guide switched to an alternative because of the weather, so be ready for a change of plan on stormy days.

Kiilopää and the fells

Kiilopää rises to 546 metres and is one of the highest and best-known fells in the Saariselkä area. A marked trail of about 2 km each way leads to the top from the Kiilopää gateway to the national park, and in winter the ski bus serves Kiilopää. The fell centre there is known for Kuurakaltio, a smoke sauna. For more on the park, its huts and its trails, see Urho Kekkonen National Park, and for clothing on the trail, what to wear.