What can one do in Koli National Park?
Walk on Marked Trails
The trails in Koli National Park are marked clearly and they are excellent
for day trips as well as for longer treks. There are around 70 km of marked
trails in the park. The 2,5 km Kasken kierros Nature Trail is excellent for
school groups and families, while the more demanding 40 km Herajärvi
Trail (www.vaellus.info, in Finnish) offers more of a challenge.
Go Wilderness Trekking
The 40-km-long Herajärvi Hiking Trail can be considered demanding. Different
lodging options along the trail include a hotel, a rental cottage, a lean-to
shelter and a camping site. The E10, a European long-distance hiking trail, also
leads through the National Park. The national UKK Trail in turn leads north from
Ukko-Koli Hill to Vuokatti. All the main trails in the park are part of the Karelian
Circuit (www.vaellus.info, in Finnish).
Read more about Koli National Park trails.
Go Canoeing and Rowing
Waters in the Koli area offer a challenge for those going canoeing or
rowboating. Lake Pielinen is vast and demanding, while Lake Herajärvi is narrow
and long. A 40 km hiking trail called Herajärven kierros circles Lake Herajärvi.
There are private tourist services in the area, which rent out canoes and row
boats.
Go Canoe Trekking
Right outside the boundaries of the National Park there is a boating route,
which is over 10-km-long. It runs from Lake Ahmolampi to Lake Savijärvi and on
to Lake Ylemmäinen. Camping is allowed on the shores surrounding the boating
route.
Go Sailing and Motor Boating
Lake Pielinen is Finland’s fifth largest lake and is well-suited for sailing
and motorboating. It is even possible to travel all the way to the Gulf of
Finland along water routes from Lake Pielinen. The new harbour at Koli has new
services for boaters. Visitors can also rent
row boats at the harbour. There are campfire sites on the islands in Lake
Pielinen belonging to the National Park. Its possible to land at these islands
with motor boats, but there are no actual boat stages or ramps.
Go Bird Watching
There is an abundance of birds in the National Park and they populate the
park considerably densely. Read more about birds on the park’s natural features page.
See the Sights and Scenery
Lookout points and well-known sights in the National Park are the hills
Ukko-Koli, Akka-Koli, Paha-Koli, Mäkrä and Ipatti. The National Park’s heritage
farms Mattila, Ollila and Lakkala have been restored to there original
state.
See the Visitor Centre
Visitor Centre Ukko is located at Ukko-Koli. The visitor centre has
an information desk, exhibitions, slideshows and a nature shop. Conference and
rental cottage reservations can be made at Visitor Centre Ukko.
Walk on Nature Trail
There a several nature trails all with different themes in Koli National
Park. Most trails have a teaching package in Finnish, which is meant for school
groups. The trails can be walked alone or with a guide.
Ski Cross-country on Maintained Trails
There are 50 km of maintained skiing
trails in and around the National Park suited for both classical and
free-style cross-country skiing. The lit trail which starts at Loma-Koli is 22
km long. Skiing trails crossing the hills in the park are more demanding but
only 3 and 7 km long.
Go Ski Trekking
The Loma-Koli - Kopravaara skiing trail
(22 km) offers the opportunity of going on a mini wilderness trek during winter.
Skiers can camp along the trail or stay overnight in a lean-to shelter.
Go Fishing
Those with the required permits are allowed to fish in the waters of Lake
Pielinen. All traditional types of fishing are allowed. Fishing permits can be
purchased at the Koli Village shop PKO-Sale, tel. int. +358 13 672 206 and
at Visitor Centre Ukko, tel. int. +358 205 64 5654. If you wish to lure
fish, you will only need the Pielinen lure fishing permit, which is sold by the
Koli Village shop.
Go Cycling
Finnish National Biking Route 6 passes through Koli Village and passes by
Lakes Herajärvi and Jero. There are also roads crisscrossing the National Park,
where cycling is allowed. Cycling is forbidden on hiking and nature trails.
Go Horseback Riding
Farmhouse Paimentupa
(www.paimentupa.fi), a private tourist enterprise in Koli organises
cross-country riding excursions on the little roads in the National Park.
Go on Guided Group Tour at the Visitor Centre
Outdoor tours, snowshoe walking excursions and wilderness treks, in and
around Koli National Park, are organised by private tourist and guide services.
Ukko-Kolin Ystävät ry, the National Park’s support organisation organises
special group tours of Visitor Centre Ukko exhibitions for a fee. All
reservations for tours can be made by e-mailing tour services at Visitor Centre Ukko.
Go Berry and Mushroom Picking
Picking berries and mushrooms for your own use is allowed in Koli National
Park. It is typical of the area that blueberry, lingonberry and raspberry crops
are abundant. The most common eatable mushrooms are also found in the area.
Go Swimming
There are many peaceful sandy beaches on the shores of Lake Pielinen. The
best equipped swimming spot with, amongst other things, changing rooms is at the
Koli harbour. Other sandy beaches are located along the National Park’s
shoreline all the way to its southern most point.
Go Snowshoe
Walking
The most popular activity after skiing during winter is snowshoe walking.
Showshoes enable visitors to see the hills and landscape closer and more
thoroughly than hikers and skiers do. Private tourist service Koli Activ Oy (www.koliactiv.fi, in Finnish)
rent out snowshoes.