Oulanka National Park is a nature reserve that has been founded as a public natural feature of interest. The natural world and species in the national park are amongst the most outstanding in Finland. It is important to study matters dealing with the national park in advance and prepare yourself properly for your trip by reading the instructions, rules and regulations of the park.
Different rules apply to different zones of Oulanka National Park as regards getting around in nature, camping and lighting campfires: the rules are different in the original part of the park, the aapa mire part of the park and the area of Kitkanniemi. You can see the zones in the rules and regulations for Oulanka (in Finnish, appended map 1, p. 7, pdf, julkaisut.metsa.fi).
Getting around in nature is limited in the restricted areas and the border zone. Take a look at the restricted areas in the national park on the Excursionmap.fi website.
Respect Nature
The outdoor activities in the Oulanka National Park are guided with the rules and regulations. When getting around in nature, let’s show respect for it. Take a look at the Outdoor Etiquette.
Please don’t share any such contents on the Internet that break the rules of the national park.
Letting pets run free is forbidden. The dogs that are used for hunting and reindeer husbandry do not need be kept on a leash during those activities.
Getting around in Nature
In the Oulanka National Park, you may freely walk, snowshoe, ski, row and canoe, except in the restricted areas and the border zone:
- It is forbidden to enter the restricted areas of Pähkänänkallio and Koivumutka from 1 April to 15 August. The Karhunkierros Trail runs along the southern border of the restricted area, and you are not allowed to leave the trail to the restricted area.
- It is forbidden to enter the area of Juuman vuomat from 1 April to 31 December, except for along the marked trails. You must travel along the marked trail when hiking along the Pieni Karhunkierros Trail.
- It is forbidden to enter the restricted area of Korvasvaara from 1 April to 31 December.
- The eastern edge of the aapa mire part of the park belongs to the border zone that may not be entered without a permit granted by the Finnish Border Guard. The border zone has been marked in the terrain and on maps.
Camping
Temporary camping is allowed in the original part of the national park and Kitkanniemi in the following places: in the immediate vicinity of the rest spots and campfire sites that have been marked on the map and in the terrain, very close to the huts, as well as at the camping sites that have been marked in the terrain. The wilderness huts have been listed on the Services page. All huts, lean-to shelters and campfire sites in Oulanka are available on the Excursionmap.fi website.
You are allowed to camp freely in the aapa mire area in the northern part of the national park.
In the area of Kitkanniemi, locals are also allowed to camp temporarily – when fishing – in other places than at the marked camping sites.
Lighting Campfires
Lighting an open fire in the Oulanka National Park is allowed at the maintained campfire sites that have been marked on the map and in the terrain. You are only allowed to use the firewood that has been reserved for the purpose. The person who lights the campfire is always responsible for the fire.
The use of a portable camping stove is allowed in areas where hiking is allowed.
In the aapa mire part of the national park, making a campfire is allowed – in addition to at the maintained campfire sites – on shores, using branches or twigs that lie on the ground, or other low-value wood.
During the Wildfire Warning:
- Lighting an open fire is forbidden everywhere, including at the marked campfire sites, when a wildfire warning (ilmatieteenlaitos.fi) is in effect.
- The ban does not concern the cooking shelters or other fireplaces with a chimney, which are the Kiutaköngäs, Harrisuvanto and Jyrävä cooking shelters.
- During the wildfire warning, the use of twig stoves is not allowed, as sparks may be created.
Litter-free Hiking
There are no mixed garbage bins in the Oulanka National Park and along the Karhunkierros Trail. Take away everything you brought along.
There are two recycling points in the Oulanka National Park along the Karhunkierros Trail: one at the Oulanka Camping Ground and the other close to Myllykoski, at a crossing of the Karhunkierros Trail.
- You can put all recyclable waste, such as metal and glass, in the recycling points.
- You can also leave batteries and small rechargeable batteries in the recycling points.
- You can put leftovers and other biowaste in a dry toilet or composter at rest spots.
Small amounts of clean paper and cardboard may be used as kindling at a campfire site or a fireplace at a wilderness hut. Other waste, such as packages that contain aluminium foil or plastic, may not be burned in a fireplace, as they may form non-biodegradable waste and toxic gases.
Fishing
Ice fishing and angling are allowed at the lakes and ponds of the Oulanka National Park throughout the year. Read more about the Everyman's Rights. If you are 18–69 years of age and will be fishing with lures or traps or crayfishing, the fisheries management fee (eraluvat.fi) is required.
To fish in the rivers of Oulanka National Park, you need a fishing permit. Check the river fishing areas and links for online stores here (julkaisut.metsa.fi).
- In the fishing permit areas there are also places where fishing is forbidden. Some of these fishing prohibition zones are marked with signposts on the terrain.
- When you buy a fishing permit, you will also get information about the prohibition zones and other restrictions.
- You can also check the fishing restrictions online on kalastusrajoitus.fi (in Finnish).
- All fishing is forbidden in these fishing permit areas outside the fishing period.
Berry and Mushroom Picking
Picking berries and other fungi than those growing on trees is allowed, unless prevented by restricted access to the area.
Biking
During the snow-free season, biking is only allowed, along the Karhunkierros Trail, from Oulanka Visitor Centre to Taivalköngäs. Take a look at the route on the map. Biking elsewhere in the national park is prohibited.
During the snowy season, biking is allowed elsewhere than along the Pieni Karhunkierros Trail.
Horse Riding
Riding is prohibited elsewhere in the national park than along the forest roads.
Other Rules and Instructions
- Research activities, organised events and the shooting of films or advertisements in the terrain always require a permit from Metsähallitus. Additional information: permits for research and getting around in nature (metsa.fi), a well as the permits and notifications regarding events (metsa.fi).
- The use of the trails and structures of the Oulanka National Park for business activities is always subject to a fee, and for frequent business use, a contract with Metsähallitus (metsa.fi) is required. The right of use fees for specific days are paid at the Eräluvat webshop (eraluvat.fi).
- Hunting permits are not sold to the Oulanka National Park, but locals have the right to hunt in certain parts of the national park.
- Oulanka National Park belongs almost entirely to the ADIZ border zone and therefore, hobby drone pilots must also submit an RPAS flight plan to the Fintraffic Air Navigation Services (ANS). Flight plan preparation instructions and submission forms can be found on Fintraffic ANS's aviation information service can be found on the website of Fintraffic ANS (ais.fi). In the Oulanka National Park, drone flying that disturbs other people or animals is prohibited. You must be especially cautious during the nesting period of birds.
Forbidden Activities in the Oulanka National Park
- Damaging soil or rock, and extracting earth material or minerals.
- Catching, killing or disturbing wild vertebrates, and destroying their nests.
- Catching or collecting invertebrates.
- Driving a motor vehicle beyond designated roads.
- Leaving waste in the area and damaging the structures.
- Taking or damaging trees, shrubs or other plants, or their parts.
- Extracting earth materials, damaging the soil and bedrock, and the drainage of forests, mires or other areas.
- Constructing buildings, structures or roads.
- Covering, changing, damaging, removing, violating or excavating in archaeological sites.
- Activities that disturb other people
- Other measures that may be disadvantageous to the natural conditions of the national park, landscape or the preservation of the animal or plant species.
Rules and Regulations for Oulanka
The rules and regulations of Oulanka National Park (in Finnish, Pdf 4.2 Mb, julkaisut.metsa.fi), ratified on 24 May 2021.
