Services along Karhunkierros Trail

A hiker lying down on the sleeping platform of an open wilderness hut.

Karhunkierros Trail runs mainly within Oulanka National Park. Services such as kiosks and cafés are situated at 2-day-hike intervals. The cafés and kiosks sell foodstuff and hiking supplies. This means that you do not have to carry everything with you.

The maintenance of Karhunkierros Trail and customer service along the trail are managed by Metsähallitus and the town of Kuusamo. Metsähallitus manages the portion of the trail which is within Oulanka National Park and the town of Kuusamo manages the remaining portion running from the village of Juuma to Konttainen.

Meals, Where to Buy and Prepare

Stores, Kiosks and Restaurants

Along the Karhunkierros trail:

On the way to the starting points of Karhunkierros:

Drinking Water

  • The areas ground waters - in lakes and rivers - should be filtered or boiled before drinking, as the water's quality changes from place to place.
  • Drinking water from rivers and lakes is at your own risk.
  • There are drinking water taps at the Oulanka visitor centre and in cafés. The water tap of the Oulanka Visitor Centre is located outside on the exterior wall, by the door of the café and it is available around the clock.

Waste Management

In Oulanka National Park and on Karhunkierros Trail each visitor is responsible for the waste that accumulates during his/her stay. Biodegradable waste should be placed in a toilet or composter, and small amounts of clean paper and cardboard can be used as kindling in a campfire. Read more about Hiking without littering.

  • Karhunkierros Hiking Trail has two recycling points; first one is located close by the Oulanka Camping Ground and the second one is along the Pieni Karhunkierros trail. Visitors can recycle for example glass and metal at these points.

Firewood

Firewood is transported during winter to open wilderness hut and campfire sites by snowmobile. They are trunks which must be sawed or chopped before they can be used to get s proper fire. During summer firewood supplies are restocked if need be.

Oulanka National Park is a very popular destination and therefore a large amount of firewood gets used each year on Karhunkierros Trail. Please use firewood moderately.

Dry Toilets

There are 10 wilderness huts on the trail and all have a dry toilet by them. Biodegradable waste can be put into dry toilets. The toilets are emptied regularly when the container fills up.

There is no toilet paper in dry toilets so take enough toilet paper with you.

Jyrävä bio toilet in the forest. A hiker can be seen further down the trail.

Management of Firewood and Waste

A majority of Karhunkierros Trail is maintained by Metsähallitus. There are couple of service calls in week in the area. From Juuma village to the north of Konttainen the Karhunkierros Trail is maintained by Kuusamo Town.

  • In the area of Oulanka National Park the trail is maintained by Metsähallitus, Natural Heritage Services, Ostrobothnia-Kainuu. Address: Torangintaival 2, 93600 Kuusamo, Finland.For more information contact Oulanka Visitor Centre, tel. int. + 358 206 39 6850.
  • Kuusamo Town maintains the services along the portion of Karhunkierros Trail outside of Oulanka National Park. For more information contact Kuusamo Info (kuusamo.fi), tel. int. +358 40 860 8365.

Connecting Trails

The section of the UKK Trail from Hossa via Kuusamo to Sallatunturi Fell follows the route of Karhunkierros Trail from Ruka to Hautajärvi.

Other Services in the Surrounding Area

Notices

Oulanka National Park is one of Finland's most popular National Parks. The area receives over 200,000 visits yearly. This large amount of visitors wears the hiking trails and causes them to be quite crowded especially during peak seasons.

We ask that hikers only use marked trails, so that the surrounding nature will remain intact and so that new paths would not form in the area.

Savilampi open wilderness hut seen from behind. A ladder is leaning on the wall, and there's a table with benches next to the hut.

Overnight Stays

Open Wilderness Huts

There are 7 open wilderness huts (owh) and 3 day-use huts (dth) on Karhunkierros Trail. Eight of these are within Oulanka National Park.

Rules for using Wilderness hut

Please read these rules before going on the hike. More detailed instructions for using the hut are provided in the folder that you can find inside.

For whom

  • Hikers and skiers can rest in the hut and stay for 1-2 nights.
  • If there are more than 5 people in your group, you should preferably use your own tents.
  • You can bring your pet into a wilderness hut if other users do not object.
  • Not for commercial use. Guided groups may not use huts for overnight stays.

Using the hut
Respect other hikers:

  • Always make room for newcomers.
  • Keep your pet on a leash.
  • In busy times, leave your gear outside.
  • Do not disturb other people at night.
  • Smoking is prohibited inside the hut.

Fireplace:

  • Check that the fireplace is in working order and empty of rubbish.
  • Empty the ashes in the ash bucket.
  • The ash bucket should be kept outside.
  • Please use firewood sparingly.

Drinking water:

  • Boil water from natural sources before consumption.
  • Do not wash dishes or yourself at the water supply point.

When you leave the hut

  • Tidy the hut and take all rubbish with you.
  • Do not leave food in the hut as it will attract animals.
  • Write your name and your next destination in the visitor’s book.
  • Chop some firewood for the next visitor.
  • Check that the fire has been put out.
  • Close the door and windows carefully.

Camping Grounds

Huts at the Oulanka camping ground.

Equipment Rental

Equipment

Karhunkierros is a pleasant trail to hike if you have basic knowledge of hiking and survival skills. The most important things you will need are a good map (Rukatunturi - Oulanka Outdoor map 1:50,000) and good advance information about the area.

The open wilderness huts along the trail are often full during peak season, so a tent and sleeping bag are good to have with.