Getting around in nature, camping and lighting campfires are governed by rules and regulations of oder (julkaisut.metsa.fi, pdf 1,4 Mt, in finnish) in the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park.
The national park is divided into different zones to regulate its use. You can see the zones on the maps. When planning your trip, pay particular attention to the park's restricted zones. Take a look at the area on the page Maps and on the Excursionmap.fi website.
Respect Nature
Pets
Getting around in Nature
Camping
Lighting Campfires
Litter-free Hiking
Fishing
Berry and Mushroom Picking
Biking
Horse riding and Dog Sled driving
Other Rules
Forbidden Activities
Safety
Seasons
Peak Seasons
Respect Nature
In addition to the regulations, the use of the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park is guided by a management and use plan aimed at ensuring the sustainability of use and the preservation of conservation values. When getting around in nature, let’s show respect for it.
Please don’t share any such contents on the Internet that break the rules of the national park. Do not unintentionally direct your followers to vulnerable or otherwise sensitive nature sites. Take a look at the Outdoor Etiquette.
Letting pets run loose is forbidden. Pets are allowed in the open wilderness huts, but only on permission of the other hikers in the huts. In the reservable wilderness and rental huts are not allowed to bring pets. 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 national park you may freely walk, ski, row and canoe, except in the restricted areas.
- In the restricted area of lower Lake Onnasjärvi and the River Onnasjoki is entering forbidden from 1.5. to 30.11.
- The Hanhivuoma area entering is forbidden all year round in order to protect the nesting grounds of birds and the spawning waters of Pallasjärvi trout.
- The restricted areas of Pahakuru and Hannukuru Ravines, Suaskuru Ravine and Haltioletto is entering forbidden all year round.
- In the restricted areas of Pyhäjoki and Varkaankuru is entering allowed 1.5.–30.11. and only along marked trails.
Camping
In the Special zone, Recreational zone and Cultural zone Camping is permitted only in the vicinity of wilderness huts, campfire huts and campfire sites. This also applies to overnight stays in hammocks, etc. The campfire huts are mainly intended for daytime use, not for overnight stays. All the zones are presented in the Map Attachments of the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park Regulations (pdf 1,06 Mt, julkaisut.metsa.fi).
- The use of stove-heated tents and saunas is prohibited in the national park.
- In the Wilderness Zone camping is allowed freely.
The open wilderness huts have been listed on Services-page. All huts, lean-to shelters and campfire sites in Pallas-Yllästunturi are available on the Excursionmap.fi website.
When planning camping with a large group of over 10 people, fill in a notification for Metsähallitus (metsa.fi).
Camping is forbidden in the restricted zones.
Lighting Campfire
In the Recreation Zone of the National Park lighting campfires is only permitted maintained campfire sites that are marked on the map and in the terrain, using firewood brought in for that specific 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 wilderness zone, you can make a temporary campfire using fallen twigs and dry branches. This is forbidden, if there is a maintained campfire site in a 0.5 km radius from you. In a restricted area it is forbidden to light a campfire.
During the Widfire Warning:
- Lighting an open fire is forbidden everywhere, including at the marked campfire sites, when a wildfire warning (ilmatieteenlaitos.fi) is in effect.
- During the wildfire warning, the use of twig stoves is not allowed, as sparks may be created.
Litter-free Hiking
Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park is a Hiking without Littering Area. The principle of litter-free hiking is simple: hikers should leave no traces of their visits to the natural environment. Recycling points can be found at Pallastunturi Visitor Centre, Yllästunturi Visitor Centre Kellokas and Fell Lapland Visitor Centre. Biodegradable waste should be placed in a dry toilet at rest spots.
- Small amounts of clean paper and cardboard can be used as kindling in a campfire. 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.
- More information about Hiking Without Littering.
Fishing
Hook and line fishing and ice fishing is permitted on lakes and ponds with a few exceptions.
Berry and Mushroom Picking
Picking berries and mushrooms other than those growing on trees is permitted unless otherwise restricted by hiking restrictions.
Biking
Mountain biking is allowed on all officially marked summer trails. it is forbidden to bike outside the official summer trails. Mountain biking is not allowed for nature protection or safety reasons at Palkaskero and Keimiötunturi Fells and at Varkaankuru, Tuomikuru and Pirunkuru Gorges and at the trail of research institute of Sammaltunturi Fell.
Horse riding and Dog Sled driving
Horse riding and dog sled driving is allowed only for national park co-entrepreneurs on certain routes.
Other Rules
Forbidden Activities in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park
- Keeping dogs loose.
- Hunting except from the local inhabitants.
- Taking or damaging trees, bushes, other plants or their parts, or mushrooms other than edible ones.
- Damaging soil or rock, and extraction of earth material or minerals. It is also forbidden to pile up stones on the fells.
- Killing, catching or disturbing wild vertebrates, or damaging their nests.
- Catching or collecting invertebrates.
- Driving motor vehicles, except on roads designated for this purpose.
- Leaving waste in the area, or damaging constructions.
- Flying drones is prohibited in restricted areas as well as key bird nesting areas, such as steep cliffs of the fells, islands, skerries and sea bays, where bird populations nest and key rest stops. Also disturbing vertebrates in nature reserve areas is prohibited.
Rules and Regulations for Pallas-Yllästunturi
The rules and regulations of Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park (pdf 1,06 Mt, julkaisut.metsa.fi), ratified on 5 May 2008.
Seasons
Autumn comes and leaves start to change colour on trees and ground in early September. This process lasts two to three weeks before leaves fall from the trees, unless an autumn storm rips them off earlier than usual.
Winter begins usually at the end of October, but it depends a lot on the year and the area too. There is usually little snow at the end of the year in all over the National Park though. Color of light is special during autumn in the beginning of ‘kaamos' season and while the season. It is strange and ethereal. The rays of the sun pierce the atmosphere at a slant and colour the snow covered landscape all shades of red and blue. Evenings and nights are lit by the moon and the Northern Lights.
The snow cover is at its thickest in March and April. In some parts the cover can be over a metre thick. The temperature can stay below -20 degress in Celsius for days at a time. Winter trekking and staying overnight in the wild require proper equipments. Early spring is the best ski-season, and usually lasts from the beginning of February to the end of April. The snow may melt earlier some years than others.
Spring begins at the beginning of May and continues to the middle of June. Water from melting snow covers trails making them very susceptible to wear. Hikers are asked to take this into consideration when planning their route and timetable.
Summer begins after Mid-June. Insects such as mosquitoes (Culicidae Family) hatch after Mid-Summer, let's say on July. Sand flies (Simuliidae Family), horseflies (Tabanidae Family) and Ceratopogonidae follow close behind. There have been quite few mosquitoes in recent years and visitors have been able to enjoy Lapland in peace and quiet, but you need to be prepared well to mosquitoes while hiking in every summer.
Peak Seasons
The most popular tourist seasons in the National Park are the ski-season from March to April and hiking-season in summer and autumn. The most popular trail in the park is Hetta - Pallas Trail. Reservation for reservable wilderness huts along this trail should be made at least half-a-year in advance. Open wilderness huts are often full during the tourist season. It is therefore good to have a tent with, unless you want to sleep under the bright sky during the summer or under the stars during the autumn.
Safety
When trekking in the National Park visitors should have at least a map, a compass and other equipment needed for outdoor recreation according to the length of their trip. In the Wilderness Zones trekking and outdoor recreation are much more demanding than hiking along marked trails. Wandering off-trails requires hiking experience. Staying on the trail and keeping an eye on weather forecasts make for a successful trip.
- The weather may change rapidly on the Fells. A quickly forming fog or blizzard may cause dangerous situations. Wear colourful, weather-appropriate clothing.
- In winter, trekking is very demanding. Harsh weather and poor light in the middle of winter cause difficulties. The temperature can drop to -40 degrees in Celsius and during the darkest part of winter there is daylight just couple of hours. Wind greatly increases the bite of cold weather.
- Please notice that there might not be any signal in some parts of the wilderness. You can check your own mobile operator’s coverage map before your trip. Keep your mobile phone warm and bring along a spare power source.
- Orienteering skills are essential. Be prepared for emergencies such as having to camp out in the forest.
- Early spring is a popular time for trekking with skis, but even then proper gear is needed. If you have normal cross-country skis, you should stay on maintained trails.
- When following snowmobile tracks be cautious. Getting lost is especially dangerous during winter.
- Make sure you pack a first-aid kit. If you face an emergency on your hike, e.g. get lost, get injured or observe wildfire, call 112 and report about the emergency. Background information on how to act in case of an emergency.
