Mountain biking Trails
Mountain biking is permitted on nearly a 100 km of marked trails within the park. Approximately 40 km of these trails are especially made for mountain biking. Biking is forbidden in the Isokuru restricted area all year and during snowless season on Isokurunkangas and on Noitatunturi Fell. There is a A3-size mountain biking map, that can be downloaded from here (julkaisut.metsa.fi, Pdf-file 2.6 Mb) or picked up from the Visitor Centre Naava.
All the trails are also hiking trails. Please take fellow trail users into consideration by alerting them when approaching and slow down in encounters. Read more about the mountain biking etiquette in the national parks.
Around Ukko-Luosto with a mountain bike, 18 km, circle trail
Summer trail, duration 2 h
Easy trail but exposed rocks in some sections may be slippery in rainy weather. Gravel-covered sections of the trail can be fast and surprisingly slippery, so ride with care.
The Ukko-Luosto Circle Trail takes mountain bikers through a 400-year-old forest, around the foot of a majestic fell and even offers the possibility of enjoying a lovely coffee break.
Starting point
Address: Luoston portti (excursionmap.fi), Luostontie, 99555 Luosto
Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 67° 09.2725' lon: 26° 54.6508'
ETRS-TM35FIN P: 7448610m I: 496137m.
You can also set off from Luostonloma parking area (excursionmap.fi). Coordinates WGS84 lat: 67° 10.3173' lon: 26° 50.8411' ETRS-TM35FIN P: 7450557m I: 493391m.
Hiking structures
Tikkalaavu lean-to shelter, Ukko-Laavu lean-to shelter and Ukko-Kota Lapp ‘kota' hut, Lampivaara lean-to shelter (excursionmap.fi), as well as the Torvinen and Lampivaara ski trail cafés; at the rest spots, a dry toilet and a woodshed. There is an accessible toilet at Lampivaara. Take toilet paper with you.
Sights
Lampivaara Amethyst Mine, the old-growth forests of Ukko-Luosto
Trail Description
Trail markings: wooden poles with blue-and-white walker/skier symbols, in crossroads metal signs or wooden posts.
Recommended direction: can be done in both directions, however usually done anticlockwise.
In the beginning the trail goes slightly uphill, past the Tikkalaavu lean-to shelter climbing to the pass between Ukko-Luosto and Keski-Luosto Fells. A short descent then leads past the Luostonloma parking area towards Torvisen Maja. The trail continues the west side of Ukko-Luosto, nicely rolling through the old-growth forests. When approaching Ukko-Laavu, the rest area halfway the trail, you also start seeing the rugged, treeless Ukko-Luosto through the forest. From Ukko-Laavu you catch a wonderful view towards the fell. From the shelter the trail continues with small ascends, until it gets steeper before Lampivaara. In this section the base of a ski track is at times narrow and the ascend is steep. In Lampivaara there is a lean-to shelter and a café, and also a possibility to visit the Amethyst Mine. The remaining trail goes fast downhill.
In summer, the trail serves as a walking trail and in winter as a cross-country skiing trail.
You can read more of the trail also at the Outdoor Active website.
Please Note
There are no water points along the trail. This is a popular trail, particularly the stretch between Lampivaara and Luosto, where the trail is also used by hikers on foot. Bikers are required to slow down when encountering other trail users.
Rykimäkuru Trail with a mountain bike, 12 km, circle trail
Summer trail, duration 2 h.
Intermediate trail, on average, due to changes in elevation and rocky sections. Gravel-covered sections of the trail can be fast and surprisingly slippery, so ride with care.
The Rykimäkuru mountain bike trail will take you into fell country, providing you with a wide variety of biking experiences. Changes in elevation along the trail will get your blood pumping nicely, but you'll be able to enjoy some lovely downhill sections through old-growth forests.
Starting point
Rykimäkero parking place (excursionmap.fi) along the Pyhä-Luosto road (roughly 19 km from Pyhä towards Luosto, from Luosto roughly 5,5 km towards Pyhä).
Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 67° 07.1405' lon: 26° 58.8467'
ETRS-TM35FIN P: 7444644m I: 499169m
Hiking structures
Rykimäkero Campfire Hut (excursionmap.fi) and campfire site, Rykimäkuru lean-to shelter (excursionmap.fi), Pyhälampi day-use hut and a lean-to shelter, as well as the Lampivaara lean-to shelter (excursionmap.fi); all rest spots have a dry toilet and a woodshed. There is an accessible toilet at Lampivaara and Rykimäkero. Take toilet paper with you. There is an amethyst mine and café at Lampivaara, the café is open during the amethyst mine's opening hours. You can take drinking water from the Rykimäkero household water well all year round.
Sights
A storage hold on a pole and a wooden storehouse, Lampivaara Amethyst Mine, Rykimäkuru Gorge
Trail Description
Trail markings: orange-red squares on trees, in crossroads brown metal signs or wooden posts.
Recommended direction: can be done both ways
The trail can be done both ways, but the description is anticlockwise. The trail leads forst towards the Rykimäkero Campfire shelter, but turns to the right before it, towards Lampivaara. In this section there are wide wooden duckboards that can be slippery. After the duckboards there is a steep gravel-covered section going uphill for slightly less than one kilometre. From the Lampivaara Hill you can some great views through the trees. The trail continues from Lampivaara through the forest downhill towards Pyhälampi day-use hut and a shelter in the south. The trail is rocky at places. From Pyhälampi there is an ascent to the slopes of Latvavaara and then down to Pyhäjoki river. The trail continues as a gravelled path, and after a few curves there is an ascent to the Rykimäkuru lean-to shelter on the edge of the magnificent Rykimäkuru gorge. The rest of the trail back to the parking area is in a beautiful forest environment on a rather flat, gravelled terrain. The final rest spot is the Rykimäkero Campfire Hut where you can also see some old storage holds.
You can read more of the trail also at the Outdoor Active website.
The trail is also a popular hiking trail.
Please note
From the Pyhälampi day-use hut towards south, there is a 75 m long section of duckboards made of steel. The trail is also a popular hiking trail, so all bikers are required to slow down whenever encountering other trail users.
Mountain Biking Trail through Pyhä-Luosto National Park, 35 km
Summer trail, duration 4-6 h
Partly easy, partly intermediate trail. The trail is typically a widened path or road, but it can be narrower and rockier in some places. Gravel-covered sections of the trail can be fast and surprisingly slippery.
The easily followed trail runs along the fell range between the centres of Pyhä and Luosto, over terrain shaped during the Ice Age and through old-growth forests. Spectacular fell scenery reveals itself when you emerge from the forested sections.
Starting point
Address: Luoston portti (excursionmap.fi), Luostontie, 99555 Luosto
Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 67° 09.2725' lon: 26° 54.6508'
ETRS-TM35FIN P: 7448610m I: 496137m
You can also start the trail from Pyhä-Luosto Visitor Centre Naava, Luontotie 1 98530 Pyhätunturi.
Koordinaatit: WGS84 lat: 67° 01.1655' lon: 27° 15.1473'
ETRS-TM35FIN P: 7433567m I: 510998m
Hiking structures
Huttuloma open wilderness hut, Huttujärvi rental hut (Kuukkeli rental hut, slightly off the trail), in rental huts also sauna can be used, Kapusta and Pyhälampi day-use huts, Porontahtoma and Lampivaara (excursionmap.fi) lean-to-shelters, Lampivaara café, Kiimaselkä day-use hut and a lean-to shelter; in all rest areas there is a dry toilet and a woodshed. Take your own toilet paper.
Water can be taken from the well of Huttujärvi rental hut year-round, elsewhere in the park the natural water should be boiled.
Sights
The old-growth forests of Ukko-Luosto, Lampivaara Amethyst Mine
Trail Description
Trail markings: Purple squares in trees and purple tapes in metal poles. The white signs of a a mountain biking trail in crossroads, in other posts a biking symbol on brown base. It is recommended to have a map, as there are many crossing trails.
Recommended direction: Can be done both ways.
The trail is usually biked from Luosto to Pyhä because of longer downhill sections and better views. The trail starts from Luoston portti, ascending first towards Lampivaara and then going downhill to the Pyhälampi day-use hut. From Pyhälampi the trail ascends again along Latvavaara Fell slope and continues by the Porontahtoma lean-to shelter and Kapusta day-use hut downhill to Huttujärvi. From Huttujärvi the route first follows a gravel road and then the base of a cross-country ski trail. To the Kiimaselkä day-use hut and forward all the way to the centre of Pyhä. Partly the trail is easy because of gravel cover, partly it is classified as intermediate as it goes along rockier and narrower path. The more experienced and adventurous bikers can alter the route by going to e.g. Rykimäkero and Rykimäkuru gorge or the Huttutunturi Fell. See from the Pyhä-Luosto mountain biking map for recommendations and restrictions for biking.
You can read more of the trail also at the Outdoor Active website.
Please note
Check the location of water points before heading off and reserve enough time. There are rocky sections on the trail. In Pyhä-Luosto the majority of the rocks are very sharp quartzite which can easily break your tires.
Trail Brochure, summer
Pdf-file 1.7 Mb (julkaisut.metsa.fi)
Summer Trails Near Pyhä and Luosto Villages
Pdf-file 1 Mb (julkaisut.metsa.fi)
Trail Brochure, winter
Pdf-file 2.8 Mb (julkaisut.metsa.fi)
These maps will help you plan your excursion, but they will not help you navigate in the wilderness!
