Services in Simojärvi-Soppana

Customer Service and Guidance

There are no Metsähallitus customer service points in the Simojärvi and Soppana areas. The closest customer service points are:

Simojärvi and Soppana area information boards can be found:

  • at Korvajokisuu cooking shelter.
  • at Lake Yli-Soppananjärvi cooking shelter.
  • at Matalakangas parking area, which is located on Teerivaarantie near the River Paasonjoki.
  • The information boards have text in Finnish, English and German.

Services offered by enterprises and other organisations

Meals, Where to Buy and Prepare

Campfire Sites, Huts and Cooking Shelters

Campfire sites managed by Metsähallitus are situated at the following locations:

  • Porosaari Island:
    • day trip hut and campfire site
    • a lean-to shelter and campfire site at the north end of the island
  • Selkäsaari Island: lean-to shelter
  • Lamanginsaari Island: lapp hut and campfire site
  • Ahosaari Island: lean-to shelter
  • Kenttäsaari Island: open wilderness hut and campfire site
  • Korvajokisuu: cooking shelter and campfire site
  • Lake Yli-Soppananjärvi: cooking shelter and campfire site

A red wooden cooking shelter with a masonry fireplace. There's two stairs that lead to the shelter and on top of the doorway is a sign with text Yli-Soppana.

  • Lake Paasonjärvi: lean-to shelter
  • Lake Paha-Paasonjärvi: lapp hut and campfire site

A cooking area surrounded by benches with two backpacks resting against one of the benches. At the background there's a kota-hut for cooking and behind it is a dry toilet. The place is surrounded by pine-dominated heath forest.

There are also rest spots in the Simojärvi and Soppana areas which are managed by someone other than Metsähallitus.

It is prohibited to light campfires even in the designated campfire sites if the wildfire warning is in effect. Check the current warnings (ilmatieteenlaitos.fi).

  • The prohibition does not apply to the stoves of Porosaari day trip hut and Kenttäsaari open wilderness huts, the lapp huts in Lamanginsaari and Paha-Paasonjärvi, and the cooking shelters in Korvajokisuun and Yli-Soppanajärvi. 

More information on lighting fires at campfire sites can be found on the Hiking in Finland pages.

Drinking Water

  • There is a well in the area near Yli-Soppananjärvi cooking shelter from which to get water. Water quality is not monitored, please boil the water before consumption.
  • The surface water from the lakes, rivers and brooks must be boiled before use. Water in the springs and running water in the brooks is usually good for drinking. However, the quality of the water cannot be monitored, so the use of natural water is at your own risk.
  • Read more tips on drinking water on the Hiking in Finland pages.

Waste Management

  • There are no waste-bins in the park. Measures should be taken in advance to avoid taking unnecessary waste into the area. 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. Take all other waste out of the area. Read more about Hiking without Littering.
  • At Korvajokisuu cooking shelter there is a mixed waste bin as well as a glass recycling box.

Toilets

  • There are dry toilets at all rest spots on the islands on Lake Simojärvi.
  • There are dry toilets at the Korvajokisuu and Lake Yli-Soppananjärvi cooking shelters.
  • There is a dry toilet at Kosti Campfire shelter by Lake Paha-Paasonjärvi.
  • Campfire sites along the hiking trail do not have dry toilets at them.

Overnight stays

Camping and Lean-to Shelters

  • Camping in all parts of the area is an Everyman's Right.
  • There are two sites in the area which are very well suited for camping: the Lake Yli-Soppananjärvi and Korvajokisuu areas. These sites have cooking shelters and Yli-Soppananjärvi has also a well from which to take water. Water quality is not monitored, please boil the water before consumption. Visitors may camp in these areas free of charge.
  • There are no other designated camping areas, but we recommend that visitors camp near lean-to shelters and Campfire shelters. Visitors may also stay overnight in lean-to shelters.

Open Wilderness Huts

  • Kenttäsaari Island on Lake Simojärvi.

Rental Cabins

There is one rental cabin that can be booked through Lomarengas:

Accessible Services

  • There are no accessible services in the Simojärvi and Soppana areas.

Services for Boaters

The area's coordinates are given using the WGS-84 Coordinate System.

Harbours and Boat Launch Ramps

  • Simojärvi boat and fishing harbour pier, old submarine harbour (66º 5.544'27º 5.512')
    • boat parking spots
    • Harbour: fishing harbour warehouse, concrete boat launch ramp
    • Waste disposal point
    • The harbour is managed by the municipality of Ranua.
  • Simontaipale boat harbour (65º 58.373'27º 8.874')
    • boat parking spots.
    • Harbour: sheltered campfire site, concrete boat launch ramp.
    • There is a lean-to shelter near-by.
    • The harbour is managed by the municipality of Ranua.
  • Pohjaslahti boat launch point (66º 13.181'26º 52.191')
    • Gravel covered boat launch ramp
    • The boat launch point is managed by the municipality of Ranua

It is difficult to come ashore with larger boats at the area's rest spots as there are no actual boat piers at them. Coming ashore in smaller boats is possible at all the rest spots even though the water on the shoreline is shallow.

Lodging, Equipment Rental and Other Services in the Surrounding Area

  • There are numerous rental cabins in the Simojärvi area. In the area's surrounding villages there are numerous cafes and restaurants. There are tourist enterprises in the surrounding area which offer a variety of services. More information on these can be found on the travel websites for the municipalities of Ranua (visitranua.fi) and Posio (posiolapland.com).