Five Finnish Lapland national parks: Urho Kekkonen, Pallas-Yllästunturi, Lemmenjoki, Riisitunturi, Pyhä-Luosto. Gateway villages and when to visit.
How many national parks are there in Lapland? Lapland holds five of Finland's most-visited wilderness parks: Urho Kekkonen, Pallas-Yllästunturi, Lemmenjoki, Riisitunturi and Pyhä-Luosto. Each has its own gateway village to base out of, from Saariselkä for UKK to Hetta and Muonio for Pallas-Yllästunturi.
Which is the largest national park in Finnish Lapland? Urho Kekkonen National Park is the largest in Lapland at about 2,550 km², and the second largest in all of Finland. It runs from the Saariselkä fells eastward into deep roadless wilderness, with open fells, river gorges and old pine forest.
Do you need a permit or entrance fee for Lapland national parks? No. Finland's national parks are free to enter and there is no permit for normal hiking, day visits or staying in open wilderness huts. Some reservation huts and saunas charge a small fee, and guided activities or gold panning at Lemmenjoki have their own costs, but walking the trails costs nothing.
When is the best time to visit the parks? Early to mid-September for ruska autumn colour, June and July for the midnight sun and long hiking days, and February to March for snow-crowned trees and ski touring, Riisitunturi is at its most striking under heavy tykky in late winter. Summer huts and ferry services typically run from early June to late September.
Where can you pan for gold in a Lapland national park? Lemmenjoki National Park is Finland's gold-panning heartland. The river valley has a working gold-rush heritage, with marked panning sites and licensed claims along the Lemmenjoki river. A boat service runs partway upriver in summer, making the panning areas reachable on a day trip.