Oulanka National Park

National park · Finland

Straddling the Russian border near Kuusamo, this 270-square-kilometer park follows the turquoise Oulankajoki river through pine and spruce forest, its banks lined with birch that turns gold against the evergreen canopy. The Kiutaköngäs rapids, an 8-km round trip from the visitor center, are the classic short walk; local tradition in Kuusamo marks 12 September as the day ruska arrives.

Best for: a river-gorge day hike

Don’t miss

  • Kiutaköngäs rapids, 8-km loop
  • birch banks along the Oulankajoki
  • start of the Karhunkierros trail
Typical year

Peak: September 5–September 18

Climatological window from published records. The weather model’s elevation extrapolation isn’t reliable on this terrain, so this is the long-run normal rather than a season-specific forecast.

Source: https://www.ruka.fi/en/travelling-to-kuusamo/when-to-travel/autumn-colours

When to go to Oulanka National Park

Peak usually arrives somewhere between September 5 and September 18.

Oulanka National Park on the map

Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of Finland, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.

More things to do in Finland

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Frequently asked

When does Oulanka National Park peak?
In a typical year, color peaks around September 5–September 18. The weather model's elevation extrapolation isn't reliable on this terrain, so this is a climatological window (source: https://www.ruka.fi/en/travelling-to-kuusamo/when-to-travel/autumn-colours) rather than a season-specific forecast.

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