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Pooki Trail

—•Hiking Trails

4.1 km

Route

P 1

Description

Luontoon.fi – Pookinpolku (Vaala)+

Description

For maps, national park rules, and the latest service information for this trail, start with the Pookinpolku trail page on Luontoon.fi. Rokua.com’s hiking section adds practical context on typical hiking times and reminds visitors to keep to marked routes in this sensitive esker landscape. Outdoor Family’s write-up from a wet autumn day is worth reading for on-the-ground detail: long staircases down from Pookivaara, duckboards along Pitkäjärvi, and a frank note that the unpaved road to Pitkäjärvi parking is not always passable without good clearance—when in doubt, use official winter parking areas listed for Rokua. The trail is about 4.1 km. It lies in Rokua National Park in Vaala, Kainuu, part of the UNESCO Rokua Geopark. The path crosses classic Rokua scenery: lichen-rich pine forest on sand, small kettle ponds, and gentle relief shaped by the Ice Age. After only a few minutes from Pitkäjärvi puolikota you are already in the lakeshore fringe; roughly 2 km from the start you reach the Pookivaara cluster—the highest ground in the park and the main rest area. There you have Pookin paussi päivätupa, Palovartijan autiotupa, Pookin pirtti vuokratupa, Pookivaaran kuivakäymälä, and views from the old fire-watch tower. The return leg toward Pitkäjärvi passes Pitkäjärvi esteetön huussi before the route reaches Keisarintie pysäköintialue. The separate Pitkäjärven esteetön reitti offers an accessible gravel link toward the Pitkäjärvi shore area for visitors who need a barrier-free approach; the full Pookinpolku includes stairs and natural surface and is aimed at walkers who are steady on uneven ground. The route shares the trail network with Rokuan maastopyöräreitit on some sections—yield and watch for bikes where the lines meet. Longer day hikes such as Keisarinkierros and Syvyydenkierros visit the same Pookivaara–Pitkäjärvi complex from other directions if you want to extend the day.

Length & route

The trail is about 4.1 km as one continuous hiking line between the Pitkäjärvi shore area and Keisarintie pysäköintialue, with the main viewpoint and hut cluster on Pookivaara near the middle of the distance. Published brochures and tourism pages often describe a longer outing of roughly 6 km when the walk from a chosen parking area to the marked loop is included, or when a round trip from the same car park is counted—use our figure for the mapped trail length. Allow about two hours in easy conditions; Rokua.com suggests roughly two hours during the snow-free season for the park’s 6 km description of the same route family. Surface varies from sand and pine needle to wooden stairs and duckboards beside Pitkäjärvi.

Getting there

You can finish or start at Keisarintie pysäköintialue at the southern end of the line, or use the Pitkäjärvi side near Pitkäjärvi puolikota. The gravel road to Pitkäjärvi parking can be soft or rough after rain or in early winter; several independent trip accounts recommend good ground clearance and, in difficult conditions, using the winter parking areas listed for Rokua on Luontoon.fi rather than forcing the Pitkäjärvi access road. From the Pitkäjärvi parking area, an 800 m barrier-free gravel path (Pitkäjärven esteetön reitti) reaches the accessible kota and dry toilet at the lake in summer—useful if you need step-free access to the shore even when you do not walk the full Pookinpolku.

Good to know

Rokua National Park is managed by Metsähallitus. Stay on marked trails, especially on dunes and lichen heaths. There is no winter maintenance on this hiking trail; for snow season access and skiing routes, check the park’s winter route pages on Luontoon.fi. Mountain bikers use parts of the same network—see Rokuan maastopyöräreitit.

History

Palovartijan autiotupa near Pookivaara dates from 1936, from the era when fire lookouts watched the drought-prone sandy terrain. The tower beside it is a remnant of that fire-watching period.

Managed by

Vaala

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Walked in either direction depending on whether you start from the Pitkäjärvi side or from Keisarintie; both directions are used.

Route direction

Blue paint marks on trees; brown direction signs at junctions.

Route Signs

Dogs (On Leash)

Dogs

Open / Good Condition

Activities allowed

Bike

Activity

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

4.1 km

Distance

About 2 hours

Est. Time

Pine forest on sand and lichen, sections of wooden stairs and duckboards along lake shores, some rooty forest floor.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Location

64.54842°N, 26.49880°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

KainuuRegion

VaalaCity

RokuaVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Depth Circuit

335 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Vaala, and other trusted sources, in March 2026. Our route / place GPX data comes from Metsähallitus / Lipas, last updated March 2026. Always check their official website for safety-critical updates.

Finland Kainuu Vaala Hiking TrailsPooki Trail

Pooki Trail4.1 km

Route

P 1

Parking 1

0.0 km|Free

Pitkäjärvi puolikota

0.0 km|Free

Wilderness Huts

Pookin paussi päivätupa

2.1 km|Free

Wilderness Huts

Palovartijan autiotupa

2.1 km|Free

Wilderness HutsA small hut available for 2 people. It has an Indoor stove inside and 2 beds. It is located on the Keisarinkierros hiking trail in Rokua National Park.

Pookivaaran kuivakäymälä

2.1 km|Free

Outdoor Toilets

Pookin pirtti vuokratupa

2.1 km|Free

Wilderness HutsPookin Pirtti is a 2 room rental cabin located on the highest peak of Rokua National Park, Pookivaara. You are renting the entire cabin for your own use.

Description

Luontoon.fi – Pookinpolku (Vaala)+

Description

Length & route

Getting there

Good to know

History

Palovartijan autiotupa near Pookivaara dates from 1936, from the era when fire lookouts watched the drought-prone sandy terrain. The tower beside it is a remnant of that fire-watching period.

Managed by

Vaala

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Location

Walked in either direction depending on whether you start from the Pitkäjärvi side or from Keisarintie; both directions are used.

Route direction

Blue paint marks on trees; brown direction signs at junctions.

Route Signs

Dogs (On Leash)

Dogs

Open / Good Condition

Location

64.54842°N, 26.49880°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

KainuuRegion

VaalaCity

RokuaVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

Activities allowed

Bike

Activity

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

4.1 km

Distance

About 2 hours

Est. Time

Pine forest on sand and lichen, sections of wooden stairs and duckboards along lake shores, some rooty forest floor.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Explore nearby

Depth Circuit

335 m

Free

Rate & Review

Be the first to write a review for "Pooki Trail"

Share a photo from a recent trip

Answers to your questions

Finland Kainuu Vaala Hiking TrailsPooki Trail