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Koppelo Nature Trail, Tankavaara

—•Hiking Trails

2.4 km

Route

P 1

Description

Luontoon.fi – Tankavaaran luontopolku Koppelo+

Description

For difficulty class, seasonal notes, and the latest Metsähallitus guidance on this Urho Kekkonen National Park loop, start with the Tankavaaran luontopolku Koppelo page on Luontoon.fi. The Gold Museum website explains how Sompio-talo—the former Koilliskaira nature centre building—now hosts meetings and exhibitions beside the trail hub, while Metsähallitus continues to maintain the marked nature trails around the village. Visit Sodankylä outlines Tankavaaran Kultakylä services along Highway 4, including restaurants and accommodation, if you want to combine a short walk with food or an overnight. Koppelo is about 2.4 km as one forest loop on Tankavaara fell in Sodankylä in Lapland. The terrain is easy overall: the first section is often described as compacted or gravelly track, then the path becomes rootier and rockier with short duckboard stretches through wetter patches; one long-form walk-through logged roughly 50 m of ascent for the round and about one to one-and-a-half hours on foot. The trail is marked with blue pine-cone symbols on green posts. Information boards along the route carry text in Finnish, North Sámi, English, German, and French. A reconstructed wartime earth shelter (korsu) beside the path illustrates Lapland War history in the forest. Candle spruces—narrow, columnar spruces that shed snow easily—are a recurring sight in the woods here. Retkipaikka publishes Luontopolkumies’ Kuukkelilenkki article, which notes that Kuukkeli and Koppelo split onto their own lines about a kilometre from the Sompio-talo start, which helps orient walkers who see both orange Kuukkeli marking and the blue Koppelo line on the same first stretch. Along the loop you pass Tankavaara Gold Disc Golf very near the trail line, then—about four-fifths of a kilometre in—Tankavaaran luontopolku käymälä, Tankavaaran luontopolun kota, Tankavaaran luontopolku tulipaikka 2, and Tankavaaran luontopolun tulipaikka for breaks and cooking when forest-fire rules allow. Tankavaaran lintutorni sits higher along the circuit for birdwatching over the surrounding forest. The circuit returns toward Tankavaara pysäköintialue. The same hub links to longer walks such as Tankavaaran geologinen polku and Tankavaaran luontopolku Kuukkeli if you want to extend the day.

Length & route

The trail is about 2.4 km as one loop. Some trip write-ups round the distance to about 3 km for the same Koppelolenkki circuit. Expect a short gravel or compacted start, then rooty and rocky forest tread with occasional duckboards; total ascent on the loop is modest—on the order of tens of metres of gain.

Getting there

Start from Tankavaara pysäköintialue on Tankavaarantie; pedestrian access leads past the former nature centre area to Sompio-talo, where Koppelo, Urpiainen, Kuukkeli, and the geological trail begin. The Gold Museum notes two highway junctions into Tankavaara from Highway 4 and gives regional distances—about 30 km south of Saariselkä for orientation. Use the coordinates on our map for Tankavaara pysäköintialue when navigating.

Good to know

Follow Metsähallitus wildfire and campfire rules; Taipaleita’s walk took place during a forest-fire warning when lighting fires was not appropriate. Dogs should stay on a leash in the national park. For gold panning, restaurants, and accommodation, Tankavaaran Kultakylä and Kultamuseo operate beside the same road.

Managed by

Sodankylä

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Walkers often follow the loop counterclockwise, though either direction is possible when markings are clear.

Route direction

Blue pine-cone symbols on green posts

Route Signs

Dogs (On Leash)

Dogs

Open / Good Condition

Taipaleita – Luontopolku Koppelo (Koppelolenkki)

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

2.4 km

Distance

About 1–1.5 hours on foot for most walkers.

Est. Time

Compacted or gravelly start, then forest soil with roots and stones; short duckboard sections in wet places.

Surface

Loop, Single Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

Taipaleita – Luontopolku Koppelo (Koppelolenkki)

Location

68.17769°N, 27.09713°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

LaplandRegion

SodankyläCity

TankavaaraVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Tankavaara Gold Disc Golf

359 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Sodankylä, 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 Lapland Sodankylä Hiking TrailsKoppelo Nature Trail, Tankavaara