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UKK Trail (Koli segment, Lieksa)

—•Hiking Trails

6.1 km

Route

P 1

Description

Koli & Lieksa – outdoor routes+

Description

For route choices and regional context around Koli, start with the Koli & Lieksa outdoor routes hub. The trail is about 6.1 km as one walking line in Juuka, in the Koli national landscape and national park area. It forms part of the national UKK hiking route network, which Koli24 describes as roughly 1,100 km end to end with the southern terminus at Koli and the northern terminus at Tulppio in Savukoski, and notes that shorter sections are practical day-trip options even though longer through-hikes demand experience. Juuka lies in North Karelia. Along this segment you pass the Koli recreation area cluster: Ryynänen sauna, Kolin virkistysalueen laavu, and Kolin virkistysalueen ulkokuntosali sit close to one another on forested ground above Pielinen. Further along, Ollila pysäköintialue gives a parking base if you join the line partway. Near Mattila kaivo you are in the old-farm landscape that Koli24 also highlights on nearby Kasken kierros, where Mattila, Ollila, and Turula are named as cultural stops. The Turula tulentekopaikka, Turula telttailualue, Turulan tulentekopaikka, and Turula kuivakäymälä group offers campfire space, a tent area, and dry toilets; Vaaralanaho kuivakäymälä and Vaaralanaho tulentekopaikka mark the end sector toward Vaaralanaho. The same facilities tie into Kolin kesäkahvilakierros, which Koli24 presents as a relaxed café loop starting from Ryynänen toward Mattila and onward—useful context if you want to combine food stops with walking. On the wider UKK trail, independent hikers writing at Rinkka ja Pulkka describe starting long hikes near Luontokeskus Ukko and meeting variable marking and brush early on, and they praise Juuka for useful structures farther north on the national line. Trekkari’s long-form work on UKK history notes 1980s route-building around the Vuokatti–Koli corridor and later newspaper-era milestones for the national project. Those accounts refer to the full multi-day UKK, not this 6 km slice, but they explain why the name and paint blazes appear in Koli’s forests. The route shares tread with winter ski and running networks where our data shows overlap: Kolin valaistu latu Lieksa, Kolin kesäkahvilakierros, Kasken kierros, Kylän Polku, and shorter links such as Mattila – Vaaralanaho polku. Check the city’s and Metsähallitus pages for the latest on fireplaces, saunas, and national-park rules before you light a fire or stay overnight.

Length & route

The trail is about 6.1 km as one hiking line from the mapped start toward Vaaralanaho. This segment is a short slice of the national UKK route; Koli24 quotes roughly 1,100 km for the full UKK between Koli and Tulppio and recommends Herajärven kierros as the primary long Koli hike for many visitors, while still presenting UKK as the extreme option. Treat 6.1 km here as a local connector through the Koli recreation area, not the full national distance.

Getting there

The mapped start lies in the Koli–Juuka area near national-park services. Ollila pysäköintialue offers parking about 5.3 km along the line from the dataset ordering—useful if you shuttle by car. Koli24 describes access patterns for café loops and village trails that share Mattila–Turula–Ryynänen geography. For public transport and road access to the wider Koli hub, use the city and regional materials linked from Koli & Lieksa.

Good to know

Long-distance UKK through-hikes can encounter faint marking and overgrown sections in places; Rinkka ja Pulkka and Trekkari both stress careful navigation and patience on the national route. This mapped segment is short and passes maintained recreation services, but you should still carry a map when linking to longer UKK branches. Follow Metsähallitus wildfire and national-park rules for fires and camping. Koli24 notes the full UKK can be partly difficult terrain compared with Herajärven kierros for a classic Koli multi-day loop.

History

The UKK hiking route takes its name from President Urho Kekkonen, an advocate for outdoor fitness. Trekkari traces 1980s planning that linked the Vuokatti–Koli corridor to the UKK name and later press coverage of national trail expansion; Kekkonen’s 1957 ski tour from Vuokatti toward Koli appears in that narrative as an early public milestone. The full national line is a separate undertaking from this 6 km Koli recreation segment.

Managed by

Lieksa

Official Maintenance

Trail info

The national UKK line is usually walked north from Koli on through-hikes; this database segment follows the mapped start-to-end order toward Vaaralanaho. You can plan shuttles using Ollila parking partway along the line.

Route direction

National Park

Area

Recreation Area

Lake

UKK trail marking on the national route is often described as paint on tree trunks alongside occasional signposts; local Koli sections also follow shared trail signage with café and village loops.

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Koli24 – Hiking and UKK trail (Koli)+

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

6.1 km

Distance

About 1.5–2.5 hours of walking for 6.1 km on forest paths, depending on pace and stops at Ryynänen, laavu, and Turula.

Est. Time

Forest paths and recreation-area tracks; short links near parking and farm heritage fields.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Partial Shade

Shade

Light Traffic

Traffic

Koli24 – Hiking and UKK trail (Koli)

Location

63.10463°N, 29.78334°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

North KareliaRegion

JuukaCity

KoliVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Ahmovaaran ladut

210 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Lieksa, 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 North Karelia Juuka Hiking TrailsUKK Trail (Koli segment, Lieksa)

UKK Trail (Koli segment, Lieksa)6.1 km

Route

P 1

Parking 1

0.0 km|Free

Ryynänen sauna

4.0 km|Free

Kolin virkistysalueen laavu

4.0 km|Free

Wilderness Huts

Kolin virkistysalueen ulkokuntosali

4.0 km|Free

Outdoor GymsUlkokuntosalilaitteessa on vartalonkierto, surflaite ja kävelylaite.

Ollila pysäköintialue

5.3 km|Free

Free Parking

Mattila kaivo

5.8 km|Free

Wells & Springs

Description

Koli & Lieksa – outdoor routes+

Description

Length & route

Getting there

Good to know

History

Managed by

Lieksa

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Location

Route direction

National Park

Area

Recreation Area

Lake

UKK trail marking on the national route is often described as paint on tree trunks alongside occasional signposts; local Koli sections also follow shared trail signage with café and village loops.

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Koli24 – Hiking and UKK trail (Koli)+