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Vattukuru Trail

—•Hiking Trails

2 km

Route

P 1

Description

Luontoon.fi – Vattukurun lumikenkäreitti+

Description

Vattukuru Trail is about 2 km through old forest and a deep ravine carved by Ice Age meltwater in Syöte National Park. Pudasjärvi lies in North Ostrobothnia, and the Iso-Syöte–Taivalkoski outdoor area draws hikers in all seasons. Metsähallitus publishes the same path on Luontoon.fi as Vattukurun lumikenkäreitti, the official winter snowshoe variant that follows the summer hiking line. Syöte.fi highlights it as an easy 2.1 km family snowshoe outing with a lean-to break around the midpoint. Out in the Nature adds plain-English notes on the Syötekyläntie trailhead, keeping dogs on leash in the national park, and the renewed long staircase climbing out of the ravine. Luontopolkumies Mika Markkanen’s summer walk on Retkipaikka describes yellow paint blazes, ten nature panels along the loop, a clockwise circuit, and gravel underfoot with wet ground and duckboards through the gorge bottom—sturdy footwear is happier than thin trainers there. From Vattukurun pysäköintialue you soon reach a junction where maps describe a longer and shorter arm toward the ravine; the main loop climbs gently toward the highest point before descending past mire edge and forest to Vattukuren Laavu, tucked between rocky sidewalls. Dry toilets sit near the lean-to. For a broader activity picture, the trailhead links practically to Rajakosken rengasreitti (a long MTB circuit) and Syötteen ladut, the maintained cross-country ski network that also passes this parking in winter layouts on our map. Dedicated YouTube searches did not surface a clip that clearly focused only on this named trail, so video is omitted for now.

Length & route

The trail is about 2 km on our map as a compact ravine circuit through Syöte National Park. Visitor information usually rounds the loop to roughly 2.1 km and classifies it as moderate family terrain. Most of the tread is gravel and forest soil with duckboards in the wettest gorge sections, and yellow paint marks keep orientation clear on the circuit. Winter visitors follow the same alignment as an official easy snowshoe route with a packed lane when conditions allow.

Getting there

Drive to Vattukurun pysäköintialue beside Syötekyläntie 1638, 93280 Pudasjärvi—about 10 km east of Iso-Syöte on regional copy, with an information board and map at the lot. Winter visitors report the lot is ploughed for day trips. Cycling on forest trails here follows national-park rules: pedal-powered riding is limited to designated routes, and this footpath is for walking and winter snowshoeing.

Good to know

Keep dogs leashed and respect national-park etiquette; signs at the parking repeat the reminder. Before making fire at Vattukuren Laavu, check the public forest-fire index issued by the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Lean-to etiquette varies: popular shelters may not have ready-cut firewood, so carry your own fuel and leave the site tidy.

History

The ravine landscape belongs to the Maaselkä ice-marginal landforms; meltwater channels cut the bedrock into today’s steep-walled Vattukuru, which national-park interpretation highlights together with rare mosses on the rock faces.

Managed by

Pudasjärvi

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Local walkers describe a clockwise circuit at the junction after a short entry walk.

Route direction

National Park

Area

Recreation Area

Winter Maintenance

Yellow paint blazes mark the nature trail.

Route Signs

Dogs (On Leash)

Dogs

Open / Good Condition

Retkipaikka – Luontopolkumies: Vattukurun luontopolku

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

2 km

Distance

Allow roughly 45–60 minutes for the full loop including panels and time at Vattukuren Laavu.

Est. Time

Dirt / Gravel

Surface

Loop, Single Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

Retkipaikka – Luontopolkumies: Vattukurun luontopolku

Location

65.65236°N, 27.78132°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

North OstrobothniaRegion

PudasjärviCity

Hiking TrailsCategory

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Pudasjärvi, 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 Ostrobothnia Pudasjärvi Hiking TrailsVattukuru Trail