Nuuksio trails: which hike suits you?

What are the marked routes in Nuuksio?

Nuuksio has eight marked loops or trails, ranging from 2 kilometres to 8 kilometres, as well as the long Reitti 2000. Most start from Haukkalampi.

According to Metsähallitus’s route descriptions, the marked routes in Nuuksio are divided into three groups: loop trails starting from Haukkalampi, loops starting from other parts of the park, and the connecting route from Haltia to Haukkalampi. The table below brings them together. The durations are indicative times provided by Metsähallitus, and the difficulty is the same classification used by trail signs.

The longest marked trail in the area is Reitti 2000, which starts in Helsinki and is 110 kilometres long. It is partially cyclable, and the area has about 30 kilometres of cycling trails and 22 kilometres of horse-riding trails. If you want to know how to get to Haukkalampi in the first place, read the guide to Nuuksio from Helsinki.

Where do the Nuuksio trails start?

Most of the circular trails start from Haukkalampi, in front of the Haukanpesä nature hut. Other starting points are Siikaranta, Siikaniemi, Veikkola’s Kaarniaispolku trail and Valklampi in Vihti.

Haukkalampi (Haukkalammentie 32, Espoo) is Nuuksio’s most popular entrance and trail hub. According to Metsähallitus, the circular trails start in front of the Haukanpesä nature hut. The hut houses Café Haukka, run by Natura Viva, serving coffee, light snacks, maps and trail markers. There are dry toilets (one accessible), a recycling point and a water point on site.

You can drive to Haukkalampi, but the car parks fill up at weekends from May to October. Parking on the roadside is prohibited and enforced. If using public transport, the nearest bus stop is about 2 km away on Haukkalammentie, from where you walk the rest of the way. Other starting points, Siikaranta on the Kirkkonummi side and Valklampi in Vihti, are practically only accessible by car or with arranged transport.

What is the Haukankierros trail?

Haukankierros is a 4 km circular trail from Haukkalampi, classified as demanding due to elevation changes. It takes about 2 hours.

Haukankierros is the Nuuksio trail whose name most people hear first. It starts at Haukkalampi and loops back to the same point. Metsähallitus classifies it as demanding specifically because of the elevation changes, not the length: 4 km is not much, but the trail rises and falls over rocky terrain, so it is not a flat walk. The highest points in the park are about 110 metres above sea level.

For independent explorers, Haukankierros is ideal if you want to see Nuuksio’s cliffs and forest lakes in a couple of hours. If you want the same scenery with a guide and a campfire lunch on top, the scenic cliff campfire hike according to the listing covers 7.5 kilometres through viewpoints and lake shores. The listing does not name the route, so it cannot be called Haukankierros.

What is the easiest route in Nuuksio?

Punarinnankierros (2 km, pine forest, about an hour) from Haukkalampi and Soidinkierros (4 km, open rock) from Siikaranta are classified as easy. A demanding accessible trail leads to Haukanholma.

If you want to walk in Nuuksio without steep climbs, Punarinnankierros is a natural choice. It starts at Haukkalampi, goes through a pine forest and takes about an hour according to Metsähallitus. Another easy-rated route is Soidinkierros, 4 kilometres mostly over open rock, which starts at Siikaranta by Hotel Nuuksio (Naruportintie 68, Kirkkonummi).

Regarding accessible movement, Metsähallitus states that a challenging accessible route leads to Haukanholma, ending at an accessible cooking shelter. The word 'challenging' is fitting here: it is an accessible route but not a flat one. For families with children, there is a separate guide for easy routes, including Kaarniaispolku: Nuuksio with children.

Can you walk from Haltia to Haukkalampi?

Yes, the connecting trail is 4.6 km and takes about 2 hours one way. Metsähallitus classifies it as very demanding, so it is not a light shortcut.

The Finnish Nature Centre Haltia (Nuuksiontie 84, Espoo) is the first stop for many, and the connecting trail to Haukkalampi starts from there. According to Metsähallitus, the route is the park’s second most used, 4.6 kilometres and about 2 hours one way, and its difficulty level is very demanding. So it is not a flat connecting path, and the return trip from Haukkalampi to Haltia is another 4.6 kilometres, unless you return by bus.

Haltia is open daily from the beginning of May to the end of September from 10 am - 6 pm and from the beginning of October to the end of April from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm (haltia.com). The building has an exhibition, a restaurant, a shop and equipment rental. Bus 245 from Espoo centre also passes through Haltia, so you can combine the Haltia - Haukkalampi walk with public transport.

Private group, hotel pickup from the Helsinki region and a 5-kilometre route with a wilderness guide.

Private Nuuksio hike with lunch and hotel pickup · 5.5 hours · free cancellation

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Which routes do the guided tours walk?

Trips departing from Helsinki walk 3, 5 or 7.5 kilometres according to the listing. The listings do not specify route names, but the trips are shorter than Korpinkierros.

A guided trip is not a different Nuuksio than a self-guided one: the trails are the same and free. The trips sell transport from Helsinki, a guide and food. The walking distance best indicates what kind of day the trip offers. Afternoon trip follows a 3-kilometre flat route according to the listing and spends 2.5 hours in the park. Private wilderness guide trip walks a 5-kilometre moderate route, and the campfire trip covers 7.5 kilometres via scenic cliffs, spending about 4 hours in the park.

• 3 km flat: in terms of difficulty, it most closely resembles Punarinnankierros.
• 5 km moderate: similar in length to Haukankierros, the listing does not mention elevation changes.
• 7.5 km: longer than Haukankierros, shorter than the 8 km Korpinkierros. The listing requires basic fitness.

A self-guided hiker can walk any loop at their own pace, but from the Haukkalampi bus stop, there is still a 2-kilometre walk to the lean-to shelter and back. A comprehensive comparison of trips is in the guide best Nuuksio trip.

Is it allowed to make a fire on the Nuuksio trails?

Yes, at marked campfire sites. According to Luontoon.fi, open wilderness huts, most campfire sites and lean-to shelters are free to use.

Along Nuuksio’s trails there are campfire sites and lean-to shelters, and using them is free according to Luontoon.fi, as is entry to the whole national park. Campfires are allowed only at marked sites. Metsähallitus specifically mentions the accessible cooking kota at Haukanholma. Picking berries and mushrooms for personal use is permitted without a licence; fishing and hunting require permits.

When a guided trip offers a campfire lunch, the lean-to shelter and firewood are the same free structures used by self-guided hikers. What you pay for is food, the guide and transport. The campfire trip listing promises a campfire lunch, taking special diets into account, as well as berry juice and water. In winter, fire-making and routes have their own conditions, which are explained in Nuuksio in winter.

What should you bring with you on the Nuuksio trails?

Proper footwear, water and a map. There is a water point and a café at Haukkalampi; other starting points have fewer services.

Nuuksio’s trails are rocky and root-covered, so sturdy, grippy shoes are more important than the trail length might suggest. At Haukkalampi there is a water point where you can fill your bottle, and Café Haukka sells maps. When starting from Siikaranta, Valklampi or Kaarniaispolku, Metsähallitus’s descriptions do not mention similar services, so bring water and a map from the start.

In autumn the russka and berries are at their best, and in winter the trails are not maintained: snow gets packed down on the most popular paths, but you should still account for slippery conditions and short daylight. On guided hikes the packing list is lighter, since for example the afternoon hike and the private tour promise rain jackets and a water bottle according to their listings, and the private tour also offers walking poles if needed.

Frequently asked questions