Nuuksio National Park Questions and Answers

Getting there
Weather and clothing
Services in the national park
Trails
Camping
Berries
Mushrooms
Animals
My tours

If you can’t find an answer to your question here, you can always contact me personally.

Getting There

Where is Nuuksio National Park?

In Espoo and Vihti, Finland, 30 km from Helsinki city center.

How can I get to Nuuksio National Park?

By public transport, car or a taxi, or with a guide who picks you up, like me.

How can I go to Nuuksio National Park by public transport?

Information about tickets and journey planner on hsl.fi/en

Bus stops close to the main trails:

Nature Center Haltia: E6938, Haltia, Nuuksiontie 65, Espoo

Closest to Haukkalampi: E6956, Haukkalammentie, Espoo

Kattila: E6935, Kattila, Vihti

West side: E6915, Siikaniemi, Espoo

Weather and Clothing

What is the weather like in Nuuksio National Park?

In summer from early June to mid-September: day temperatures usually between 15 and 25°C, rain or sun, can change every day.

In fall from mid-September to mid-November: day temperatures usually between 5 and 10°C, rain or sun, can change every day.

In winter from mid-November to end of March: day temperatures usually between -15 and 0°C, snowfall or sun, can change every day, snow on the ground.

In spring from April to end of May: day temperatures usually between 5 and 15°C, rain or sun, can change every day.

Where can I find local weather forecast for Nuuksio National Park?

What should I wear?

Generally sports clothing for walking or running are a good choice, if you’re going to hike a longer distance. In coldest winter and on snow you can use jackets and trousers for winter sports like skiing or snowboarding.

In summer it’s a good idea to wear something mosquitoes can’t sting through. Take a good look at the weather forecast in the morning before going to the national park, and take rain clothing with you if rain is possible.

In colder times in spring, fall and winter it’s good to have something warm, like a down jacket, to put on while having a snack break.

A hat is a good idea to protect you from the sun, which can shine for the whole day here in north. It can also protect your face from cold rain.

What are good shoes to wear?

In summer running shoes are a good choice.

In colder and wetter times it’s nice to have something waterproof.

In winter it’s best to have warm winter boots. In winter and beginning of spring there can also be lot’s of ice on the trails, so ice spikes are a really good idea.

Snowshoes help a lot when there’s more than 25 cm of snow and you want to walk outside the main trails.

When can we go snowshoeing?

Most likely time for lots of snow is in February and March. Sometimes the best of winter is in January, every year is a little different. Snowshoeing is possible and worth it when there’s more than 25 cm of snow.

Services in the National Park

Can I buy food in the national park?

There is a restaurant in the Nature Center Haltia, other than that you are on your own. Bring your own snacks and food with you. Or take a guide who takes care of that.

Where can I get drinking water in Nuuksio National Park?

From Nature Center Haltia when it’s open, from Haukkalampi guide hut, there’s a tap in the wall towards the parking lot, and from Kattila, there’s a well near the campfires. A guide might know lakes that you can take drinking water from.

Trails

Where can I find a map of trails in Nuuksio National Park?

What are the best trails?

Most popular trails with signs are Haukankierros (Hawk’s loop), 3,7 km, Korpinkierros (Raven’s loop), 7,2 km and Punarinnankierros (Robin’s loop), 2,4 km.

Best trails with peace and quiet are outside the main trails. You need to know how to read a map and find your way in the deep forest. Not all trails are shown on the maps. It’s a labyrinth out there.

Are the trails difficult?

There are no big hills, but the forest floor goes up and down almost constantly, with some steeper up and downhills. There are rocks and roots on the trails, and especially the roots can be slippery when wet.

Camping

Where can I camp in Nuuksio National Park?

On official campsites, shown with a tent icon on the map. Inside the national park it’s illegal to camp anywhere else other than the official sites.

Where can I find a map of camping sites in Nuuksio National Park?

Brochure with a map. Camping sites are shown with a tent icon.

Terrain map with trails and campsites

What are the best camping sites Nuuksio National Park?

Most popular are Mustalampi, Haukanholma and Holma-Saarijärvi.

Best camping sites with peace and quiet are the ones furthest away from the main trails.

Where can I make a fire in Nuuksio National Park?

On official campfire sites in the fireplace, shown with a flame icon on the map. It’s illegal to make a fire anywhere else in nature, and it’s illegal to take wood for a fire from nature. You can only use firewood on the sites.

Berries

Can I pick berries in Finland?

Yes, everybody can pick berries for free from nature, it’s part of our Everyman’s rights.

Can I eat all berries in Finland’s nature?

No. Some berries are poisonous, you should only eat berries you can identify.

What berries can I find and eat in Nuuksio National Park?

When can I pick berries?

Blueberries in July and August.

Lingonberries in September and October.

Cranberries in October and November.

Bog bilberries in August and September.

Cloudberries in July.

Mushrooms

Can I pick mushrooms in Finland?

Yes, everybody can pick mushrooms for free from nature, it’s part of our Everyman’s rights.

Can I eat all mushrooms in Finland’s nature?

No! Many mushrooms are poisonous, they can kill you. Some mushrooms are edible even raw, some require cooking or parboiling and some are deadly. You should only eat mushrooms you can identify.

What mushrooms can I pick and eat?

There are over 2000 different species of bigger fungi in Finland, around 500 of those are edible and around 200 species are worth picking. Some of those 200 still require cooking and some require parboiling, otherwise they can cause stomach ulcer or kill you. Don’t try mushrooms you can’t identify for 100% sure.

What are the best mushrooms in Nuuksio National Park?

Everybody has their own favorites, but some commonly sought after are chanterelle, trumpet chanterelle, horn of plenty and cep.

When can I pick mushrooms?

Depends on the weather, mushrooms need rain and warm weather. Some mushrooms can pop up in July, like chanterelles and ceps, but the best time is in September and October. November and even December can be very good, if temperatures stay above freezing.

Animals

What animals are in Nuuksio National Park?

Among many others: Siberian flying squirrel, elk/moose, lynx, fox, deer, hare and otter. Wolves might visit the area, but don’t currently live there.

Birds you can see include Finland’s national bird the whooper swan, raven, blackbird, goldeneye, red-throated loon, white wagtail, black woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker and western capercaillie.

A fish you can often see near lake shore is Finland’s national fish, the European perch.

What animals can I see in Nuuksio National Park?

Sadly not very many, because every creature in the forest wants to hide, and the forest is a very good place for that. They also like to move in dark, so that makes it ever harder.

You can see and hear many birds, you can see the Finland’s national fish in summer and you can see many footprints on snow in winter, including those from elks and lynxes.

What biting insects there are in Nuuksio National Park?

Mosquitoes from June to August, but for example in 2019 there were very few mosquitoes, it depends on the weather.

Black flies in June and July.

Deer keds in August and September, they don’t bite, but can be annoying.

Ticks from around May to September.

Ants can also bite, but they are easy to avoid.

Wasps are angry at the end of summer and in fall.

My Tours

What tours or programs do you offer?

My tours are day trips and camping trips to Nuuksio National Park, to the coast around Helsinki and to Repovesi National Park.

All my guided tours include transport from your hotel or Airbnb to the destination and back, food, snacks and drinks, outdoor clothing, camping gear and other equipment like snowshoes you can borrow for free, relaxed schedule and lot’s of time in the destination, my guiding outside main trails of course, and peace and quiet for your private group.

My tours also include all the things Finnish people go to do in nature. That means we can pick berries, mushrooms, hike, swim in the lakes, sit down in the forest and relax, cook our lunch and eat in nature. You don’t need to book a tour for picking berries or mushrooms, we can do that anyway.

I don’t do special activities just for tourists, like watersports or canoeing. I do things we locals do.

My current tours include:

Nuuksio National Park hiking tour from Helsinki

Nuuksio National Park snowshoe hike in winter from Helsinki

Finland’s archipelago hiking tour from Helsinki

Nuuksio National Park camping tour from Helsinki

Repovesi National Park camping tour from Helsinki

Nuuksio National Park Ultimate 4 or 5 day camping tour

Winter camping in Finland: a guided tour from Helsinki

For More

Weather and hiking conditions in Nuuksio National Park

Homepage – guided hiking tours in Finland

Hikes in Finland’s national parks near Helsinki

Hiking and camping course for beginners in Finland

Ask Me Anything

Contact about nature walks in Helsinki