Ounasvaara Summer trail

The nearest point of the Ounasvaara Summer Trail is 1.6 km east of the Rovaniemi city centre. Ounasvaara is an ideal day-trip destination because of its easy accessibility. It is not only a famous sports centre but also a year-round recreation area near the city centre of Rovaniemi with marked and maintained trails and several great vantage points. At Ounasvaara, you can practise almost 50 different sports, and the selection keeps growing. In the winter, it is a great place for downhill and cross-country skiing, experiencing the thrill of speed on the toboggan track, or snowshoeing, among other things. In the summer, it is a great setting for hiking, speeding down the hill on the summer bobsleigh track or playing golf. Santasport – Lapland Sports Academy is also a true centre of sports and well-being on the slopes of Ounasvaara.

Ounasvaara's Summer Trail is gravelled and easy to navigate. On the trail, you can admire the stout pine-dominated forests and the rocky landscapes of Ounasvaara peak. The trail is marked and equipped with information boards, and it follows the Ounasvaara Winter Trail. The route section on the western slope of Ounasvaara is illuminated. The total length of the route and its related parts is approximately 2.41 km.

There is an observation tower along the summer trail on the rocky western hillside of Ounasvaara, amidst a pine forest at an altitude of around 160 m above sea level. The tower offers magnificent views over the city centre and the Kemi River. There is a log-built lean-to next to the observation tower, as well as a campfire site and woodshed. There are rest benches along the route and the starting point closest to the center has exercise racks and exercise steps.

The Ounasvaara Summer Trail can be accessed at several points: the starting point nearest the city centre is after crossing the Jätkänkynttilä Bridge and Jäämerentie, to the left from the cycle path and up to Ounasvaara. Another starting point is at the parking area of the Ounasvaara Cabin. Directions: drive 1.1 km from the city centre along Kajaanintie; turn left on Ounasrinteentie; drive 350 m; turn left on Hiihtomajantie; drive 1.5 km to the Ounasvaara Cabin parking area. The third starting point is Santasport – Lapland Sports Academy. Directions: drive 1.1 km out of the city centre along Kajaanintie; turn left on Ounasrinteentie; drive 350 m; turn left on Hiihtomajantie; drive 350 m; turn right and drive to the parking area.