Hiidenportti National Park offers the peace of nature and the uniqueness of Kainuu region. The heart of the national park is a steep gorge, which is one of the most prominent natural attractions in the entire province. Its steep rock walls are up to 20 meters high in some places.
Photo: Katja Tirkkonen
Photo: Katja Tirkkonen
Photo: Harri Tarvainen / Metsähallitus
Hiidenportti National Park has signposted routes almost 30 kilometers. The most popular one is 5 kilometers long Hiidenkierros Trail. More challenging route is 10.5 kilometers long Kitulankierros Trail. The paths are suitable for walking. Mountain biking in the national park is not prohibited, but due to the rocky terrain, cycling can be very challenging.
Hiidenportti trails are also suitable for hiking in winter thanks to snowshoes or sliding snowshoes. There is no winter maintenance of the trails in the national park, but the tracks of visitors in the park make the paths smooth, so it is possible to walk on the trails.
The forests of the national park are, on average, 100–150 years old, almost natural pine and spruce forests. The small-scale mosaic of bogs and fabrics is also characteristic. Along the Hiidenportti hiking trail, you can reach, for example, Kovasinvaara, where a former courtyard with information boards tells about life in the middle of the wilderness.
Hiidenportti National Park is located about 50 kilometers from Vuokatti. There are signposts to the park along the south side of the road (main road 76) between Kuhmo and Sotkamo. The heart of the national park, a steep gorge, is only about 1.3 kilometers from the Palolampi parking and guidance area.
Hiidenportti National Park is an excellent day hiking destination, and it is well suited for beginner hikers and group hikes.
Read more about Hiidenportti National Park from nationalparks.fi.
Services at Hiidenportti
The Palolampi guidence point has a cooking shed, a place to make a fire, a well, and Palolampi’s rental hut, which can be rented for pre-booked group catering.