Welcome to the Park of the Week Newsletter for December 21, 2023. This week’s park is rumored to be the home of Santa Claus.
Urho Kekkonen National Park
Location
Northern Lapland, Finland
Claim to fame
At roughly 2500 square kilometers (980 square miles), Urho Kekkonen is the second largest national park in Finland. The park is one of Finland’s most popular hiking destinations, visited by around 300,000 people each year.
Urho Kekkonen is nestled between the resort of Saariselkä and the Russian border. It is a part of the ancient homeland of the Sámi people, who once collected in villages here to withstand the region’s winters. The remains of four Sámi villages are protected by the park.
One area of Urho Kekkonen, Korvatunturi, is famous among the people of Finland as the legendary home of Santa Claus.
Reason to visit
Urho Kekkonen is the land of midnight sun in summer and of northern lights in winter. Backpacking is popular here, and there are huts sprinkled throughout the park for warming or cooking, though most camping is still done in tents. Cross-country skiing or snowshoeing are favorite winter park activities.
Rare flora and fauna are another draw. Though the park contains large bogs and spruce and pine forests, much of the landscape is fell country, with few plants at higher elevations. The park is home to many bird species, like the gyrfalcon, the largest falcon in the world. The park’s emblem features another spectacular area bird–the golden eagle.
Wild Fact
Not only is Urho Kekkonen National Park the traditional Finnish home of Santa Claus, it’s also home to his favorite animal companions.
Urho Kekkonen is a part of the reindeer husbandry area of Finland, meaning that Sámi herders corral them here in the traditional way. Sámi villages have lived off herds of reindeer for thousands of years, and their livestock and ancient culture is protected in this park and others in the region. Hikers are asked to close reindeer fences and be respectful of the animals and their home.
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