Pieni Karhunkierros / Small Bear Loop – Oulanka National Park

Hiking trails & Routes

Finland

Northern Finland

Kuusamo

Pieni Karhunkierros / Small Bear Loop – Oulanka National Park

Moderate

4.9

(444)

2,664

hikers

Pieni Karhunkierros / Small Bear Loop – Oulanka National Park

03:36

11.7km

140m

Hiking

The Bear Circuit - Finnish: Karhunkierros - is a popular trekking route in the beautiful Oulanka National Park. But we don't want to send you that far, because it's quite long at around 80 kilometers. Instead, we'll just take you on the Little Bear Tour, which is about twelve kilometers…

by Ruka-Kuusamo

Last updated: November 13, 2024

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

298 m

Niskakoski Suspension Bridge

Highlight • Bridge

Very nice suspension bridge over a spur of Lake Ala-Juumajärvi. Please keep a distance of ten meters. 😀 In summer you can watch the rafting boats here.

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Tip by

3.23 km

Jyrävä Falls

Highlight • Waterfall

The river Kitkajoki rushes impressively down a small cascade as Jyrävä Falls. A short side trail gets you closer to the water.

Tip by

4.90 km

View of the Kitka River

Highlight • Viewpoint

The trail leads you way up into the forest, but with a stunning view over the impressive Kitka River.

Tip by

7.05 km

Haarisuvanto Suspension Bridge

Highlight • Bridge

A very beautiful spot near the Harrisuvanto shelter. I was able to set up my tent here and enjoy the peace and quiet by the water. The fog that rose …

Tip by

7.26 km

Wooden hut with fire pit

Highlight • Mountain Hut

Plenty of wood and a place to cut if more is needed. A very nice place to rest.

Tip by

11.7 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

6.78 km

4.86 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

11.2 km

439 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (240 m)

Lowest point (170 m)

Weather

Wednesday 11 November

-8°C

-16°C

-- %

Additional weather tips

It’s going to be cold. Wrap up warm and watch out for ice.

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

August 4, 2024,Pieni Karhunkierros (kleine Bärenrunde)

Possible for people with slight walking difficulties, the path is gravelled, there are boardwalks and many stairs, so you have to overcome a maximum height of 20cm, so you don't have to climb, overcome scree fields or anything like that, if the 1st km works, the rest should work too

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June 19, 2022,Pieni Karhunkierros Trail im Oulanka NP (Finnland)

Want more? You can find more information about nature and sights to the right and left of this hiking trail in my hiking book "Finland's National Parks - Hiking in the Pearls of the North". There you will find over 500 pages of accompanying background information on 1,000 kilometers on foot through all of Finland's national parks. My motto: "Walk …

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June 10, 2023,Kleine Bärenrunde von Juuma Camping

One of the most beautiful hikes we have done in Finland. Relatively well attended on weekends.

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September 21, 2026,Oulanka Nationalpark - Kleine Bärenrunde / PIENI KARHUNKIERROS

PIENI KARHUNKIERROS (the little bear round) in Oulanka National Park is one of Finland's most popular day hikes. On its good 12 kilometers, it offers everything you could hope for in the wild nature of Finland: quiet lakes, rushing rapids Myllykoski with an old mill, the Jyräva waterfall, swinging suspension bridges, barbecue areas, rustic paths over roots, beautiful views, and …

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September 6, 2023,06.09.2023 Oulanka-Nationalpark 🌤

Along roaring rivers, up and down hills, hiked the “little bear circuit” through the national park in wonderful weather.
A fantastically good hiking area.
Highly recommended. 👍

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August 6, 2023,Pieni Karhunkierros from Basecamp Oulanka

Easy walk in nice weather in August. Very popular with spectacular views

December 31, 2021,6. Tag Lappland: Schneeschuhwanderung auf der Bärenrunde

Again from the side of the DAV Summit Club: The Bear Tour - called Karhunkierros in Finnish - is the most famous hiking route in Finland, crosses the Oulanka National Park and crosses the Finnish forests for about 80 kilometers. A fantastic day of snowshoeing on the most beautiful section of the Karhunkierro awaits us today - the little bear …

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May 23, 2026,Little Bear hike, Finland.

Fantastic circular hike with a mixture of wooden steps, suspension bridges and undulating rocky tracks.

I'd recommend good, sturdy footware, hiking shoes as a minimum, preferably hiking boots for the extra ankle support.

February 24, 2023

The Bear Circuit - Finnish: Karhunkierros - is a popular trekking route in the beautiful Oulanka National Park. But we don't want to send you that far, because it's quite long at around 80 kilometers. Instead, we'll just take you on the Little Bear Tour, which is about twelve kilometers long and can

Translated by Google •