Nuuksio National Park (Finnish: Nuuksion kansallispuisto, Swedish: Noux nationalpark) is one of Finland's 40 national parks. It was created in 1994 and covers forests and lakes in the cities of Espoo, Kirkkonummi, and Vihti. Located northwest of Helsinki, it is the second national park closest to the capital city, after the newly created Sipoonkorpi National Park. The park's name comes from the Nuuksio district in Espoo.
The park is less than 30 kilometers from central Helsinki and can be reached easily using public transportation. Bus 245A runs from Espoon keskus to Nuuksionpää and Kattila during the day.
Inside the park, there are eight marked hiking trails. These trails range in length from 1.5 km to 17 km and vary in difficulty. The park also has 30 km of biking trails and 22 km of horse riding trails. There are designated areas for grilling, camping, and skiing throughout the park.
The Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) is the symbol of the park because many of these animals live there.
The park includes the westernmost part of the Nuuksio lake highlands. Many endangered or near-endangered species of animals, plants, and fungi live in the area, including the Siberian flying squirrel, the European nightjar, and the woodlark.
Area
Nuuksio National Park is the westernmost part of the Nuuksio Lake Upland. The landforms are shaped by valleys and ravines formed during the last ice age, as well as rough, rocky hills covered with lichen and few pine trees. Some areas also include very old forests, wetlands, and protected natural areas, such as meadows. The highest point in the park reaches 110 metres (360 ft) above sea level.
Most of Nuuksio National Park was formed by combining the forest area of the Tervalampi manor, which was once a state-owned hiking area, with the Nuuksionpää outdoor recreation area and the southern part of the Salmi outdoor recreation area. These areas were acquired by the City of Helsinki in the 1960s. The remaining parts of the Salmi outdoor recreation area, located north of the park, are still owned by the City of Helsinki.
There are about thirty lakes in the main area of Nuuksio National Park. The park is bordered by Nuuksion Pitkäjärvi on its southeastern edge and by Tervalampi to the west. Other lakes in the western and northwestern parts of the park include Kurjolampi, Saarilampi, and Ruuhilampi. The northernmost point of the park is on the southern shores of Lake Pikku-Parikas.
The park is not all in one place. In addition to the main area, it includes smaller sections such as the areas around lakes Saarijärvi and Suolikas, as well as a narrow strip of land between Velskolan Pitkäjärvi and Kattilajärvi.
Services
Nuuksio National Park has campfire and camping areas, as well as covered cooking shelters where fires can be made, except during forest fire warnings. Paid services in the park include campfire and camping sites that can be reserved, two rental cabins, a lean-to called Kattila, a smoke sauna, and spaces for meetings.
The Finnish Nature Centre Haltia, which opened in 2013, is located near the park in the Nuuksio area. The centre provides exhibits about Finnish nature and national parks, a store, a restaurant, and areas for meetings and saunas.
Four marked nature trails of different lengths (2–7.5 km) begin at a nature hut in Haukkalampi. Stairs or wooden paths are built in hard-to-walk areas to help hikers and protect the environment from damage. Recycling bins are located at Kattila and Haukkalampi. A water tap is also attached to the wall of the Haukkalampi nature cabin.
Nuuksio National Park has twelve free tent camping areas. Nine of these areas have a campfire ring, a woodshed with an axe, and a dry toilet. Examples of locations for free camping areas include Mustalampi, Haukanholma, Holma-Saarijärvi, Isoholma, and Saarilampi.