The best fat biking routes in Finland

Though snow, northern fell trails and remote locations might be the first things you think about when considering fat biking in Finland, you can also find great fat biking routes in Southern Finland, only an hour’s drive from the Helsinki capital area.

Fiskars, with it's population of around 500 villagers, is known for its historical ironworks setting, which was the heart of the Finnish iron industry in the 1600s. Nowadays, the village is a vibrant centre for arts and design that attracts an abundance of visitors particularly in the summer.

The picturesque village also accommodates the Fiskars Village Trail Center, one of the largest mountain biking hubs in Southern Finland. The active community of mountain bikers have been building trails in the area since the early 2000s, but more professional route markings have been around since 2015. Today, you can find a total of over 60 km of marked trails suitable for riders of all skill levels.

The Trail Center routes include trails specifically designed for fat biking that you can ride all year round, weather permitting. ”The winter trails are slightly shorter than the summer routes and they follow the trail base to allow for winter maintenance. The idyllic milieu of the Fiskars Ironworks and a myriad of services make the village a lovely place to visit also in wintertime.” outlines Marko Halttunen, one of the founding members of Flow Riders association that runs the Trail Center.

What’s best, you don’t even have to bring your bike: During high season, you can rent Canyon mountain bikes at the bike rental shop managed by Roll Outdoors.



Flacksjö Trail

This trail runs through pleasant boreal forest terrain. Smooth singletrack and a few more technical sections at the end of the route.

Estimated duration: 1 hour

Bike recommendation: fat bike (e.g. Canyon Dude) or a full suspension mountain bike.

Check the latest news and current trail information here or the Fiskars Village Trail Center website.

Another amazing location for fat biking in Southern Finland can be found in Loppi, about an hour’s drive from Helsinki. The distance from the bustling capital area is short, but the change in scenery is something quite extraordinary.

Helsinki-based adventurer and TV host Tom Nylund describes Poronpolku as follows: "The elevation profile is something completely different that what mountain bikers in Helsinki are accustomed to. The trail traverses through beautiful ridges and includes steep ascents and descents. The scenery is truly unique – it’s almost as if you are in Lapland (Lappi in Finnish) than Loppi.”



The Poronpolku route is a perfect fit for beginners, because the route is clearly marked and the terrain is not too challenging. The ascents will make you sweat and we recommend that you lower your seat using the dropper post for safe descents. You can easily cut the ride short as the trail crosses itself in many spots, so it is easy to head back home earlier than planned if you feel like calling it a day. Along the Poronpolku route, you can find a lean-to, which is a perfect place to warm up, rest and enjoy a packed lunch. All in all, Poronpolku is an excellent destination for fat biking trips in Southern Finland.

For more information about the routes, click here.

Syöte National Park is the southernmost fell area in Finland. Its extensive network of wilderness, day trip huts and campfire sites allows riders to enjoy short and long rides via ancient forest and felltops.

Outside the winter season, there are three main mountain biking routes to choose from in Syöte. By combining routes, you can enjoy more than 100 kilometres of trail riding. There are hardly any actual roads that you have to ride when on the trails. The Syöte winter routes are also highly recommended for anyone interested in winter biking.

On a fat bike, you can enjoy the Syöte routes all year round. Influencer Jaska Halttunen of the Fillaripäiväkirja social media account recommended Syöte routes to us and his four-day, 76 km winter trip through Toraslampi, Ahmakallio and Rytitupa huts is a perfect example of a longer winter trip with beautiful sceneries and overnight adventures.

"You can truly experience something exquisite at the Syöte National Park - something that is entirely unique to the area. Syöte has kilometres of winter trails that are intended for snowshoeing, backcountry nordic skiing and fat biking. The routes include visits to eight wilderness huts. One can plan trips ranging from 3 kilometres to 80 kilometres and more."

The mountain bike routes in Syöte are designated with pink trail markers. Moreover, big wooden signs guide the rider to the right direction in bigger crossings. One can start each route at the Syöte Visitor Centre, where you can also find maps and tips for your trip.

If you are up to the challenge, we recommend to try the tough ascent to the Ahmakallio sightseeing tower, which rewards the rider with a magnificent view 400 metres over sea level. This is a great palce to witness the fell scenery in all its glory. In addition, we recommend to check out the Rytivaara Crown Tenant Farm, with its rebuilt historical farm buildings where you can learn more about the tough life of cotters of bygone days.

Of course, you are free to plan your own route, but here are a couple of trails to get you started:





More information about the Syöte region is available here.

Canyon’s partner Roll Outdoors, who organises guided mountain biking tours and rents out mountain bikes in multiple locations in Finland, maintain two northern fat biking trail networks. One of these trails is located in Ounasvaara, Rovaniemi. The overall length of the well-marked trails is about 25 km, in addition to which you can find snowshoeing routes in the area, making the place a perfect location for your winter adventures.

The Ounasvaara forests and activity areas are located in the immediate vicinity of the Rovaniemi city centre and the winter biking routes in the area have been built and maintained by local bike enthusiasts and rental shops since 2016. There is plenty of fun riding for everyone. In addition to smooth rolling and fun trails, you can enjoy the beautiful views, beginner-friendly routes, tight berms and even enduro-style downhill sections.

You can rent your Canyon Dude fat bike at the Roll Outdoors bike rental. In addition to biking, you can enjoy many other activities in Rovaniemi. For a truly relaxing time, book a sauna and hot tub at the roof terrace of the hotel and book your riding group a private movie night at the small movie theatre both located in close vicinity of the routes.



We received the recommendation from Johannes Perkkiö of Roll Outdoors, who gives his description of the route:

"The first 3 km you ascend and warm up your muscles. After this the trail turns and starts snaking towards more level ground and the fun, easy sections and Välirakka. The return from Välirakka is slightly downhill and the trail zigzags all the way to the final steep ascent to the Tottorakka scenic point. After this, it’s time to descend towards the town centre and the riders will surely be smiling when they reach the ”Rollercoaster” section of the route. Then, it’s only a few turns before the ”Center-Flow” descent back to town and enjoy a hot cup of hot chocolate."

Find more info about the routes from our friends at Roll Outdoors.

Kiilopää is an arctic gem nested between two fells and in the immediate vicinity of the Urho Kekkonen National Park. The place is located a 30 minutes’ drive from Saariselkä – on a fat bike the trip through the winter trails wll take 2 to 8 hours.

Suomen Latu, the Outdoor Association of Finland that promotes active outdoor lifestyle, built the first buildings of the Fell Centre in Kiilopää already in 1964. The place has been the go-to location for many a nordic skier and mountain biker ever since.

The fat bike routes maintained by Roll Outdoors are mainly found between the Kiilopää, Kakslauttanen and Laanila areas. The routes include a beginner-friendly trail that takes about an hour to complete and many trails that take the more experienced riders towards Saariselkä for all-day rides and even trips lasting several days.

You can rent your Canyon Dude fat bike at the Roll Outdoors Kiilopää bike rental. If you want to take a break in biking, you can also rent skis and snowshoes at the shop and get to know the local nature on two feet. The services of Saariselkä are not far away, but the best thing to do after an active day of biking is to book the famous Kiilopää smoke sauna and take a dip in the hole in ice for some cold water recovery.

Johannes Perkkiö of Roll Outdoors has two recommended routes in mind for Kiilopää.

From Kiilopää, head towards the Kirkkokuru twisty downhill sections to the Sivakkaajoa lean-to shelter to enjoy packed lunch or grill sausages on an open fire. For the full Kiilopää lunch experience, you may be joined by some Siberian jays in full winter uniform. Based on how much energy you have left, after the break you can either choose the longer route to Kiilopää through Muotka (a great place to have hot chocolate), or simply take the side of the Kiilopääntie road straight back to Kiilopää. The length of the route through Muotka is about 11 km (400 m of ascent) and the shorter option is about 5 km.

A proper adventure starts with a warm-up ascent. This route will ascend one turn at a time for 2 kilometres and 100 metres of elevation up to Ahopää (please check the weather limitations of open fell routes), where you can enjoy breathtaking landscapes. Hard work on the ascent is rewarded with one of the greatest winter biking descents all the way to the other side of the fell. The nearly continuous downhill lasts two kilometres and is sure to liven up any rider. Then, it’s time for more flat trails towards Laanila and the donuts at the Savotta cafe. If the riders still have energy left after the coffee break, they can take the tour through the Saariselkä winter trails. Less energetic riders may want to return back to Kiilopää, which means snaking trails past the Rönkönlampi hut and through hilly bog terrain. If you are still looking to collect extra kilometres, you may want to head to the cold corners of Kakslauttanen, where you can find fun trails ranging from easy to rather challenging in difficulty.



Head over to Roll Outdoors for more information on these routes.