Rovaniemi · Finland
Könkäänvaara viewpoint
A walk of about 300 m from a car park on the Sodankylä road up to a viewpoint in old pine forest on Könkäänvaara, at the western edge of the Arctic Circle Hiking Area. A quick way out of the town glow without a long walk.
See tonight's live score and best time to go for Könkäänvaara viewpoint in Aurora Atlas
Why it works for the aurora
- View
- Over old pine forest and mires from the hilltop; road 4 passes below to the north..
- Darkness
- Dark sky, grade 1 on a scale from 0 (darkest) to 5. Little artificial light; a good place for faint aurora and the Milky Way.
- Aurora
- Near the edge of the auroral oval: aurora on most active nights, low in the northern sky on quiet ones.
Getting there
- Distance
- About 25 km by road from Rovaniemi (estimate), roughly 28 min by car.
- Parking
- Könkäänvaara (Makialampi) car park on road 4, ploughed in winter; about 300 m on foot.
- Coordinates
- 66.6045, 26.0938 · Open in OpenStreetMap
Before you go
The car park is on a busy main road: turn in and out with care and wear a reflective vest. The path is unlit.
Dress for standing still in the cold, bring a head torch with a red light, and park only where parking is allowed. A forecast is guidance, not a promise: check the road and weather warnings for Finland before a night drive. See our winter safety note.
Spot information from julkaisut.metsa.fi.