Ruka: Toboggan Run, Bike Park and Hiking Trails

Ruka offers a variety of options for an active stay: a summer toboggan run, a bike park and marked hiking trails. The centre of Ruka Village is car-free; a gondola connects Ruka Village and Ruka Valley.

Getting around Ruka

All local public transport buses stop at the turning circle on the southern edge of Ruka Village. These include the SkiBus, Airport Bus, Karhunkierros Trail Bus and other scheduled buses. Routes and timetables may change; check them before travelling. For guests of Ruka Village, the Village-2-Valley gondola and the SkiBus provide transport around the area. The gondola connects Ruka Village and Ruka Valley in about nine minutes. Its operation is weather-dependent.

Ruka Village has the Ruka Parking Hall, a heated parking facility available to all visitors, with 37 charging stations. From there, a covered walkway leads to the Kumpare Shopping Centre, RukaSuites and Hotel RukaVillage, as well as to the lifts near the slope and Rukahovi. This provides several useful reference points for getting around the village: the car-free centre, the bus turning circle at the southern edge and the parking facility with its covered connections.

Tobogganing and scenic rides

The Ruka Coaster follows a winding track of more than 750 metres and reaches speeds of up to 40 km/h. The ride offers views of the surrounding landscape. The Ruka Summer Sled Track is a one-kilometre steel toboggan run ridden in a specially designed sled. It operates seasonally, so check before travelling. From Ruka Village, the track can be reached by the Village Express chairlift; its operation is seasonal and weather-dependent.

Bike facilities and their classifications

The Ruka Bike Park trails can be reached by four bike lifts: the Village-2-Valley gondola, the Village Express chairlift, the Vuosseli T-bar lift and the Family Park magic carpet. The bike park's downhill trails are classified as Flow and Technical. Family Park is right next to Ruka Valley and is especially suitable for beginners. Those comparing the facilities will find two different points of reference here: the classification of the downhill trails and Family Park's location next to Ruka Valley.

Hiking trails and the Karhunkierros Trail

In summer, there are marked day-hiking trails in the Ruka area. For summer 2026, the Ruka Scenic Trail was added as a new marked day-hiking trail; the Ruka circular trail is also among the marked trails. Ruka Guided Nature Experiences offers guided hikes and e-bike tours in summer. Individual tours and dates may vary seasonally.

A route change published on 14 April 2026 moved the official start and finish point of the Karhunkierros Trail from Ruka Village to Saarua in eastern Ruka. Following this change, the trail was to be 81 kilometres long in total. Check the current route before setting off. This allows you to consider the marked day-hiking trails, guided summer activities and the longer Karhunkierros Trail as different options when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Alastalo, Raahe, Haapavesi, Taivalkoski, Strandby, Savilahti, Komsi, Paimio

For the broader travel overview: North Ostrobothnia.