SYÖTE NAMED SNOWMOBILE DESTINATION OF THE YEAR 2026

Since 2018, the Finnish Motorcycling Federation’s Snowmobile Tourism Group has selected a community, company or individual each year for making a significant contribution to the opportunities for snowmobile tourism and its positive public image. The Syöte–Pudasjärvi snowmobile area has been named Snowmobile Destination of the Year 2026.

Syöte Tourist Centre is the area’s hub. It offers snowmobilers a wide range of accommodation and restaurant services, safaris and snowmobile rentals, as well as fuel. From Syöte, riders can enjoy varied terrain and beautiful scenery on routes towards Pudasjärvi, Ranua, Posio and Taivalkoski. The trails include circular routes of varying lengths, so riders do not have to travel the same trail back and forth.

Pudasjärven Kelkkaurapooli ry is responsible for the practical upkeep of the area’s snowmobile trails. The association promotes snowmobiling and the tourism revenue it generates by maintaining trails and routes. Its work is funded by both private and public sources. Several local businesses in the Pudasjärvi area provide private funding. The association also raises funds by bringing on partners, whose advertisements are displayed along the trails. The City of Pudasjärvi provides public funding.

The annual trail support sticker costs just €30. Syötteen Maansiirto Oy maintains the trails under contract, with work carried out according to the schedule set by the association’s board. Snowmobilers can explore the area using the digital trail map, which also shows the latest maintenance schedule.

In 2025, the City of Pudasjärvi, the Police and Metsähallitus worked together to create connecting routes from cottage areas to the snowmobile trails, giving riders safe access to the main routes. The connecting routes are marked with supplementary signs and have a speed limit of 30 km/h. In 2018, the Finnish Motorcycling Federation’s Snowmobile Tourism Group secured approval for a new legal interpretation concerning connecting routes. The first route marked with supplementary signs opened to Ranua in 2019.

For its outstanding work in promoting recreational snowmobiling, Pudasjärven Kelkkaurapooli ry received the Finnish Motorcycling Federation’s Certificate of Honour naming it Snowmobile Destination of the Year 2026. The certificate was presented, as is now tradition, at the Kelekkamessut snowmobile fair in Rovaniemi on Saturday, 31 October 2026. The Federation was represented by Jari Heinilä, Jukka Lainkari and Asko Keskinen. The certificate was accepted on behalf of the association by its Chair, Jani Korkiakoski, and Vice Chair, Jarkko Karjalainen.

For more information: Jari Heinilä, +358 500 816 549 or heinila.jari@gmail.com

Photo from the certificate presentation. From left: Asko Keskinen, Jukka Lainkari, Jari Heinilä, Jani Korkiakoski and Jarkko Karjalainen.