Autumn colours in Ruka

5 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

Ruska is the Finnish word for the few weeks when the leaves turn before winter. In Kuusamo, Metsähallitus says, it usually begins around 12 September and lasts two to three weeks. Local tradition is more precise: the colours are said to take over Kuusamo on 12 September at about two in the afternoon. The tourist association adds that you can enjoy them throughout September.

How the colours arrive

Ruska comes in two waves. First the ground vegetation turns, and the tourist association places that in early September. About a week later the colours reach the deciduous trees, such as the birches that stand out against the dark spruce and pine. For both waves together, aim for the middle of the month rather than its first days.

The weather decides how long it lasts. Metsähallitus warns that an autumn storm can sometimes strip the leaves from the trees before their time. Plan a stay of several nights in the second half of September, and leave the choice of the best day open.

Where to see ruska around Ruka

The tourist association points to high places and riverbanks. On the heights, that means Ruka itself, Valtavaara, Pyhävaara and Riisitunturi. Metsähallitus describes how the vegetation on the slopes of Valtavaara turns the landscape colourful in September, and the Karhunkierros trail crosses those slopes on its last stage towards Ruka.

Along the water, the best spots are the banks of the Oulankajoki and the Kitkajoki and the shores of Lake Kuusamojärvi. In Oulanka National Park, the Pieni Karhunkierros loop from Juuma passes the rapids at Myllykoski and Jyrävä, and the path from the visitor centre to Kiutaköngäs is only a kilometre long. Our pages on Oulanka National Park and the Karhunkierros trail describe both routes.

Riisitunturi, 30 km from Ruka, is one of the fells on that list. MyTrail runs a private ruska hike there in September and October, covering 4 to 8 km at a pace for every fitness level, with a campfire snack and a warm drink when the weather allows. Transfers from Ruka or Kuusamo can be added.

Weather and daylight in September

September days are still long. On 1 September the sun is up in Ruka from 05:37 to 20:28, on 15 September from 06:22 to 19:34 and on 1 October from 07:13 to 18:32. Weather data from the Ruka village station for 2016 to 2024 give an average September high of about 11 degrees and an average low of about 6 degrees. The tourist association quotes 5 to 15 degrees. By October the average high in the village is only about 3 degrees, and the first snow often falls that month.

Metsähallitus advises checking the weather before a hike and dressing for it, and in bright colours. Layers that you can add or take off cope best with the gap between a cool morning and a mild afternoon.

Northern lights in autumn

The light summer nights end in early August, and from about late August the sky in Ruka gets dark enough for the aurora again. The Finnish Meteorological Institute names September and October, together with February and March, as the best months, and the hours around midnight as the best time. The tourist association describes a special autumn sight: the aurora can be reflected in lakes and ponds, so that it appears twice, in the sky and on the water. Clouds still decide everything, and no one can predict the lights reliably. The northern lights page has more.

What else runs in September

Bears are still active. The hides near Kuusamo are open daily until the end of September, and in autumn the evening sessions start earlier. The operator offers a free return visit if no bear appears; transport to the hides is not included. See bear watching for both tours.

Under Finland's everyman's rights you may pick berries and mushrooms, and in Oulanka picking berries and ground mushrooms is allowed wherever access is not restricted. Lighting a fire is not part of these rights, so use the marked fireplaces. Finnhorse rides at Ronivaara farm, the smoke sauna near Ruka and river floating on the Kitkajoki all run year-round and fit easily into an autumn stay.

Some summer services wind down during the month. Ruka Bike Park closed its 2026 season on 20 September, and the summer buses to Oulanka and Hautajärvi ran until 30 September in 2026. In 2026 the tourist association grouped events under the name Autumn Colors in Ruka-Kuusamo from 1 to 30 September; the 2027 dates had not been published by mid-October.

Between autumn and winter

October and November are the quiet weeks between seasons. The lakes are not yet safely frozen and there is too little snow for winter activities. At the same time the ski season starts early: in 2026 the slopes opened on 2 October on stored snow, and a first snow trail for cross-country skiing opens every year in mid-October. A trip at the end of September can therefore combine the last colours with the first snow. For the full year, see the best time to visit Ruka.