The City of Helsinki’s 16-km long mountain bike trail is open to everyone and it is located in the diverse wooded terrain of Central Park. The trail starts on the northern side of the Laakso riding arena, runs through Central Park, circles Pitkäkoski and Haltiala in a forest area and ends at the Paloheinä hiking lodge.
The trail is marked on the trees with red waymarks and it can be ridden in both directions. In addition to mountain biking, you can also walk or run along the trail. Cycling is only allowed on mountain bikes.
Some sections of the mountain bike trail run on hiking trails and at times, the bike trail crosses hiking trails. The intersections are marked with wooden piles and red waymarks.
The mountain bike trail is available from 1 May to 30 November. At other times, the bike trail is not maintained and not available to cyclists. In winter, part of the bike trail is turned into a ski trail, and it is available to skiers. Central Park has an extensive network of ski trails that intersect with the bike trail at several points.
See the Central Park mountain bike trail on a map(Link leads to external service)
See all trails in the Central Park guide map (pdf)(Link leads to external service)
Trail description and safety instructions
You need medium-level mountain bike skills to ride on the trail. The trail is mostly soil-based paths. There are also challenging rocky and cliff ups and downs with warning signs where you can push your bike. Rocks and tree roots on the path also make the trail more challenging.
You ride the trail at your own risk. Caution should be exercised when riding on demanding trail sections, as well as in encounters with others enjoying the great outdoors. When approaching others, it’s polite to ring a bell or say something.
There are early warning signs before the intersections with other hiking trails. When approaching, slow down. Caution is required especially at the crossroads with horse-riding trails. In the event of an accident, it’s everyone’s duty to help the injured person.
The wettest sections of the trail have been reinforced with gravel, and wooden bridges have been built over ditches. In the Haltiala forest nature reserve, cycling is only permitted on marked trails. Staying on the trails elsewhere in the Central Park area is also recommended in order to avoid natural wear and tear. Circling around wet patches and lock braking must be avoided on the trail. Do not leave litter in the Central Park nature.
Suomen Latu association’s mountain biking rules (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)
Mountain bike trail GPX
The GPX track of the Central Park mountain bike trail is not accurate, but it indicates the approximate location of the route in the terrain. Please refer to the signs in the terrain when using the route.
GPX track of the Central Park mountain bike trail (gpx file format)
Trail maintenance
If you notice any fallen trees or anything that prevents the safe use of the trail, please give us feedback or report a problem. A photo or coordinates of the terrain point help locate the exact place.