Province of Eastern Finland,
North Karelia Region
Municipality of Ilomantsi (www.ilomantsi.fi, in
Finnish)
Area: 6 sq. km. Established in 1956.
The area is managed by
Metsähallitus.
Petkeljärvi National Park is picturesque. An enchanting
view of the National Park’s sparkling lakes opens from the tops of the park’s
beautiful narrow ridges. Petkeljärvi National Park is a popular destination for
one day hikes.
The park’s majestic ridges are part of a larger range of ridges, which
reaches from the Lake Koitere all the way into Russia. The ridges are not high,
but they are steep sided. The park’s forests have remained untouched by the
forest industry and 150-year-old shield bark covered pines are the oldest trees
found there. In summer the park’s silence is interrupted by the cry of the
Black-throated Diver (Gavia arctica). Sometimes trails are blocked by
trees, which beavers have cut down.
A particular feature of the National Park is the battle trenches from the
Continuation War of the1940s. Some of these have been restored. On the park’s
nature trail visitors can learn about fen meadows and how they are preserved as
a traditional landscape. Petkeljärvi National Park, like Patvinsuo National
Park, is part of the North Karelian Biosphere Reserve, which was
founded by UNESCO in 1992.
This is the web page www.outdoors.fi/petkeljarvinp
Take a look at Petkeljärvi National Park related products at the Outdoors.fi
online shop (kauppa.luontoon.fi).
