Pyhä-Häkki National Park Trails

Hiking Trails

There are about 14 km of marked trails in the National Park.

Starting Points for Trails

• The trails start at the information point of the National Park, by the side of the Saarijärvi - Viitasaari road.
• Good starting points for the Keski-Suomen maakuntaura Hiking Trail, which goes through the National Park, are for example Heramäen kuntorata at Saarijärvi, and the fork of the roads to Ilomäki and Haarajärvi at Kannonkoski, where parking is by the side of the road.

Nature Trails

Mastomäki Nature Trail: This 3 km trail goes to the old-growth forest. It is marked with yellow painted spots, and takes a bit over an hour to walk.
• Starting point: The parking area and information point of the National Park.
• Sights:
The Giant Tree and the old-growth forests of Mastomäki.
• Services: The information point of the National Park, the well and the summer kiosk.
• Kotajärvi Nature Trail: The trail is marked with red painted spots. This 6,5 km trail is partly joined with the Mastomäki Nature Trail, and takes about 2,5 hours to walk.
  • Starting point: The parking area and information point of the National Park.
  • Sights:
  The Giant Tree and the old-growth forests of Mastomäki.
  • Services: The information point of the National Park, the well, the summer kiosk and the cooking shelter at Lake Kotajärvi.

Other Trails

• Keski-Suomen maakuntaura Hiking Trail: A part of this trail goes through the National Park, and it is marked with blue painted spots. There are about 400 km of this trail altogether, but it is not maintained everywhere, and at some places it has almost disappeared. It is possible to walk 27 km from Heramäen kuntorata at Saarijärvi to Pyhä-Häkki and to continue 30 km onto the fork of the roads to Ilomäki and Haarajärvi at Kannonkoski. The bridges between Pyhä-Häkki and Kannonkoski have been repaired where needed, but the trail is not marked at all the places. Outside the National Park this trail is maintained by the Town of Saarijärvi (www.saarijarvi.fi, in Finnish) and the Municipality of Kannonkoski (www.kannonkoski.fi, in Finnish).

Skiing Trails

In the winter it is possible to ski in the National Park on trails maintained by the Town of Saarijärvi (www.saarijarvi.fi, in Finnish) and the Municipality of Kannonkoski (www.kannonkoski.fi, in Finnish). The trails are not lit, and they are suitable for classical cross-country skiing. The starting point in the National Park is the parking area of the park. The trails are maintained depending on the snow conditions between the mid January and the end of March, especially for the weekends. Skiing trail map can be picked up at the town hall of Saarijärvi.

To Saarijärvi direction:
• From the National Park parking area, there is a 1,5 km skiing trail to the cooking shelter of Lake Kotajärvi. From Lake Kotajärvi it is possible to ski off the park, to Heramäen kuntorata at Saarijärvi in the south. This distance is 27 km, and the trail is maintained by the town of Saarijärvi. Erkki Kuorelahti can give information on the condition of the skiing trail tel.int. +358 14 459 8295 or +358 44 459 8295
• To Kannonkoski direction:
  • From Lake Kotajärvi cooking shelter to Kannonkoski in the north, there is 30 km trail, which is maintained when the snow is thick, in late winter. This trail is maintained by the municipality of Kannonkoski. Information on the condition of the skiing trail tel.int. +358 14 459 6111 (switch).