Ruunaa Hiking Area Trails

Hiking Trails

There are about 50 km of marked trails in Ruunaa Hiking Area. The terrain is mostly quite easy. The trails are connected via Karhupolku Trail to a larger hiking trail network called Karjalan Kierros. The main trails in the Hiking Area are marked in yellow, and the nature trail and the side trails going to the fishing spots are marked in blue. Karhunpolku Trail which is part of Karjalan Kierros hiking trail network is marked in orange. The beautiful waters and scenery of the fishing trails attract visitors to choose a slightly slower route. The trails are marked on the Ruunaa outdoor map.

Starting Points for Trails

Närelenkki Nature Trail 2 km, Neitijärven kierros Trail, 22 km, and Koskikierros 31 km, start from the parking area of Neitikoski. In clockwise direction, the long trails start from the gravel road which turns just before Neitikoski parking area, and anticlockwise, along the Neitikoski road past the Outdoor Centre.

• You can also start Neitijärven kierros Trail from the parking areas on the eastern and western side of Haapavitja or Lake Neitijärvi.
• You can also start Koskikierros Trail from the parking areas on the eastern and western side of Haapavitja, Lake Neitijärvi or Siikakoski.
The short circular trails of Siikakoski, 3 km and 5 km, and the circular trail of Vastuuniemi, 9 km, start from Siikakoski parking area, where you can also start Koskikierros Trail.
• Directions to the parking areas.

Nature Trails

• Närelenkki Trail, 2 km, covers the quite easy terrain of Verkkopuro and Miikkulankangas. It starts clockwise on the parking area of Neitikoski. On this trail you can learn about the traditions of log floating. The trail is marked with blue circles, and it is suitable for families. Hiking this trail takes about 40 mins. It is connected to Koskikierros Trail and Karhunpolku Trail.
  • Services: Recycling point at Neitikoski parking area. Ruunaa Outdoor Centre, located 0,2 km away, offers accommodation, restaurant, camping ground, parking for caravans and camper vans, boat and canoe rental, fishing and hiking gear rental, conference services. At the camping ground, there are shower facilities and a reservable sauna on the shore.

Circle Trails

The short circular trails of Siikakoski, 3 km and 5 km, cover quite easy terrain, and they are also suitable for families. These trails are marked with yellow circles. They start from Siikakoski parking area, and it is recommended to hike anticlockwise. In the beginning, the trails follow the bank of Lieksanjoki River near Siikakoski Rapids, and then they go into pine forests and open mires. The mire sections have duckboards. Hiking Siikakoski - Murrookoski Trail (5 km) takes about 2 hours and Siikakoski trail (3 km) about an hour. These trails are connected to Koskikierros Trail and Karhunpolku Trail.
• Services: Siikakoski lean-to shelter 1 km from the starting point and Uittopato campfire site 0,3 km from the lean-to shelter (both trails). Murrookoski lean-to shelter 0,8 km from Uittopato campfire site and Niskalahti campfire site 0,8 km from Murrookoski lean-to shelter (only along the longer trail). There is a recycling point at the parking area of Siikakoski.
• Sights: Siikakoski suspension bridge near the trail about 0,8 km from the starting point. Murrookoski Rapids (only along the longer trail) about 1,3 km from the starting point.
Vastuuniemen kierros Trail, 9 km, mostly covers quite easy terrain. It is marked with yellow circles, and it is recommended to hike anticlockwise. The mire sections have duckboards. On this trail, Lieksanjoki River has to be crossed by a row boat. Hiking this trail takes 3 - 5 hours, depending on the choice of route, and the walking pace and fitness of the hiker. This trail is connected to Koskikierros Trail and Karhunpolku Trail.
• Services: There are 5 lean-to shelters and 5 campfire sites. Their locations are marked on the map. There is a recycling point at Siikakoski parking area.
• Sights: Siikakoski suspension bridge near the trail about 0,8 km from the starting point. Murrookoski Rapids about 1,3 km from the starting point.
Neitijärven kierros Trail, 22 km, mostly covers quite easy terrain. It starts clockwise from the gravel road which turns off just before Neitikoski parking area. Dry pine forests, shady spruce bogs and open mires alternate in the landscape. The ascent to Huuhkajanvaara Hill to the scenic lookout tower is steep and rocky. The mire sections have duckboards. At Haapavitja, Lieksanjoki River is crossed on a small suspension bridge, and at Airovirta by a row boat. The trail is marked with yellow circles. It will take all day to hike this trail. It is connected to Koskikierros Trail and Karhunpolku Trail.
• Services: There are 4 lean-to shelters and 5 campfire sites. Their locations are marked on the map. Fishing at Haapavitja Rapids. Recycling points in the parking areas of Neitikoski and the eastern bank of Haapavitja. Ruunaa Outdoor Centre, located at Neitikoski, offers accommodation, restaurant, camping ground, parking for caravans and camper vans, boat and canoe rental, fishing and hiking gear rental, conference services. At the camping ground, there are shower facilities and a reservable sauna on the shore.
• Sights: The suspension bridge over Haapavitja, the great scenery from the lookout tower of Huuhkajanvaara Hill, and Neitikoski Rapids.
• From the parking area of Neitikoski, there is a 650-metres-long plank trail which is accessible by baby pram and wheelchair and takes you to the edge of Neitikoski. There is a dry toilet suitable for the disabled at the parking area.
• Koskikierros Circle Trail, 31 km, leads hikers past roaring rapids. The trail leads through easy to cross terrain. Its starting point is at Neitikoski parking area. Other good places to get onto the trail are the parking areas at Siikakoskentie road, Lake Neitijärvi and on the east and west sides of Haapavitja Rapids. The trail is marked in the terrain with yellow paint circles. There are duckboards on the mire portions of the trail. There are bridges across streams along the trail. There are hanging bridges across Haapavitja and Siikakoski Rapids. The ascent to the Huukajavaara nature observation tower is steep and rocky. The Siikakoski-Murrookoski portion of the trail is worn and there are many roots crossing it. You should reserve at least one whole day, preferably two, to hike Koskikierros Trail. From this trail you can get onto Karhunpolku Trail (www.vaellus.info, in Finnish) which leads to Patvinsuo National Park. The length of the trail can be cut in half, if you have the possibility of crossing the river by boat at Kattilaniemi or Vastuuniemi.
  • Services: There are 8 lean-to shelters and 7 campfire sites along the trail. Their locations can be found on the area’s
  map and are told on the Trail Route Description page. Fishing is possible at the following rapids: Haapavitja, Neitikoski, Murrookoski and Siikakoski. Ruunaa Hiking Area recycling points are located at the Haapavitja (eastern side of the river), Neitikoski and Siikakoski parking areas. Ruunaa Hiking Centre at Neitikoski offers lodging, restaurant services a camping ground, a parking area for caravans as well as boat and hiking equipment and conference services. There is a shower at the hiking centre’s camping ground as well as a reservable sauna on the shore.
  • Sights: The hanging bridge which crosses Haapavitja Rapids, Huuhkajavaara nature observation tower, Murrookoski and Siikakoski Rapids, the hanging bridge which crosses Siikakoski Rapids, Neitikoski Rapids. Fishing in the area’s rapids is a unique experience.

Other Trails

• Karhunpolku Trail, 133 km, starts from Kuhmo and goes through the Hiking Area. The trail follows the shore of Lake Ruunaanjärvi towards the south as far as to Patvinsuo National Park. Karhunpolku Trail (www.vaellus.info, in Finnish) is part of Karjalan Kierros (www.vaellus.info, in Finnish) hiking trail network. It is marked with orange circles. Maps of Karjalan Kierros can be obtained, for example, from Karelia Expert Tourist Service (www.kareliaexpert.com).

Cross-country Skiing Trails

The hiking area offers a pleasant setting for skiing trips, for example, along Lieksanjoki River. Ruunaa Outdoor Centre, Ruunaan Matkailu in Munkinvaara and Siikakoski parking area are good places to start from. Ruunaan Matkailu maintains about 30 km of skiing trails in Siikakoski - Murrookoski area. Metsähallitus makes skiing trails at Neitikoski beginning in the winter holiday season in February, but these trails are not regularly maintained. Parts of the trails go on the ice. Skiers should bear in mind that flowing water makes the ice more fragile, and that currents can move to different places in the winter. On the snowmobile track on Koskireitti Trail, skiing is not allowed for safety reasons. Ruunaan Matkailu organises a skiing trip in February - March along different skiing trails which follow Lieksanjoki River.

• Ruunaa Ski Trail Map (pdf-file, 510 kB, in Finnish).

Canoeing Routes

Lieksanjoki River is an excellent destination for rapids shooting as well as flat water paddling. The rapids belong to class II - III according to Finnish Canoe Federation. Different sections of the river, rapids and lakes provide alternative routes for canoeists with different levels of experience. The services along each route can be seen on the map of the Hiking Area.

For those interested in rapids shooting, especially Neitikoski with its steep drop is an ideal place for practice and competitions. Various canoeing events are organised at Neitikoski every year.

It is also possible to explore the area by boat. Boats and canoes can be rented from local enterprises. Guided canoeing trips are also organised in the area. More information from Ruunaa Visitor Centre, or from Karelia Expert Tourist Service (www.kareliaexpert.com).

Snowmobile Routes and Tracks

• There are two snowmobile tracks in Ruunaa area (about 40 km altogether). A snowmobile track maintained by Metsähallitus goes along Koskireitti Trail and over the suspension bridges of Siikakoski and Haapavitja. Over the Siikakoski suspension bridge, it joins up with a provincial snowmobile track which goes across the Hiking Area and is maintained by the North Karelia association for recreational trails. A permit is needed for driving snowmobiles on these tracks. A permit for both trails can be obtained from the North Karelia association for recreational trails. More information from the local snowmobiling association ”Pohjois-Karjalan virkistysreitistö ry” (www.pohjoiskarjalankelkkaurat.fi, in Finnish), from Ruunaa Visitor Centre, or from Karelia Expert Tourist Service (www.kareliaexpert.com).