Outdoor destinations
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Looking for easily accessible winter hiking destinations in the Savonlinna region? Here are tips from Metsähallitus outdoor experts for walking, skiing, snowshoeing, tour skating, and campfire sites.
On the Punkaharju Nature Reserve, the Topeliuksen polku Trail is a popular route that becomes well-trodden in winter and remains walkable even without maintenance. On the Laukansaari Research Forest side, the gravel roads are ploughed. The Tree Species Trail follows roads for its entire length, making it accessible in winter as well.
In Kolovesi and Linnansaari National Parks, land-based walking trails are not maintained during the winter season.
In winter, a marked winter trekking route runs over the ice in both Linnansaari and Punkaharju. Along the Punkaharju winter route, a tour skating track is also maintained (harjunportti.fi). The Linnansaari route is maintained by a local entrepreneur, while the Punkaharju route is maintained by the Harjureitit pool.
You are most likely to find these routes walkable throughout the winter:
A ski trail network and a winter trekking route maintained by the Harjureitit pool run through Punkaharju. You can check up‑to‑date ski trail information, for example, on the Punkaharju ski trail map.
Across Lake Haukivesi, in Linnansaari National Park between Oravi and Porosalmi, there is a winter trekking route that also includes a classic‑style ski track. Current route information is available in the Oravi diary.
The Karjalankallio campfire site, located in the Laukansaari Research Forest in Punkaharju, next to the nature reserve, is accessible in winter as well. The road leading to the area is ploughed, and the path to the shelter becomes well‑trodden. The site is located about 200 metres away.
There are no snowshoeing routes maintained by Metsähallitus in the nature destinations of the Savonlinna region. You can go snowshoeing anywhere, as long as you respect restricted-access areas. In Punkaharju, VisitPunkaharju maintains a Snowshoe Park with numerous marked routes. Some of these routes run through the nature reserve.
When exploring Saimaa in winter, always keep the Saimaa ringed seal in mind. In Linnansaari and Kolovesi National Parks, as well as in the Pihlajavesi and Joutenvesi nature reserves, movement restrictions are in place to ensure undisturbed breeding for the seals. In many areas the waters are fast‑flowing, and moving on the ice is not safe
