Length6.8 km
Duration(2-3 hours)
The Kotajärven polku Trail leads you to the finest old-growth forest in southern Finland, where the oldest trees are over 400-year-old ancient pines. The varying trail takes you from a bright pine forest to a dark spruce forest and open mire landscape. You will encounter both the carnivorous plants of the mire and the woodpeckers and tits hiding in the old-growth forest. There are some height differences on the trail, and roots in places. You can find the Kotajärvi cooking shelter, a campfire site, a pier and a dry toilet along the trail. The starting point has an information shelter, a well and a dry toilet. The trail is not maintained in the winter.
- Circle trail
- Campfire site
- Camping permittedIt is recommended to camp in the immediate vicinity of marked campsites and campfire sites.
- Dry toilet
- Remember to bring a trash bag
- Water point
- No winter maintenance
Contact information
Starting pointPyhä-Häkki parking area
You can find the starting point of the trail through the gate at the edge of the parking area. Then go to the information shelter. You can find nature boards, tables and benches in the shelter. There is also a dry toilet at the edge of the forest nearby. There is a pump well and a group of signs behind the shelter. The group of signs guides you onto the route.
The trail is criss-crossed by roots, and there are some height differences in places. The trail runs through the old-growth forest, which means that there are sturdy, thick-barked pines and dead standing trees along the trail.
Soon, you will arrive at a large pine, one of the oldest living pines in the park. This pine is called “Uusi iso puu” (New big tree). “Vanha iso puu” (Old big tree) is 200 metres away from here. It is even bigger, but already dead.
The trail follows the eskers in a younger pine forest and turns through the Kotaneva Mire towards the north.
You can reach the Kotajärvi campsite by duckboards. There is a pier on the shore and a spacious cooking shelter, a campfire site and a dry toilet at the campsite.
The way back is easy to hike. First, follow a wide, gravelled forest path until the trail curves towards the Riihineva Mire. There are duckboards in the mire section.
After the mire, you will return to the wide gravelled trail, which will lead you back to the parking area.
End pointPyhä-Häkki parking area