Hiking & outdoor recreationLength2.5 km
Duration(0,5 - 1 t)
On the Älgö Nature Trail, you can explore the nature of the inner archipelago. The trail also takes you past the flad, which is an overgrown lagoon. You’ll also come across Storträsket, which is an island-bound lake surrounded by old-growth coniferous forest and pine stands interspersed with marsh Labrador tea (Rhododendron tomentosum). The trail is quite steep at the beginning and it is not accessible. The trail has a lookout tower, from which you can see the entire national park. You can see how the large forested islands of the inner archipelago gradually turn into treeless islets in the outer archipelago before disappearing into the open sea. In the coniferous forest, you can see the remains of a military dugout from the Finnish Continuation War. At the beginning of the trail, there is a box from which hikers can borrow a booklet about the trail. This booklet can also be printed out online here: Nature trail brochure (julkaisut.metsa.fi).
Circle trailThe recommended direction of travel is counterclockwise.
Camping permittedCamping is only permitted in the immediate vicinity of marked rest areas and campfire sites and huts.
Dry toiletRemember to bring toilet paper.
Remember to bring a trash bagThere are no waste bins on the trail. Bring along your own trash bag and take your waste out with you when leaving.
No water point
No winter maintenance
Contact information
Starting point: Rödjan fishing village, on the island of Älgö. You can choose from two starting points: one trail is steeper and more demanding and starts by the shore next to the maintenance and taxi boat pier. The other, slightly easier trail starts from behind the cowshed and runs along the meadow. The trails converge at the starting end, before coming to lookout tower on top of the rock. The last section of the trail is smoother and easier to hike.
The first part of the nature trail passes over a relatively high rock. The first 250 m of the trail is a steep climb up to the lookout tower.
After the lookout tower, the trail slowly descends to sea level. The trail then passes a lagoon and continues through coniferous forest. You can see the remains of the wartime dugout along the way.
The smell of marsh Labrador tea (Rhododendron tomentosum) indicates that you are approaching Lake Storträsket, where you can see, for example, black-throated loons/ black-throated diver (Gavia arctica). At Storträsket, the trail is covered with duckboards.
The last section of the trail is level terrain all the way back to Rödjan.
End point: Rödjan fishing village, on the island of Älgö.