Hirvaan kierros Trail

Starting pointKoirasalmentie 1220, 43800 Kivijärvi

Koirasalmi - Sysilampi 10 km The Koirasalmi Nature Information Hut, located in Salamajärvi National Park, is a good starting point for the Hirvaan kierros, as Koirasalmi offers accommodation and a nature information hut where you can get information about the park and hiking in the area

Along the route, there are a total of six rest areas at intervals of half a kilometer to two kilometers: Koirasalmi campfire shelter and camping area, Hiiliniemi campfire site, Ruuhilampi campfire site, Heikinjärvi leant-to shelter, Tavilampi campfire site, and Kaulus campfire site. Between Heikinjärvi lean-to shelter and Kaulus, getting around outside the paths is prohibited during the bird nesting season from March 1st to July 15th.

Between Tavilampi and Kaulus, 7 km from the nature information hut, is the Heikinjärvenneva observation tower. The tower offers a view of the open marsh, where you can see birds such as the bean goose (Anser fabalis), ruff (Calidris pugnax), and common greenshank (Tringa nebularia). With good luck, you might also spot a golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos).

Soon after Heikinjärvenneva, a side path branches off to the old meadow sauna at Kaulus, where the sedge grass cutters of the marshes used to stay overnight. The last campfire site of this section is located at the meadow sauna. From here, the route continues for another 2.1 km and ends at the parking area, from where the trail continues towards the Sysilampi wilderness and rental hut

Sysilampi - Salamajärvi 10 km From the Sysilampi parking area, it is 700 meters to the Sysilampi open wilderness and rental huts. The open wilderness hut is always open. Rental huts 1, 2, and 3 have sleeping places for two, six, and six people, respectively. The yard area includes a well, a campfire site, and a camping area.

From the Sysilampi hut, there are two separate nature trails. The children's nature trail (Lasten luontopolku), 1.5 km, leads to Hepolampi and back. The Pakosuon kierros, 4.3 km, can be started from the Sysilampi parking area or from Sysilampi. The Pakosuon kierros is an interesting route that showcases the original nature of Suomenselkä at its most typical.

From Sysilampi, the route continues towards Salamajärvi. Along the way, you cross Matopuro, which floods over the boardwalks in the spring. Rubber boots are the best footwear at that time. On the shore of Salmijärvi, there is the Jyrkkäniemi viewpoint, which also has a campfire site. It is 3.7 km from the Sysilampi hut to Jyrkkäniemi. About 1 km from Jyrkkäniemi, next to the path, there is a large tar pit. On the shore of Salamajärvi, in Pitkälahti, there is a camping area, a wilderness hut, and a campfire site. From Pitkälahti, it is 2 km to the parking area along the Perho-Kinnula road, where the section ends.

Salamajärvi - Lehtosenjärvi 17 km From the parking area, 3.3 km north, there is a shelter with a campfire site on the shore of Ahvenlampi. 3.5 km further along the route, the Valvatti open wilderness hut is an old forest ranger's farm with space for 4 people. The yard area includes a sauna and a well.

About 1 km from the hut, Iso-Valvatti is a former lake that was drained for mowing purposes between 1927 and 1930. On the shore of the reed bed, there is a nature tower from which you can observe, without disturbance, birds such as the wigeon (Mareca penelope), black-necked grebe (Podiceps auritus), and shoveler (Anas clypeata). 2.8 km away, on the shore of the lake, is the Vähä-Valvatti campfire site. On both sides of the path leading to the shore, there are stone piles that are likely from the Bronze Age.

VähFrom Vähä-Valvatti, it is a 4.2 km journey to the junction of the Karhunpiilo rental hut and 6.6 km to the Lehtosenjärvi campfire shelter. Shortly after the campfire shelter, the Hirvaan round branches off from the main route to the south towards Koirasalmi. The main route continues north towards Jatkonjärvi.

Lehtosenjärvi - Koirasalmi 21 km The section starts from the junction of the main route and the Hirvaan round on the southern shore of Lehtosenjärvi. 1.6 km from Lehtosenjärvi, there is a lean-to shelter on the shore of Sääksjärvi. 1.9 km after the lean-to shelter, there is the Pieni Sääksjärvi rental hut. After 3.5 km from the rental hut, you reach Nielujärvi

On the shore of Nielujärvi, known for its abundant birdlife, there is a observation tower, and 400 meters from it, by the river, there is a lean-to shelter.

From here, the route continues along the Koirajoki river to the Perho-Kinnula road, after which the trail rejoins the Salamajärvi National Park trail network. The path continues through the Koirajoki old-growth forest area towards Koirasalmi. In the old-growth forest area, which has remained untouched for a long time, movement outside the paths is prohibited from March 1st to July 15th.

Along the way, you can take a break at the Talviaho campfire site or the campfire shelter built on the shore of Pyydyskoski. From Nielujärvi, it is 7 km to the Talviaho campfire site (maintenance ended in 2020) and 9.4 km to Pyydyskoski. Camping is also allowed at Pyydyskoski. The logging hut that was at Pyydyskoski has been dismantled, but the dam structures built for log floating are still there. From Pyydyskoski, it is about 4 km to the endpoint of the route at Koirasalmi, and along the way are the Hiiliniemi campfire site and the Koirasalmi campfire shelter and camping area.

Enthusiastic hikers can end their trip by admiring the Salamanperä Nature Reserve south of Koirasalmi. In the nature reserve, movement is only allowed on the path that goes through the area. Picking plants and making fires are prohibited.

End pointKoirasalmentie 1220, 43800 Kivijärvi