Hiking & outdoor recreationLength10.6 km
Duration(2,5-3,5 t)
Degree of difficultyEasy
This trail is a paradise for anyone who loves forests. Pukkipalo old-growth forest is one of the finest forest destinations in southwestern Finland where you can visit a primeval forest that has been allowed to evolve with no human interference. The old-growth forest of Pukkipalo carries a message from times long gone, and information boards along the trail introduce you to its species. The trail consists of two loops which you can easily complete separately if you select either Pukkipalo or Rantapiha parking area as your starting point. The trail mostly follows easy paths and is suitable for beginners.
Route marker in the terrain
Circle trailThe recommended direction of travel is counterclockwise.
Campfire siteAlways check for any wildfire warnings in effect before making a fire.
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 addresses: Pukkipalo parking area, Paltantie, Nousiainen Rantapiha parking area, Savojärventie, Nousiainen
The Pukkipalo trail is slightly under six kilometres long if you set out from the Pukkipalo parking area. Another possible starting point is Rantapiha, in which case the trail is just under nine kilometres long.
A 2.8-kilometre section of the trail runs within the national park boundaries, whereas the rest is part of Kuhankuono Hiking Trail Network.
In the Pukkipalo primeval forest, along a section of approximately one kilometre on the Pukkipalo-Takaniitunvuori trail, there are nature information boards introducing visitors to the species of the old forest. The nature trail is not a circle trail, but a part of the Pukkipalo trail.
North of the Pukkipalo trail, only 0.6 kilometres away, lies the lean-to shelter of Lakjärvi. From Lake Lakjärvi, you can continue your hike outside the national park along the Kuhankuono Hiking Trail Network (kuhankuono.fi). The distance from the Pukkipalo parking area to the Takaniitunvuori lookout point and campfire site is 3.6 kilometres.
There is a campfire site and a dry toilet at Takaniitunvuori Hill in the southern end of the Pukkipalo trail and a lean-to shelter and a dry toilet at Lake Lakjärvi in the northern end of the trail. Rantapiha has a cooking shelter, dry toilet and a summer kiosk, operated by the Kuhankuono trail association (kuhankuono.fi)