Salamajärvi National Park

Address

Kivijärvi

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Salamajärvi National Park

The Salamajärvi National Park in Kivijärvi, Kinnula and Perho is a hiker’s dreamscape of varied routes and scenery. Its circular trails are comprehensively waymarked, with about 70 kilometres of hiking altogether. The common starting point for the trails is the Koiransalmi Nature Information Hut, which also provides tourists with activities, accommodations and meals. The trails in the park make up a significant portion of the 115-kilometre Peura Trail hiking route network that spans Northern Ostrobothnia and the Jyväskylä Region.

“Peura” is Finnish for “deer”, and the trail is, indeed, one of Finland’s best places to encounter the wild forest reindeer. Don’t be surprised if you find this beautiful but rare beast roaming Salamajärvi’s nature trails as well. In this kingdom of the great Arctic deer, you’ll find a circular trail to suit every taste – from the 1.5-kilometre Kids’ Nature Trail all the way to the 58-kilometre Hirvaan kierros (“the Stag’s Loop”) trail. The Salamajärvi routes can be rocky and difficult to traverse in places, so ensure you have enough time for your hike.

Salamajärvi’s natural landscape is defined by extensive mire meadows, atmospheric primeval forests and rugged felsenmeer rock. The Heikinjärvenneva fen is the most significant of the park’s numerous mires. From the observation tower at its edge, you can catch a glimpse of the fen’s winged denizens, such as the lapwing, the snipe, and the whimbrel. From July onwards, the mires offer the berry picker a delicious treasure trove of cranberry and cloudberry.

The Pahapuro trail is seven kilometres in length. It takes you across a selection of artefacts from Finnish cultural history, including a stone stove and tar pit at the former cabin at Joutsenlamminkangas. Tar was an important export for Finland in the 19th century, and the tar pits at the park are relics of that time.

The Salamajärvi National Park is an attractive destination not only for the hiker but for the fisher as well. The scenic Iso-Koirajärvi lake is stocked with a population of lake trout and whitefish. A skilled angler may also catch a sizeable perch or pike. Fishing in Iso-Koirajärvi requires a local permit for the Koirajärvi fishing zone.

The Salamajärvi National Park offers you a breath-taking wilderness experience of rugged natural beauty. In the summer, you can hike, watch birds and fish; in the winter, mount snowshowes and skis!

Read more about Salamajärvi National Park.

More information

Accessibility

There is a ramp for wheelchair users to enable them get to the Koirasalmi nature information hut. There are a dry toilet, a campfire site and a rental lapp hut accessible on the grounds of the nature information hut. The accessible Koirasalmi trail starts from the nature information hut and is 780 meters each way.

Pets welcome

In general, in Finland, pets are allowed in the national parks and most nature reserves as long as they are on a leash. Pets are not allowed to roam freely in the national parks and nature reserves. Some locations may have restrictions on walking a pet. Check local regulations before going hiking with a pet.

More information

The Salamajärvi National Park trails: https://www.nationalparks.fi/salamajarvinp/trails

Location and arrival

The national park can't be reached by public transport

Parking

Koirasalmentie 1220, Kivijärvi. It is possible that the navigators do not recognize the address. Parking area addresses are in Finnish to be used in navigators. Also: Huttukangas (Koirasalmentie, Kivijärvi), Heikinlampi (Koirasalmentie, Kivijärvi), Risuperä (Perhontie, Kivijärvi) and Koirajokivarsi (Perhontie, Kinnula).

Winter maintenance

Koirasalmi, Huttukangas and Erijärvi parking areas are open also during the wintertime. More precise parking area addresses are not available. Parking area addresses are in Finnish to be used in navigators. It is easiest to start at the Koirasalmi Nature Information Hut.

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