Activities in Isojärvi National Park

Isojärvi National Park is an old logging site with a range of activities on offer from hiking and canoeing to just admiring breathtaking views.

Parts of the park are closed to the public during certain times of the year. Please respect the signs!

Walk on Marked Trails

The park is a very popular hiking destination: There are around 30 kilometres of marked trails that form circular routes of varying lengths (3.8–11 km). Heretty Nature Trail (3.5 km) teaches you about the history of logging and forest ecosystems. The route from Heretty to Kannuslahti campfire site (500 m) is also suitable for baby buggies.

The park's trails also lend themselves well to longer hiking excursions with overnight stays. You can bring your own tent, or spend the night in a lean-to shelter or Lortikka cabin, which is hired out to groups in the summer.

Canoeing and Rowing

Lake Isojärvi is 20 kilometres long and as narrow as a fjord in places – ideal for canoeing! The best place to set off is by the car park at Nokipohja, northwest of Huhtala Croft. There are also two rowing boats in Kalalahti bay, which can be hired from the Heretty summer cafe.

Sights and Scenery

Heretty cabin was built in 1946–1947 as a base for forestry workers. The cabin and its outbuildings have remained unchanged through the years. There is a cafe and rental rooms in summertime in Heretty and there is also a fascinating photographic exhibition about forestry in the cabin.

Huhtala Croft dates back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and its log buildings are among the best examples of this generation of buildings in the country.

The rocky shores of Lake Isojärvi offer breathtaking views far into the horizon. Also worth seeing are the deep ravines carved into the terrain by fault lines in the earth's crust as well as an old fisherman's cabin on Luutsaari Island.

Other Activities

• Geocaching: See your surroundings in a new light! Geocaching brings an element of adventure to a hike in the woods.
• Skiing: There are no restrictions on skiing in the park, although there are no maintained ski trails. The park's hilly terrain, frozen lakes and narrow isthmuses provide skiers with plenty of variation and physical challenges. Watch out for thin ice!
• Fishing:
  • Hook and line fishing and ice fishing are permitted under everyman's rights, but the access restrictions must be observed.
  • Lure fishing with a single rod is permitted, but the access restrictions must be observed. Persons aged 18-64 years must pay the fisheries management fee (eräluvat.fi). Fishing permits are available from Metsähallitus' online shop (eraluvat.fi)
  • Fishers need to check the restrictions on fishing sites at kalastusrajoitus.fi (In Finnish).
• Snowshoeing: Snowshoeing is a great way to explore the park's hilly terrain in the winter.
• Mountain biking: Mountain biking is allowed only along the roads and the 16 km long Isojärvi mountain biking trail (Isojärvi MTB -trail, julkaisut.metsa.fi).

• Pick Berries and Mushrooms: Berry and mushroom picking is allowed throughout the park with the exception of the restricted areas of Lortikanvuori hill and the woods of Latokuusikko. Some of the islands of Lake Isojärvi are off limits during the bird breeding season from 1 May to 31 July.

• Swimming: There is no official beach, but there are many places that are suitable for swimming in the park.
• Voluntary Work: Would you like to try your hand at sheep herding, hay making or tree cutting? There are many fun ways to contribute to the park's maintenance.