Respect Nature
Pets
Getting around in National Park
Camping
Lighting Campfires
Litter-free Hiking
Fishing
Picking Berries, Mushrooms and Wild Herbs
Biking
Horse Riding
Drone Flying
Other Rules and Instructions
Forbidden Activities
Safety
Respect Nature
The outdoor activities in the Salamajärvi National Park and Salamanperä Strict Nature Reserve are guided with the rules and regulations. When getting around in nature, let’s show respect for it. Take a look at the Outdoor Etiquette.
Please don’t share any such contents on the Internet that break the rules of the national park or strict nature reserve.
Letting pets running at large is forbidden. Dogs and other pets are welcome in the national park but only on a leash.
Getting around in National Park
Visitors may move about the park in accordance with Everyman's rights. However, the following restrictions still apply:
- Heikinjärvenneva movement during the birds' nesting season 1.3. - 15.7. is allowed only on trails.
- In the Salamanperä Strict Nature Reserve it is only allowed to move on the marked trails.
- Horseback riding is only permitted on the roads of the national park.
- Mountain biking is allowed according to everyman's rights except in the restricted area. Always stay on clearly visible tracks and pay attention to other hikers.
Camping
Temporary camping is permitted in camping areas, lean-to shelters, campfire sites and their immediate vicinity. Note! The Koirasalmi camping area and its services are subject to a fee (koirasalmi.com).
Camping in Salamanperä Strict Nature Reserve is prohibited.
Lighting Campfires
Campfires are only permitted at designated sites. During a wildfire warning, fires are only permitted in hut fireplaces and at the Maahinen rental hut at Koirasalmi. Check the current warnings (ilmatieteenlaitos.fi). The person who lights the campfire is always responsible for the fire.
Campfires in Salamanperä Strict Nature Reserve are prohibited.
During wildfire warning, the use of hiking stoves is allowed, but not hobo stoves (spark hazard).
Litter-free Hiking
There are no waste-bins in the area. Measures should be taken in advance to avoid taking unnecessary waste into the area.
In Salamajärvi area, there are two types of toilets: dry toilets and suction toilets (Koirasalmi Nature Information Hut and Koirasalmi isthmus, Sysilampi, Valvatti). In a dry toilet, you can recycle any biowaste produced along the way, but no waste other than human is to be put into a suction toilet. Any excess waste in the suction tank will cause problems and increase the cost of waste treatment.
Small amounts of clean paper and cardboard can be used as kindling in a campfire. Other waste, such as packages that contain aluminium foil or plastic, may not be burned in a fireplace, as they may form non-biodegradable waste and toxic gases.
There is a recycling point at Koirasalmi Nature Information Hut, where you can dispose of biodegradable waste, glass, paper, metal and mixed waste.
Read more about Hiking without littering.
Fishing
Metsähallitus angling permit, 6566 Koirajärvi, (eraluvat.fi) is required when fishing on Lake Iso-Koirajärvi. There is also a Koirajärvi-Heikinlampi combination permit, which entitles you to fish on Heikinlampi (located outside the national park) in addition to Lake Iso-Koirajärvi.
Fishing on Lake Pieni Koirajärvi always requires a separate fishing permit, which can be purchased from the Koirasalmi Nature Information Hut (koirasalmi.com).
In other waters of the national park, angling and ice fishing are permitted under Everyman's rights, taking into account access restrictions. Fishing other than angling and ice fishing is only for local residents with a separate permit from Metsähallitus.
Metsähallitus angling permit, 6567 Kaunislampi (eraluvat.fi), entitles you to fish in Kaunislampi, Ahvenlampi and Heikinlampi, which are located near the national park.
Fishing in Salamanperä Strict Nature Reserve is prohibited.
Fishers need to check the restrictions on fishing sites at kalastusrajoitus.fi (In Finnish).
Picking Berries, Mushrooms and Wild Herbs
Picking berries and edible mushrooms is allowed in the national park, except in the restricted areas. Taking or damaging trees, bushes, other plants or their parts, or mushrooms other than edible ones is forbidden. Picking wild herbs is therefore forbidden.
Nothing may be taken from Salamanperä Strict Nature Reserve.
Biking
Mountain biking is allowed according to everyman's rights except in the restricted area. Always stay on clearly visible tracks and pay attention to other hikers.
Horse Riding
Horseback riding is only permitted on the roads of the national park.
Drone Flying
Flying a drone is prohibited in the Heikinjärvenneva restricted area during bird nesting season, which runs from 1 March to 15 July. Flying a drone is allowed as long as its operation does not disturb people or wild animals. Special care should be taken everywhere from April to June, which is both bird nesting season and Finnish forest reindeer calving season.
Other Rules and Instructions
As a rule, a permit issued by Metsähallitus is required for activities other than those included in everyman's rights, which may include research, organised events and the shooting of films or advertisements in the terrain. Further information on required permits: research and access permits (metsa.fi) and permits and notifications related to events (metsa.fi).
The use of the trails and structures of Salamajärvi National Park for business activities is always subject to a fee, and for frequent business use, a contract with Metsähallitus (metsa.fi) is required. The right of use fees for specific days are paid at the Eräluvat webshop (eraluvat.fi).
Other Forbidden Activities in the Salamajärvi National Park
- Killing, catching or disturbing animals, or damaging their nests.
- Extraction of earth material or minerals.
- Driving motor vehicles, except on roads designated for motor vehicles.
- Leaving waste in the area, or damaging structures.
- Covering, changing, damaging, removing, violating or excavating in archaeological sites.
- Other activities that may adversely affect the natural conditions, landscape or conservation of species in the area.
- Activities that disturb other people.
Rules and Regulations for Salamajärvi
The rules and regulations of Salamajärvi National Park (pdf 386 Kb, julkaisut.metsa.fi, in Finnish), ratified on 28 June 2010.
Rules and Regulations for Salamanperä Strict Nature Reserve
The rules and regulations of Salamanperä Strict Nature Reserve (pdf 375 Kb, julkaisut.metsa.fi, in Finnish), ratified on 28 June 2010.
Safety
It is important that you get as much information as possible about your hiking destination in advance and prepare for your trip thoroughly. Knowing your route and sticking to it and knowing what the weather and warnings in effect (ilmatieteenlaitos.fi) has in store, will help make your trip a success.
- Make sure you pack a first-aid kit. If you face an emergency on your hike, e.g. get lost, get injured or observe wildfire, call 112 and report an emergency. More information on how to act in an emergency.
- Mobile phone coverage in the Salamajärvi National Park is poor in many places. Download the 112 Finland application (112.fi) to your phone.
- Dress for hiking in colorful clothes and according to the weather. Even though there are no great differences in altitude, the rocky terrain is quite difficult at some places.
- It is wise to wear sturdy shoes with rigid soles, which also support the ankles.
- In the spring, when the snow melts, water rises on the duckboards. During this time, you will need to wear rubber boots.
- The café is open in the summer, and you can enjoy your own packed lunches and drinks at one of the rest stops in the National Park.
- Outdoor Guide
