Viiankiaapa Trails

A person walking with a dog on a leash on a duckboard trail over a mire.
 

Hiking Trails

Starting Points for Trails

  • To reach the Kersilö nature trail of Viiankiaapa, drive to the north end of the village of Kersilö along road 4 (E75) and turn onto the road to Moskuvaara. Near the road is a parking area, a dry toilet and an information board. Most parts of the trails have duckboards. 
  • The Siurunmaa nature trail of Viiankiaapa starts at the village of Siurunmaa. From Tanhua–Savukoski road 967, turn onto the road to Myllykylänpää. There is a parking area and an information board. Most parts of the trail provide duckboards. Note! (updated 6/15/2024) The Siurunmaa Nature Trail and bird-watching tower are closed due to very poor condition.

A duckboard trail through a lush birch forest with autumn colours developing.

Nature Trails

Viiankiaapa Mire Reserve has nature trails in two locations.

  • To access the circular nature trail, go to the north end of the village of Kersilö. The trail is 4.3 km long. Information boards along the nature trails describe wildlife in aapa mires: valuable rich fens and springs, and the threatened plant and bird species found there. The boards also provide instructions on how to travel about the area without harming the environment. Most parts of the nature trail are provided with duckboards. A dry toilet can be found at the starting point of the trail. Along the trail is a campfire hut, and next to it you will find a shed and a dry toilet. The previous 7.1 km long nature trail complex (4 km additional loop to the current nature trail), as well as the bird tower and the Särkikoskenmaa shed, are no longer in use.

  • There are signposts to the Siurunmaa nature trail from the Tanhua–Savukoski road. The Siurunmaa trail (1.7 km) runs from the parking area to the edge of Viiankiaapa, where there is a lean-to shelter and a nature observation tower. It is a one-way trail. At the start of the trail is an information board describing mire wildlife. At the end of the trail is a nature observation tower, a lean-to shelter, a shed and a dry toilet.

Snowmobile Trails and Tracks

Viiankiaapa Mire Reserve is intersected by the Sodankylä–Saariselkä snowmobile track and the snowmobile track of eastern Sodankylä. On these stretches of the tracks, there are no services or constructions.