Services in Repovesi National Park

Updated 14.10.
The Lapinsalmi Bridge in Repovesi National Park is temporarily closed. Hikers are requested to arrive at Repovesi National Park through the parking areas of Tervajärvi and Saarijärvi. From Lapinsalmi, you can access the trails using the Ketunlossi ferry.

Customer Service and Guidance
Services Offered by Enterprises and Organisations in the National Park
Campfire Shelters ant Other Campfire Sites 
Drinking Water
Waste Management
Toilets
Overnight Stays
Accessible Services
Equipment Rental
Services for Boaters and Canoers

Customer Service and Guidance

Koli Nature Centre Ukko
Information about Repovesi National Park

Services Offered by Enterprises and Organisations in the National Park

Enterprises and organisations offering services in the national park. They have a cooperation agreement with Metsähallitus and they follow the principles of sustainable nature tourism when operating in the national park.

Meals, Where to Buy and Prepare

Repovesi tourist enterprises offer catering and restaurant services.

Tip: when packing food along for your hike or outdoor excursion remember to pack them so that packaging materials will not be left in the terrain. Repovesi National Park is a hiking without littering area and there are no waste bins there. Each visitor is responsible for taking their own waste out of the area.

Café, Kiosk and Shops

The closest shop is located in Vuohijärvi Village (about 12 km from Lapinsalmi parking area). In summertime there is also a kiosk in Lapinsalmi parking area.

Campfire Shelters and Other Campfire Sites

A coffee pot covered in soot next to a campfire.

Campfire sites are equipped with a campfire ring, a firewood shelter (with an axe) and toilet (unless otherwise stated).

  • Lapinsalmi Sound (a campfire shelter, a meal shelter)
  • Kapiavesi
  • Lake Katajajärvi, on the eastern shore
  • Kuutinkanava Canal (a campfire shelter, a meal shelter)
  • Kuutinkanava 2 (east side) Firewood shelter for both Kuutinkanava campfire sites is located between the campfire sites.
  • Kuutti
  • Talas
  • Olhava (a lean-to shelter, crowded at times)
  • Olhava II
  • Kirnukangas (close to Kirnuhuoko)
  • Cape Sukeltajaniemi 
  • Karhulahti Bay
  • Lojukoski
  • Cape Määkijäniemi 
     

Do not pour water into the fireplace – you may damage it!

Lighting campfires is prohibited if the wildfire warning is in effect. 
Check the current warnings (ilmatieteenlaitos.fi). This prohibition does not apply to cooking shelters at Lapinsalmi and Kuutinkavana or fireplaces inside the rental campfire huts. 

Drinking Water

Hikers pumping water from a well into a camp stove’s cooking pot.

There are five wells in Repovesi area: in Saarijärvi, Olhava, Lojukoski, Määkijä and Kuutinkanava. Valkjärvi rental camp area has its own well too. All wells are in use year round.

According to research results (2021) water in wells of Repovesi is drinkable and no boiling is required. Slight color and odour nuisances may occur. 

Help us to keep drinking water clean: Remember to wash your dishes and yourself at least 5 metres away from wells and water bodies like lakes!

Waste Management

There are no waste-bins in the park. Measures should be taken in advance to avoid taking unnecessary waste into the area.
Biodegradable waste can not be placed into the chemical toilets! 
Small amounts of clean paper and cardboard can be used as kindling in a campfire. Take all other waste out of the area. Read more about Hiking without littering.

Please note that there are no recycling points in the parking areas! 

Toilets

Toilets are chemical toilets where the biodegradable or other waste should not be placed in. Toilet paper is good to have along.

There are toilets at:

  • Lapinsalmi, Tervajärvi and Saarijärvi Parking Areas (all accessible)
  • Lapinsalmi on the east-side of the bridge
  • Kuutinkanava Canal (also an accessible toilet)
  • the south-end of Lake Olhavanlampi
  • Kirnukangas
  • Karhulahti (also an accessible toilet)
  • Lojukoski
  • Lojukoski Rental Campfire Hut 
  • Kapiavesi
  • Valkjärvi (also an accessible toilet)
  • Katajajärvi
  • close to the Mustavuori Rental Campfire Hut
  • Määkijä (also an accessible toilet)
  • Talas campfire site (also an accessible toilet)
  • Sukeltajaniemi campfire site (an accessible toilet)

Overnight Stays

Camping

Camping is permitted for short periods in the vicinity of 12 campfire sites in Repovesi National Park. The campfire sites are at:

  • Karhulahti
  • Olhava (lean-to shelter), a busy spot
  • Cape Sukeltajaniemi, little space, beautiful spot 
  • Kirnukangas (lean-to shelter)
  • Lojukoski
  • Kapiavesi
  • Katajajärvi, few tent spots, many travellers along the main trail
  • Määkijä, a good place for swimming, but is not an official swimming spot
  • Lapinsalmi, spots for the tents on the upper plateau on the east side of the bridge, a busy spot. Camping is not allowed near campfiresite.
  • Talas, a place for swimming, but is not an official swimming spot
  • Kuutinkanava Canal, the Kuutinlahti side of Kuutinkanava Canal is a very busy spot.

The structures at the campfire sites include the actual campfire place, a firewood shelter with an axe and a dry toilet.

There is also the option to pitch a tent by the rental campfire hut for those who have booked the hut.

The closest camping site (long stays, caravans) is located next to the Orilampi Cottage and Holiday Centre.

Lean-to Shelters

There are lean-to shelter on the shore of Lake Olhavanlampi and at Kirnukangas.Hikers pitching a tent at a lakeshore.

Rental Huts

Hut reservations can be made on on the website (verkkokauppa.eraluvat.fi). Exeptionally Kuutinkämppä, Pihkapirtti and Saarijärvi Forestry Hut can be rented on tervarumpu.fi.

Rental Campfire Hut

Rental camp site for groups

In addition to the actual hut, the rental site also comprises a designated yard equipped with a campfire site (a hearth, a picnic table, a locked firewood shelter) and a toilet. 

Rental Cabins

A wooden hut. There is a yard in front of the hut with tables and benches.

Lodging in the Surrounding Area

More information on tourist enterprises can be obtained at Enterprises and organisations offering services in the national park, Saimaa Nature Centre Riihisaari, Visitkouvola-website (visitkouvola.fi) and Mäntyharju-website (mantyharju.fi).

Equipment Rental

More information on how and where to rent hiking gear can be found at Saimaa nature Centre Riihisaari or at Enterprises and organisations offering services in the national park.

The local tourist enterprises rent for example boats and canoes.

Accessible Services

There are accessible services in Repovesi National Park at

  • Karhulahti Bay area
    • Accessible accompanied by an assistant.
    • A campfire site, an accessible toilet.
  • Lapinsalmi Parking Area
    • The emergency access road onto the pier and the route to the Fox Ferry is accessible accompanied by an assistant.
    • An accessible toilet.
  • The area of Kuutinkanava Canal
    • The campfire sites by the canal and the trail (200 m) between them is accessible accompanied by an assistant.
    • An accessible toilet.
  • Sukeltajaniemi campfire site
    • An accessible toilet.
  • Saarijärvi Parkig Area
    • An accessible toilet.
  • Tervajärvi Parking Area
    • An accessible toilet.
      ​​​​​​

More information at Enterprises and organisations offering services in the national park.

Services for Boaters and Canoers

Piers for larger boats and ferries are at Lapinsalmi Sound, Kuutinkanava Canal, Mustalamminvuori Hill, Karhulahti Bay and at Hillosensalmi Sound.

There are rowboat boat launch points at Tervajärvi and Lapinsalmi parking areas and at Hillosensalmi Sound on the municipality of Valkeala shoreline.

Suitable canoe launch points are located at the Lapinsalmi and Tervajärvi parking areas as well as outside of the national park on the shore of Hillosensalmi Sound.

There are canoe piers at the Lapinsalmi and Tervajärvi parking areas, at Mustavuori Hill, at the campfire sites at Lapinsalmi bridge, at Lake Kapiavesi, at Karhulahti Bay, at Lojukoski, at Määkijä and at Kuutinkanava Canal.

There is a  canoe transport trail (about 150 m) from the Lapinsalmi parking area to the new canoe pier (canoes must be dragged for example by canoe carriage, there is a beam across the trail). In emergency situations the road also acts as an emergency route.

Moving canoes along the isthmuses has been easier (canoes can be carried or pulled in your own canoe carriage). At Kuutinkanava Canal the old trail has been continued with a track to the shore of Lake Tervajärvi and a track from Kuutinlahti Bay via Lake Mustalampi to Lake Valkjärvi.

Remember that boating and canoeing are forbidden on Lake Olhavanlampi up until mid-summer.  This is to protect nesting birds. The only exception is the use of boats by rock climbers to reach the foot of the cliff.

Other Services in the Surrounding Area

Services such as a bank and post-office can be found in the centres of Valkeala and Mäntyharju. The distance from the centre of Valkeala to Repovesi National Park is about 30 km, and from the centre of Mäntyharju about 35 km.

More information on services at Valkeala Municipal Services, on the Visitkouvola-website (visitkouvola.fi), at Repovesi Nature Information Hut and Mäntyharju-website (mantyharju.fi).