Simojärvi-Soppana Trails

Hiking Trails

Starting Points for Trails

  • Matalakangas parking area is on the east side of Lake Simojärvi on Teerivaarantie road near the River Paasonjoki. This is a good starting point for all the hiking trails in the Simojärvi and Soppana areas.
  • The best starting point for Simojärvi Hiking Trail is Korvajokisuu, which is on the east side of Lake Simojärvi. There are signposts to Korvajokisuu from Teerivaarantie road.
  • There is a parking area near the Yli-Soppananjärvi camping area. It is a good starting point for Simojärvi Hiking Trail.
  • Parking areas are not ploughed during winter.

Circle Trails

The areas' trails are easy to travel and they are suited for beginners. The trails are marked with orange or red and white paint symbols.

  • Simojärvi Hiking Trail, 14,5 km, is an easy to travel trail which sets off from Korvajokisuu. Its wettest parts have duckboards along them. Sights along the trail include lake landscape, mire landscape and magnificent open cliff walls. The best starting point for this trail is Matalakangas parking area. There are red and white paint markings along the trail.
    • Sights: The Suolahti sandy beach and open cliffs at Tuppilampi.
    • Services: Tuppilampi campfire site (maintained by Ranua municipality), Korvajokisuu and Yli-Soppananjärvi campfire sites. There is also a well at Yli-Soppananjärvi from which you can take water (quality not monitored, please boil before use).

A sandy lake shore with large pines. A trail along the shore is marked on pine trunks with red paint dots and there's a red building in the background at the shore.

  • Paasonjärvi Hiking Trail, 11.3 km, travels through an old-growth forest reserve. The trail is easy to travel and the wet parts of the trail have duckboards along them. There are bridges across the Rivers Paasonjoki and Paha-Paasonjoki. The starting point for this trail is on Teerivaarantie road near the River Paasonjoki.
    • Sights: Paasonsuo fen meadow, the area's old-growth forests
    • Services: campfire site and Kosti's campfire shelter at Lake Paha-Paasonjärvi
    • Connection: From the hiking trail there is a connecting trail which leads to Paasonvaara scenic trail.
    • Note: the trail markings are poor and difficult to see. The duckboards are in poor condition and some of the bridges are too. Move with care. The trail markings, duckboards and bridges are to be renewed by the municipality of Ranua in 2025.
  • Paasonvaara scenic trail, 5 km, travels partially along the same route as Paasonjärvi Hiking Trail. The trail is quite easy to travel, but the climb up Paasonvaara Hill is more demanding. The trail leads across cliffs with open views and the view from Paasonvaara Hill is beautiful. Lake Paasonjärvi is long and narrow. The steep cliffs at its southeast shore are majestic. The scenic trail turns off of Paasonjärvi Hiking Trail near Kosti's campfire shelter and is a circle trail
    • Sights: open cliffs on Paasonvaara Hill and Lake Paasonjärvi
    • Services: a campfire site and Kosti's campfire shelter at Lake Paha-Paasonjärvi and Paasonjärvi lean-to shelter
    • Note: the trail markings are poor and may be difficult to see. The duckboards are in poor condition. Some bridges are also in poor condition. Walk carefully!

A cooking area surrounded by benches at a lake shore on a dry heath. In the front is a wooden sign with text Paha-Paasonjärvi and another sign showing the way towards a viewpoint trail.

Boating and Canoeing Routes

  • Lake Simojärvi is a great place for boating and canoeing. Boaters should get a map of the area's waters before setting out as there are many reefs, rocks and shallow spots. If you are not familiar with Lake Simojärvi, we recommend that you stay on the area's boating routes. From the lake it is also possible to canoe down the River Simojoki all the way to the Bothnian Bay.
    • Sights: Kultisalmi in Lake Simojärvi
    • Services: It is possible to go ashore at lean-to shelters and wilderness huts with a small boat. There is a rental cabin at Kultisalmi.

Four paddlers in their kayaks on a sunny lake.

Snowmobile Trails and Tracks

The Iso-Syöte - Rovaniemi Snowmobile Track runs through the Lake Simojärvi area; leading from Impiö via the east side of Porosaari Island through Kultisalmi Sound to Pohjaslahti. There are numerous rest spots along the track. The parts of the track which lead across ice are marked each winter. Maps for the area's snowmobile track (eräluvat.fi).