The trail is about 21.4 km as the mapped mountain-bike line through Leivonmäki National Park in Joutsa, Central Finland. Metsähallitus markets the route in English as Leivonmäki MTB and publishes the detail page on Luontoon.fi, where you should check for the latest marking notes, restrictions, and seasonal guidance bef...
Luontoon.fi – Leivonmäki MTB+
Description
The trail is about 21.4 km as the mapped mountain-bike line through Leivonmäki National Park in Joutsa, Central Finland. Metsähallitus markets the route in English as Leivonmäki MTB and publishes the detail page on Luontoon.fi, where you should check for the latest marking notes, restrictions, and seasonal guidance before you ride. The brochure PDF produced in the Keski-Suomen retkeilyreitit maailmankartalle project gives the same headline story: in one day's ride you can sample central-Finnish nature from pine-topped eskers and dry heaths through wetter mire hollows, kettle holes, and clear forest ponds. Independent cycling notes on Bikeland describe the ride as a varied circuit from the Selänpohja parking hub—forest paths, old cart tracks, and narrow sandy roads with short duckboard crossings, plus steeper pitches where rocks and roots keep intermediate riders honest; they quote on the order of 200 metres of climbing and a highest point near 156 m. Visit Jyväskylä Region sums up the wider park: Harjun kierros, Mäyrän kierros, and the mountain-bike trail all fan out from Selänpohja on the shore of Rutajärvi, and Rutajärvi itself is a swimming and quiet paddling lake when conditions allow. A day-trip writer on Lähtöportti highlights how clearly signed the junctions feel from Selänpohja outward, how Joutsniemi's narrow esker spine opens water views on both sides above Rutajärvi, and how Lintuniemi's kota draws picnickers beside the return leg toward parking—useful colour even though that essay followed the walking loops rather than the MTB circuit.
Along the mapped bike line you pass the Selänpohja parking cluster first, then swing past the Lintuniemi services area with kota, tent pads, a campfire spot, and dry toilets. Near kilometre five the route reaches the Joutsniemi shoreline: lean-to, shared campfire, woodshed, and dry toilet sit close together for a long break before you climb away through the forest toward the northern part of the park. The ride finishes near Soimalampi, where twin lean-tos sit almost on the track—an obvious last snack stop before you roll out. Shorter walking links such as Joutsniemi polku, Rutalahden reitti, and Soimalampi polku touch the same landmarks if friends want to mix modes. Where the bike route rejoins the wider trail hub it also meets placements for Harjun kierros, Mäyrän kierros, and the long Tervasreitti cycling link toward the Rutalahti shore—handy if you are planning a multi-day loop through the park network.
Length & route
About 21.4 km on the mapped MTB line. Metsähallitus brochures and cycling listings usually round the same marked circuit to roughly 22 km and describe it as beginning and ending at the Selänpohja parking hub beside Rutajärvi; independent ride notes cite on the order of 198 m of elevation gain and a high point near 156 m.
Getting there
Drive to the Selänpohja entrance of Leivonmäki National Park on the Joutsa side of the park. Visit Jyväskylä Region lists the main Selänpohja parking address as Syysniementie 1072, Joutsa, together with an alternative lot at Kirveslampi (Vartiamäentie 1073) for other loops. Buses and taxis promoted for summer visitors are described on Visit Jyväskylä Region; winter access notes mention that lots stay open but ploughing can lag. The Luontoon.fi route page remains the best Metsähallitus reference for how this MTB line joins those parking choices.
Good to know
You are inside a national park: follow every campfire, waste, dog, and off-route riding rule the authority sets for the season. Service buildings along Rutajärvi can be busy on sunny weekends—yield to pedestrians where bike and foot traffic mix. Download offline maps before you go; mobile data fades in hollows. Carry a small tool kit and tubes because rooty stone pitches are part of the design. For fatbike hire directly beside the park, Versona Oy quotes seasonal hourly bundles through Visit Jyväskylä Region and its Johku booking front.
History
Metsähallitus tied the marketing PDF for this MTB circuit to the Keski-Suomen retkeilyreitit maailmankartalle regional trail-promotion programme, explicitly crediting that project on the publication metadata.
Where to rent bikes
Versona Oy bases fatbike rental beside Leivonmäki National Park at Kansallispuistontie 20, 41770 Joutsa, with Trek Farley 5 and Farley 7 bikes sized for different riders. Hourly hire is advertised through Visit Jyväskylä Region and the Johku booking front; phone +358 44 345 6107 reaches the operator for same-week questions.
Metsähallitus manages the MTB route as a dedicated marked circuit; ride with the Luontoon.fi map or GPX and follow bike-specific signage instead of relying on generic walking-loop blazes.
Route Signs
Open / Good Condition
Open / Good Condition
Luontoon.fi – Leivonmäki MTB+
Activities allowed
Bike
Activity
Terrain & conditions
21.4 km
Distance
Roughly 2.5–4.5 hours of pedalling for riders who already manage gear and short hike-a-bikes on technical pinches; add time for swimming or long kota breaks beside Rutajärvi in summer.
Est. Time
Mixed forest path, historical cart track, and narrow sand road surfaces with short duckboard crossings; short technical climbs and drops with exposed stone and roots after rain.
Surface
Loop, Single Track, Wide Track
Route Type
Moderate Traffic
Traffic
Partial Shade
Shade
Metsähallitus – Leivonmäki National Park MTB brochure (PDF)+
Be the first to write a review for "Leivonmäki MTB"
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Answers to your questions
Our data was researched from Joutsa, and other trusted sources, in March 2026. Our route / place GPX data comes from Metsähallitus / Lipas, last updated March 2026. Always check their official website for safety-critical updates.
The trail is about 21.4 km as the mapped mountain-bike line through Leivonmäki National Park in Joutsa, Central Finland. Metsähallitus markets the route in English as Leivonmäki MTB and publishes the detail page on Luontoon.fi, where you should check for the latest marking notes, restrictions, and seasonal guidance bef...
Luontoon.fi – Leivonmäki MTB+
Description
The trail is about 21.4 km as the mapped mountain-bike line through Leivonmäki National Park in Joutsa, Central Finland. Metsähallitus markets the route in English as Leivonmäki MTB and publishes the detail page on Luontoon.fi, where you should check for the latest marking notes, restrictions, and seasonal guidance before you ride. The brochure PDF produced in the Keski-Suomen retkeilyreitit maailmankartalle project gives the same headline story: in one day's ride you can sample central-Finnish nature from pine-topped eskers and dry heaths through wetter mire hollows, kettle holes, and clear forest ponds. Independent cycling notes on Bikeland describe the ride as a varied circuit from the Selänpohja parking hub—forest paths, old cart tracks, and narrow sandy roads with short duckboard crossings, plus steeper pitches where rocks and roots keep intermediate riders honest; they quote on the order of 200 metres of climbing and a highest point near 156 m. Visit Jyväskylä Region sums up the wider park: Harjun kierros, Mäyrän kierros, and the mountain-bike trail all fan out from Selänpohja on the shore of Rutajärvi, and Rutajärvi itself is a swimming and quiet paddling lake when conditions allow. A day-trip writer on Lähtöportti highlights how clearly signed the junctions feel from Selänpohja outward, how Joutsniemi's narrow esker spine opens water views on both sides above Rutajärvi, and how Lintuniemi's kota draws picnickers beside the return leg toward parking—useful colour even though that essay followed the walking loops rather than the MTB circuit.
Along the mapped bike line you pass the Selänpohja parking cluster first, then swing past the Lintuniemi services area with kota, tent pads, a campfire spot, and dry toilets. Near kilometre five the route reaches the Joutsniemi shoreline: lean-to, shared campfire, woodshed, and dry toilet sit close together for a long break before you climb away through the forest toward the northern part of the park. The ride finishes near Soimalampi, where twin lean-tos sit almost on the track—an obvious last snack stop before you roll out. Shorter walking links such as Joutsniemi polku, Rutalahden reitti, and Soimalampi polku touch the same landmarks if friends want to mix modes. Where the bike route rejoins the wider trail hub it also meets placements for Harjun kierros, Mäyrän kierros, and the long Tervasreitti cycling link toward the Rutalahti shore—handy if you are planning a multi-day loop through the park network.
Length & route
About 21.4 km on the mapped MTB line. Metsähallitus brochures and cycling listings usually round the same marked circuit to roughly 22 km and describe it as beginning and ending at the Selänpohja parking hub beside Rutajärvi; independent ride notes cite on the order of 198 m of elevation gain and a high point near 156 m.
Getting there
Drive to the Selänpohja entrance of Leivonmäki National Park on the Joutsa side of the park. Visit Jyväskylä Region lists the main Selänpohja parking address as Syysniementie 1072, Joutsa, together with an alternative lot at Kirveslampi (Vartiamäentie 1073) for other loops. Buses and taxis promoted for summer visitors are described on Visit Jyväskylä Region; winter access notes mention that lots stay open but ploughing can lag. The Luontoon.fi route page remains the best Metsähallitus reference for how this MTB line joins those parking choices.
Good to know
You are inside a national park: follow every campfire, waste, dog, and off-route riding rule the authority sets for the season. Service buildings along Rutajärvi can be busy on sunny weekends—yield to pedestrians where bike and foot traffic mix. Download offline maps before you go; mobile data fades in hollows. Carry a small tool kit and tubes because rooty stone pitches are part of the design. For fatbike hire directly beside the park, Versona Oy quotes seasonal hourly bundles through Visit Jyväskylä Region and its Johku booking front.
History
Metsähallitus tied the marketing PDF for this MTB circuit to the Keski-Suomen retkeilyreitit maailmankartalle regional trail-promotion programme, explicitly crediting that project on the publication metadata.
Where to rent bikes
Versona Oy bases fatbike rental beside Leivonmäki National Park at Kansallispuistontie 20, 41770 Joutsa, with Trek Farley 5 and Farley 7 bikes sized for different riders. Hourly hire is advertised through Visit Jyväskylä Region and the Johku booking front; phone +358 44 345 6107 reaches the operator for same-week questions.
Metsähallitus manages the MTB route as a dedicated marked circuit; ride with the Luontoon.fi map or GPX and follow bike-specific signage instead of relying on generic walking-loop blazes.
Roughly 2.5–4.5 hours of pedalling for riders who already manage gear and short hike-a-bikes on technical pinches; add time for swimming or long kota breaks beside Rutajärvi in summer.
Est. Time
Mixed forest path, historical cart track, and narrow sand road surfaces with short duckboard crossings; short technical climbs and drops with exposed stone and roots after rain.
Surface
Loop, Single Track, Wide Track
Route Type
Moderate Traffic
Traffic
Partial Shade
Shade
Metsähallitus – Leivonmäki National Park MTB brochure (PDF)+
Rate & Review
Be the first to write a review for "Leivonmäki MTB"
Share a photo from a recent trip
Answers to your questions
Our data was researched from Joutsa, and other trusted sources, in March 2026. Our route / place GPX data comes from Metsähallitus / Lipas, last updated March 2026. Always check their official website for safety-critical updates.