The Maakuntauran retkeilyreitti (Central Finland Provincial Trail hiking line) catalogued for Saarijärvi is about 36.4 km end to end on our map. It is a point-to-point hike, not a loop, linking the Saarijärvi area with Kannonkoski through Pyhä-Häkki National Park. For Metsähallitus’ trail page for this facility, includ...
The Maakuntauran retkeilyreitti (Central Finland Provincial Trail hiking line) catalogued for Saarijärvi is about 36.4 km end to end on our map. It is a point-to-point hike, not a loop, linking the Saarijärvi area with Kannonkoski through Pyhä-Häkki National Park. For Metsähallitus’ trail page for this facility, including the national outdoor map entry, see Luontoon.fi. The City of Saarijärvi publishes PDF maps, rest-stop tables, marking notes, and winter-use context for the wider Saarijärvi–Pyhä-Häkki–Kannonkoski corridor—often quoted at roughly 40 km as a ski and multi-use connection—on its outdoor recreation pages. A regional overview of the same corridor appears on Visit Saarijärvi. Jalkaisin’s long-form hiking report from Vuosjoki toward Pyhä-Häkki describes forest tracks, lean-tos, and how blue markings give way to national-park colour codes near Kotajärvi—worth reading for on-the-ground pacing and junction behaviour.
Kannonkoski lies in Central Finland; Saarijärvi is the usual city-centre start for the full line at Lähdekuja 2, while this mapped segment begins at Vuosjoen kota beside Vuosjoki, with firewood storage and a kota for the first break. After pine forest and small roads, Kourajärven laavu sits at about the midpoint of this line, with a lean-to and outdoor fire ring by the shore. Closer to Pyhä-Häkki, the route meets the Poika-aho cluster: Poika-aho vuokratupa, Poika-aho sauna, and Poika-aho käymälä Pyhä-Häkki sit a short branch from the main provincial marking; from here you can drop onto Kotajärven polku or Tulijärven polku inside the park. Along Kotajärvi, Kotajärvi laituri, Kotajärvi keittokatos Pyhä-Häkki, Kotajärvi tulentekopaikka Pyhä-Häkki, and Kotajärvi käymälä support day trips and swimming; Tulijärven laavu adds another lean-to stop nearby. The line finishes near Pyhä-Häkki porakaivo, beside the national-park visitor hub where Riihinevan polku and Mastomäen polku also start.
The provincial trail shares ground with Keski-Suomen maakuntaura, overlaps the packed winter line Maakuntauran latu Saarijärvi where grooming follows the same corridor, and meets Tiilikka polkupyöräreitti around the Poika-aho–Tulijärvi junctions. Expect forest roads, duckboards, rocky pinewoods, and occasional harvesting scars; Visit Saarijärvi notes that forestry can make some sections harder to read without a map.
Length & route
The trail is about 36.4 km as one through-hike on our map. It is point-to-point, not a circuit. Official copy for the Saarijärvi–Pyhä-Häkki–Kannonkoski multi-use corridor often rounds the same link to about 40 km with the same rest-stop names along the way; use the measured length here for planning. The City of Saarijärvi lists distances from Saarijärvi centre to Vuosjoki, Kouranjärvi, Tiilikka, and Iso-Kotajärvi for the wider itinerary. Inside Pyhä-Häkki, shorter loops such as Kotajärven polku (about 6.5 km) and Tulijärven polku (about 17 km) branch from shared junctions.
Getting there
Many hikers begin the full Maakuntaura from Lähdekuja 2 in Saarijärvi city centre, with parking and services nearby. This database line starts at Vuosjoen kota beside Vuosjoki; use the City of Saarijärvi PDF map for parking symbols at Saarijärvi centre and Vuosjoki. At the Kannonkoski end, the route approaches Pyhä-Häkki National Park’s visitor area and road parking on the Saarijärvi–Viitasaari road; follow Luontoon.fi access pages for the park when planning car transfer or pick-up.
Good to know
The City of Saarijärvi marks part of the corridor with blue paint on trees plus multi-use and junction signs; inside Pyhä-Häkki, other trails use red, white, green, and orange paint spots on shared junctions. A demanding mountain-biking section between Härkälähde and Vuosjoen laavu is listed separately on Luontoon.fi with a difficulty rating; ride only if you match that skill profile. Summer hiking trails are not machine-maintained in winter; the parallel ski track follows Maakuntauran latu Saarijärvi when snow allows. Check national-park rules for fires, reservations at Poika-aho vuokratupa, and swimming at Kotajärvi on Metsähallitus pages.
Either direction; most published stage tables run from Saarijärvi toward Kannonkoski.
Route direction
Recreation Area
Recreation Area
Lake
Lake
Blue paint on trees along the provincial trail; multi-use and junction signs at crossings. In Pyhä-Häkki National Park, Kotajärven polku uses red paint marks, Tulijärven polku white, Riihineva green, Mastomäki orange on shared junctions.
Route Signs
Activities allowed
Ski
Activity
Hike / Walk
Activity
Bike
Activity
Terrain & conditions
36.4 km
Distance
Typically one long summer day for very fit hikers, or two easier days with an overnight at Poika-aho vuokratupa or elsewhere by arrangement; allow roughly 8–14 hours of moving time if you attempt it in a single push.
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Answers to your questions
Our data was researched from Saarijärvi, 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 Maakuntauran retkeilyreitti (Central Finland Provincial Trail hiking line) catalogued for Saarijärvi is about 36.4 km end to end on our map. It is a point-to-point hike, not a loop, linking the Saarijärvi area with Kannonkoski through Pyhä-Häkki National Park. For Metsähallitus’ trail page for this facility, includ...
The Maakuntauran retkeilyreitti (Central Finland Provincial Trail hiking line) catalogued for Saarijärvi is about 36.4 km end to end on our map. It is a point-to-point hike, not a loop, linking the Saarijärvi area with Kannonkoski through Pyhä-Häkki National Park. For Metsähallitus’ trail page for this facility, including the national outdoor map entry, see Luontoon.fi. The City of Saarijärvi publishes PDF maps, rest-stop tables, marking notes, and winter-use context for the wider Saarijärvi–Pyhä-Häkki–Kannonkoski corridor—often quoted at roughly 40 km as a ski and multi-use connection—on its outdoor recreation pages. A regional overview of the same corridor appears on Visit Saarijärvi. Jalkaisin’s long-form hiking report from Vuosjoki toward Pyhä-Häkki describes forest tracks, lean-tos, and how blue markings give way to national-park colour codes near Kotajärvi—worth reading for on-the-ground pacing and junction behaviour.
Kannonkoski lies in Central Finland; Saarijärvi is the usual city-centre start for the full line at Lähdekuja 2, while this mapped segment begins at Vuosjoen kota beside Vuosjoki, with firewood storage and a kota for the first break. After pine forest and small roads, Kourajärven laavu sits at about the midpoint of this line, with a lean-to and outdoor fire ring by the shore. Closer to Pyhä-Häkki, the route meets the Poika-aho cluster: Poika-aho vuokratupa, Poika-aho sauna, and Poika-aho käymälä Pyhä-Häkki sit a short branch from the main provincial marking; from here you can drop onto Kotajärven polku or Tulijärven polku inside the park. Along Kotajärvi, Kotajärvi laituri, Kotajärvi keittokatos Pyhä-Häkki, Kotajärvi tulentekopaikka Pyhä-Häkki, and Kotajärvi käymälä support day trips and swimming; Tulijärven laavu adds another lean-to stop nearby. The line finishes near Pyhä-Häkki porakaivo, beside the national-park visitor hub where Riihinevan polku and Mastomäen polku also start.
The provincial trail shares ground with Keski-Suomen maakuntaura, overlaps the packed winter line Maakuntauran latu Saarijärvi where grooming follows the same corridor, and meets Tiilikka polkupyöräreitti around the Poika-aho–Tulijärvi junctions. Expect forest roads, duckboards, rocky pinewoods, and occasional harvesting scars; Visit Saarijärvi notes that forestry can make some sections harder to read without a map.
Length & route
The trail is about 36.4 km as one through-hike on our map. It is point-to-point, not a circuit. Official copy for the Saarijärvi–Pyhä-Häkki–Kannonkoski multi-use corridor often rounds the same link to about 40 km with the same rest-stop names along the way; use the measured length here for planning. The City of Saarijärvi lists distances from Saarijärvi centre to Vuosjoki, Kouranjärvi, Tiilikka, and Iso-Kotajärvi for the wider itinerary. Inside Pyhä-Häkki, shorter loops such as Kotajärven polku (about 6.5 km) and Tulijärven polku (about 17 km) branch from shared junctions.
Getting there
Many hikers begin the full Maakuntaura from Lähdekuja 2 in Saarijärvi city centre, with parking and services nearby. This database line starts at Vuosjoen kota beside Vuosjoki; use the City of Saarijärvi PDF map for parking symbols at Saarijärvi centre and Vuosjoki. At the Kannonkoski end, the route approaches Pyhä-Häkki National Park’s visitor area and road parking on the Saarijärvi–Viitasaari road; follow Luontoon.fi access pages for the park when planning car transfer or pick-up.
Good to know
The City of Saarijärvi marks part of the corridor with blue paint on trees plus multi-use and junction signs; inside Pyhä-Häkki, other trails use red, white, green, and orange paint spots on shared junctions. A demanding mountain-biking section between Härkälähde and Vuosjoen laavu is listed separately on Luontoon.fi with a difficulty rating; ride only if you match that skill profile. Summer hiking trails are not machine-maintained in winter; the parallel ski track follows Maakuntauran latu Saarijärvi when snow allows. Check national-park rules for fires, reservations at Poika-aho vuokratupa, and swimming at Kotajärvi on Metsähallitus pages.
Either direction; most published stage tables run from Saarijärvi toward Kannonkoski.
Route direction
Recreation Area
Recreation Area
Lake
Lake
Blue paint on trees along the provincial trail; multi-use and junction signs at crossings. In Pyhä-Häkki National Park, Kotajärven polku uses red paint marks, Tulijärven polku white, Riihineva green, Mastomäki orange on shared junctions.
Typically one long summer day for very fit hikers, or two easier days with an overnight at Poika-aho vuokratupa or elsewhere by arrangement; allow roughly 8–14 hours of moving time if you attempt it in a single push.
Be the first to write a review for "Maakuntaura hiking trail — Saarijärvi to Kannonkoski"
Share a photo from a recent trip
Answers to your questions
Our data was researched from Saarijärvi, 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.