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Kotajärvi Trail

—•Hiking Trails

6.8 km

Route

Description

Luontoon.fi – Kotajärven polku+

Description

The Kotajärvi Trail is about 6.8 km of marked hiking in Pyhä-Häkki National Park, between Saarijärvi and Viitasaari in Central Finland. It crosses some of southern Finland’s best-known old-growth pine forest and mire, with landmark ancient pines and a rest area on Lake Kotajärvi. Metsähallitus lists the route, services, and national park rules on Luontoon.fi. Visit Saarijärvi describes how the Keski-Suomen Maakuntaura long-distance hiking and ski route runs from Saarijärvi to Kannonkoski through the same park landscape. For on-the-ground detail—marking colours, boardwalk sections, and pacing—Luontopolkumies Mika Markkanen’s walk-through on Retkipaikka is especially helpful. From the gate and info shelter, the path climbs through Mastomäki’s mixed pine and spruce forest. Within the first kilometre you pass signage for “Uusi iso puu”, a celebrated old pine dated to 1641 in on-trail boards, then the ragged trunk of “Vanha iso puu”, rooted here since the 1500s. The route dips toward mire edges on Kotaneva, with a roughly half-kilometre duckboard section along the eastern side where cotton grass and bog plants are easy to see in late summer. At the Riihineva junction the green-marked Riihinevan polku crosses the same mire; Tulijärven polku, the park’s longest trail, shares parts of the network and is marked white where paths meet. Approaching Kotajärvi from the east, side spurs reach the lakeshore before the main rest cluster. Lake Kotajärvi is the social heart of the circuit: Kotajärvi tulentekopaikka Pyhä-Häkki and Kotajärvi keittokatos Pyhä-Häkki sit beside the water, Kotajärvi laituri reaches into the lake for a quick cool-down, and dry toilets are available in the same area. About 5.5 km along the line you pass Pyhä-Häkki porakaivo, a drilled well for water. The return leg to parking is easier underfoot than the rocky, rooty opening kilometres; some day visitors walk straight out-and-back toward Kotajärvi and skip the southern mast and mire loop. The trail ties into broader hiking: Keski-Suomen maakuntaura (Central Finland Trail), Tulijärven polku, Maakuntauran retkeilyreitti/Saarijärvi and the winter Maakuntauran latu Saarijärvi use the same Kotajärvi service points, so you can extend toward Poika-aho sauna and rental cabin, Tulijärven laavu, or Kourajärven laavu on longer schedules. The very short Kotajärvi polku laiturille is the marked spur to the pier if you want only the lakeshore.

Length & route

The trail is about 6.8 km on one continuous walking line through Pyhä-Häkki. Visitor guides and Metsähallitus brochures often round the circuit to about 6.3–6.5 km depending on how the start loop beside parking is counted; the small gap is normal for the same marked circle.

Getting there

By car, use the Kotajärvi trail parking along Viitasaarentie 2119; the lots are large and sit beside the paved road near the park gate. Summer travellers from Jyväskylä can check whether Outdoor Express still runs coach access toward Pyhä-Häkki—Retkipaikka linked the service when the article was written. Keski-Suomen Maakuntaura through-hikers may start wider stages from downtown Saarijärvi (Visit Saarijärvi lists Lähdekuja 2 as the long-route trailhead) and reach Kotajärvi services deeper in the park.

Good to know

Pyhä-Häkki is a small national park with tight trail ethics: stay on marked routes, carry out litter, and use campfires only at designated spots with current Metsähallitus guidance. Dogs are commonly seen at Kotajärvi but must follow national park leash rules—confirm details on Luontoon.fi before you travel.

Managed by

Saarijärvi

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

National Park

Area

red

Route Signs

Dogs (On Leash)

Dogs

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

6.8 km

Distance

About 2 hours at a steady day-hiking pace; allow more if you read every nature panel or linger at Kotajärvi.

Est. Time

Duckboards / Dirt

Surface

Loop, Single Track

Route Type

Retkipaikka – Kotajärven polku (Luontopolkumies Mika Markkanen)

Location

62.85482°N, 25.46490°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

Central FinlandRegion

SaarijärviCity

Hiking TrailsCategory

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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.

Finland Central Finland Saarijärvi Hiking TrailsKotajärvi Trail