The City of Lieksa maintains Karhunpolku, a long-distance hiking and mountain biking route along Finland’s eastern border country. For stage-by-stage notes, safety reminders, and transport ideas, Visit North Karelia’s Karhunpolku page is the most detailed regional guide. The trail is about 149.5 km on our map as...
City of Lieksa – outdoor recreation (Karhunpolku)+
Description
The City of Lieksa maintains Karhunpolku, a long-distance hiking and mountain biking route along Finland’s eastern border country. For stage-by-stage notes, safety reminders, and transport ideas, Visit North Karelia’s Karhunpolku page is the most detailed regional guide. The trail is about 149.5 km on our map as one continuous line; some public materials round to roughly 133–140 km depending on how junctions are counted. It is part of the wider Karjalan Kierros trail network and links Patvinsuo National Park, the Ruunaa recreation area, and the canoeing shores of rivers such as Jongunjoki before reaching the Kuhmo area.
Lieksa lies in North Karelia and Kuhmo in Kainuu; the route crosses that regional boundary and mixes remote lake shores, mires, old forests, and long esker ridges. Terrain is mostly moderate, with occasional steep esker climbs and rocky steps where Visit North Karelia warns of slippery roots and duckboards in wet weather. The trail is marked with orange paint blazes and signposts. Karhunpolku is also used by mountain bikers; local reporting notes that maintainers now steer hikers and cyclists along the same line where alternatives used to be suggested. Independent hikers writing at Jalkaisin describe calm forest walking, duckboards across mires, and a strong sense of quiet on the Patvinsuo–Ahokoski section.
Along the line you pass through clusters of services drawn from outdoor databases: near the Jongunjoki end, Valamanjoen autiotupa, Jongunjoen laavu, Viharinkosken laavu, and Otrosjoen autiotupa with Otrosjoen sauna offer shelter and breaks in river scenery. Further along, Pitkäjärven tupa, Kirkisensalmen laavu, and Särkkäjoen laavu sit in forest and esker country; Suurijoen nuotiopaikka and the Itkiinpohja parking area anchor the Ruunaa lakeshore transition. The Ruunaa–Neitikoski stretch packs many campfire shelters and parking areas—Itkiinpohja pysäköintialue, Miikkulanvaara pysäköintialue, Mutikaisenkari pysäköintialue, Lakkapäänlahti pysäköintialue, Neitikoski pysäköintialue, and Hongikkoranta pysäköintialue—around Neitikoski, Ämmäkoski, and Kattilaniemi. Naukuniemi ylitysvene is a rowboat crossing for hikers. Toward Änäkäinen and Saarijärvi, wartime heritage sites and rental fishing on Metsähallitus waters appear in regional descriptions. Suomu pysäköintialue, Suomu luontotupa / sisämajoitus, and Patvinsuo’s visitor services at Suomu support multi-day trips. The Ahokosken laavu cluster near the route’s end is a classic overnight goal on shorter Patvinsuo stages.
If you notice windthrows or problems with fireplaces and lean-tos, the City of Lieksa asks you to contact the sports facilities staff on the phone and email published on the municipal outdoor pages.
Length & route
The trail is about 149.5 km on our map as one continuous hiking line. Visit North Karelia’s route card quotes about 140.1 km, roughly 687 m ascent and 682 m descent, highest point about 200 m and lowest about 110 m, and about 40 hours of moving time—real-world hiking spreads that across many days with breaks and photo stops. Allow roughly six to eight days for the full hike at a typical trekking pace, or plan shorter shuttled sections using local transport providers listed on regional and national-park pages.
Getting there
You can hike in either direction between the Patvinsuo end and the Kuhmo–Teljo end. Public transport reaches the area via Joensuu; Lieksa and Uimaharju connect by train and bus, and Visit North Karelia links PDFs for shuttle and taxi services toward trailheads. For Patvinsuo, follow arrival and parking guidance on the national park pages; for Ruunaa, use the Ruunaa arrival pages. The City of Lieksa also points to OutdoorActive for GPX and map downloads alongside its outdoor hub. Mid-route parking includes Itkiinpohja pysäköintialue, Miikkulanvaara pysäköintialue, Mutikaisenkari pysäköintialue, Lakkapäänlahti pysäköintialue, Paasikoskentie pysäköintialue, Neitikoski pysäköintialue, Hongikkoranta pysäköintialue, Vastuuniemi pysäköintialue, Änäkäinen pysäköintialue eteläinen and läntinen, Välikangas pysäköintialue, Suomu pysäköintialue ranta and Suomu pysäköintialue, Surkanpuro pysäköintialue, and Kurkilahti pysäköintialue—use the names with a detailed map to match your travel direction.
Good to know
Open fire may be restricted during wildfire warnings; follow regional safety text and the Finnish everyman’s rights. Mobile coverage has gaps in places. A side link toward Nurmijärvi village was reported as poorly maintained and risky without a good map—treat that junction as expert-only. The City of Lieksa publishes the same maintenance contact for feedback on shelters and fireplaces.
History
Latu&Polku notes that Karhunpolku was first marked in the terrain about 35 years before their 2022 article—roughly the late 1980s—and that the line reuses older fishing and timber-floating paths beside the border. Visit North Karelia states that a longer written stage description was first drafted in 1995 and updated since, including in 2021.
Itinerary
Example seven-day split using kilometre marks along the route from the Teljo–Jongunjoki end toward Patvinsuo (reverse the order if you start from Suomu): day 1 Valamanjoen autiotupa–Jongunjoen laavu–Otrosjoen area (~18 km); day 2 Teljon nuotiopaikka–Pälvekosken laavu toward Hukkalammen nuotiopaikka (~15–20 km depending on pace); day 3 Kirkisensalmen laavu–Pitkäjärven tupa–Kaatiinlammen nuotiopaikka (~15 km); day 4 Särkkäjoen laavu–Suurijoen nuotiopaikka–Itkiinpohja pysäköintialue–Marinkangas (~20 km); day 5 Rantakangas–Mutikaisenkari–Neitikoski–Hongikkoranta (~15 km); day 6 Naukuniemi–KATTILAKOSKI eräkämppä–Niskalahden laavu–Suuri-Piilosen laavu (~25 km); day 7 Änäkäinen–Jynkkälammen nuotiopaikka–Saarijärven kota–Suomu services–Virtaniemi–Ahokosken laavu (~30 km). Adjust for fitness, weather, and whether you use car shuttles; Visit North Karelia’s kilometre list is the best check for junction timing.
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Answers to your questions
Our data was researched from Lieksa, 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 City of Lieksa maintains Karhunpolku, a long-distance hiking and mountain biking route along Finland’s eastern border country. For stage-by-stage notes, safety reminders, and transport ideas, Visit North Karelia’s Karhunpolku page is the most detailed regional guide. The trail is about 149.5 km on our map as...
City of Lieksa – outdoor recreation (Karhunpolku)+
Description
The City of Lieksa maintains Karhunpolku, a long-distance hiking and mountain biking route along Finland’s eastern border country. For stage-by-stage notes, safety reminders, and transport ideas, Visit North Karelia’s Karhunpolku page is the most detailed regional guide. The trail is about 149.5 km on our map as one continuous line; some public materials round to roughly 133–140 km depending on how junctions are counted. It is part of the wider Karjalan Kierros trail network and links Patvinsuo National Park, the Ruunaa recreation area, and the canoeing shores of rivers such as Jongunjoki before reaching the Kuhmo area.
Lieksa lies in North Karelia and Kuhmo in Kainuu; the route crosses that regional boundary and mixes remote lake shores, mires, old forests, and long esker ridges. Terrain is mostly moderate, with occasional steep esker climbs and rocky steps where Visit North Karelia warns of slippery roots and duckboards in wet weather. The trail is marked with orange paint blazes and signposts. Karhunpolku is also used by mountain bikers; local reporting notes that maintainers now steer hikers and cyclists along the same line where alternatives used to be suggested. Independent hikers writing at Jalkaisin describe calm forest walking, duckboards across mires, and a strong sense of quiet on the Patvinsuo–Ahokoski section.
Along the line you pass through clusters of services drawn from outdoor databases: near the Jongunjoki end, Valamanjoen autiotupa, Jongunjoen laavu, Viharinkosken laavu, and Otrosjoen autiotupa with Otrosjoen sauna offer shelter and breaks in river scenery. Further along, Pitkäjärven tupa, Kirkisensalmen laavu, and Särkkäjoen laavu sit in forest and esker country; Suurijoen nuotiopaikka and the Itkiinpohja parking area anchor the Ruunaa lakeshore transition. The Ruunaa–Neitikoski stretch packs many campfire shelters and parking areas—Itkiinpohja pysäköintialue, Miikkulanvaara pysäköintialue, Mutikaisenkari pysäköintialue, Lakkapäänlahti pysäköintialue, Neitikoski pysäköintialue, and Hongikkoranta pysäköintialue—around Neitikoski, Ämmäkoski, and Kattilaniemi. Naukuniemi ylitysvene is a rowboat crossing for hikers. Toward Änäkäinen and Saarijärvi, wartime heritage sites and rental fishing on Metsähallitus waters appear in regional descriptions. Suomu pysäköintialue, Suomu luontotupa / sisämajoitus, and Patvinsuo’s visitor services at Suomu support multi-day trips. The Ahokosken laavu cluster near the route’s end is a classic overnight goal on shorter Patvinsuo stages.
If you notice windthrows or problems with fireplaces and lean-tos, the City of Lieksa asks you to contact the sports facilities staff on the phone and email published on the municipal outdoor pages.
Length & route
The trail is about 149.5 km on our map as one continuous hiking line. Visit North Karelia’s route card quotes about 140.1 km, roughly 687 m ascent and 682 m descent, highest point about 200 m and lowest about 110 m, and about 40 hours of moving time—real-world hiking spreads that across many days with breaks and photo stops. Allow roughly six to eight days for the full hike at a typical trekking pace, or plan shorter shuttled sections using local transport providers listed on regional and national-park pages.
Getting there
You can hike in either direction between the Patvinsuo end and the Kuhmo–Teljo end. Public transport reaches the area via Joensuu; Lieksa and Uimaharju connect by train and bus, and Visit North Karelia links PDFs for shuttle and taxi services toward trailheads. For Patvinsuo, follow arrival and parking guidance on the national park pages; for Ruunaa, use the Ruunaa arrival pages. The City of Lieksa also points to OutdoorActive for GPX and map downloads alongside its outdoor hub. Mid-route parking includes Itkiinpohja pysäköintialue, Miikkulanvaara pysäköintialue, Mutikaisenkari pysäköintialue, Lakkapäänlahti pysäköintialue, Paasikoskentie pysäköintialue, Neitikoski pysäköintialue, Hongikkoranta pysäköintialue, Vastuuniemi pysäköintialue, Änäkäinen pysäköintialue eteläinen and läntinen, Välikangas pysäköintialue, Suomu pysäköintialue ranta and Suomu pysäköintialue, Surkanpuro pysäköintialue, and Kurkilahti pysäköintialue—use the names with a detailed map to match your travel direction.
Good to know
Open fire may be restricted during wildfire warnings; follow regional safety text and the Finnish everyman’s rights. Mobile coverage has gaps in places. A side link toward Nurmijärvi village was reported as poorly maintained and risky without a good map—treat that junction as expert-only. The City of Lieksa publishes the same maintenance contact for feedback on shelters and fireplaces.
History
Latu&Polku notes that Karhunpolku was first marked in the terrain about 35 years before their 2022 article—roughly the late 1980s—and that the line reuses older fishing and timber-floating paths beside the border. Visit North Karelia states that a longer written stage description was first drafted in 1995 and updated since, including in 2021.
Itinerary
Example seven-day split using kilometre marks along the route from the Teljo–Jongunjoki end toward Patvinsuo (reverse the order if you start from Suomu): day 1 Valamanjoen autiotupa–Jongunjoen laavu–Otrosjoen area (~18 km); day 2 Teljon nuotiopaikka–Pälvekosken laavu toward Hukkalammen nuotiopaikka (~15–20 km depending on pace); day 3 Kirkisensalmen laavu–Pitkäjärven tupa–Kaatiinlammen nuotiopaikka (~15 km); day 4 Särkkäjoen laavu–Suurijoen nuotiopaikka–Itkiinpohja pysäköintialue–Marinkangas (~20 km); day 5 Rantakangas–Mutikaisenkari–Neitikoski–Hongikkoranta (~15 km); day 6 Naukuniemi–KATTILAKOSKI eräkämppä–Niskalahden laavu–Suuri-Piilosen laavu (~25 km); day 7 Änäkäinen–Jynkkälammen nuotiopaikka–Saarijärven kota–Suomu services–Virtaniemi–Ahokosken laavu (~30 km). Adjust for fitness, weather, and whether you use car shuttles; Visit North Karelia’s kilometre list is the best check for junction timing.
Be the first to write a review for "Bear Trail (Karhunpolku)"
Share a photo from a recent trip
Answers to your questions
Our data was researched from Lieksa, 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.
