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Saarijärvi Trail

—•Hiking Trails

5 km

Route

P 1

Description

City of Puolanka – Liikuntaa luonnossa+

Description

Saarijärvi Trail is a lakeside hiking route of about 5 km in the Saarijärvi nature reserve near Puolanka in Kainuu. The City of Puolanka groups it under Saarijärven luonnonsuojeluarea on its Liikuntaa luonnossa outdoor pages and notes a lean-to and campfire places along the walk around the lake. Retkiseikkailu lists the same outing at about 4.7 km and points readers toward Metsähallitus-style trail information for the reserve; treat the distance here as the measured line for planning. The Hyrynsalmi–Puolanka outdoor map layers fireplaces and lean-tos across the wider municipality if you want to compare nearby shelters after your lap. From the trail line, the outing is not a closed ring in the database, but on the ground it follows Saarijärvi’s shoreline and the official copy describes it as circling the lake, with facilities spaced along the way. About half a kilometre along you reach Saarijärvi pysäköintialue if you approach from parking rather than the nominal start coordinate. Near the middle of the route, Saaripuro laavu offers a classic Kainuu lean-to stop; the same shelter also appears on Honkajärven polku, so you can plan a short link between the two trails here. Niemi kuivakäymälä and Pitkäniemi kuivakäymälä sit at cape points with dry toilets for day hikers, and Pitkäniemi tulentekopaikka gives a marked campfire spot toward the end of the lap. A snowmobile corridor runs across part of the same shoreline band—stay alert where the summer foot trail and winter motor route overlap. Puolanka is a strong walking destination overall: the Liikuntaa luonnossa hub also describes neighbouring loops such as Mustikkavaaran polku and Pyssykuljun reitti if you want to add kilometres on another day. For current conditions, any seasonal closures in the reserve, and the latest on lean-tos and fireplaces, rely on the City of Puolanka Liikuntaa luonnossa updates rather than older deep links that may have moved.

Length & route

The trail is about 5 km along the shore of Saarijärvi in the Saarijärvi nature reserve. The City of Puolanka rounds the same walk to about 4.7 km on its Liikuntaa luonnossa listing; use the figure here as the measured length for this page. Retkiseikkailu repeats the 4.7 km figure in its Puolanka overview. Expect a single shoreline circuit with lean-to and campfire infrastructure distributed along the lap rather than one central hub.

Getting there

The most practical access on our map is Saarijärvi pysäköintialue, a short distance along the trail from the nominal start and suited to drivers who want to leave a car beside the lake. The City of Puolanka does not publish a separate street address for this trailhead on Liikuntaa luonnossa; confirm parking and any turn restrictions with the same outdoor pages before you travel. If you are staying in Puolanka town or Paljakka, plan a short drive on local roads toward the Saarijärvi shore using your navigator and the parking coordinates on our place page for Saarijärvi pysäköintialue.

Good to know

Carry a wind shell: lakeshore sections can feel cooler than inland forest. Respect the nature reserve rules that apply inside Saarijärven luonnonsuojelualue—stay on marked routes where signposted, keep dogs only if local rules allow, and avoid disturbing nesting or sensitive shoreline. For lean-to firewood policies and campfire bans during wildfire warnings, follow the City of Puolanka Liikuntaa luonnossa notices and any Metsähallitus instructions for the protected area.

Managed by

Puolanka

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Nature Reserve

Area

Recreation Area

Lake

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

5 km

Distance

about 1.5–2.5 hours

Est. Time

Dirt

Surface

Single Track

Route Type

Partial Shade

Shade

Light Traffic

Traffic

Location

64.79409°N, 27.52551°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

KainuuRegion

PuolankaCity

Hiking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Honkajärvi Trail

487 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Puolanka, 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 Kainuu Puolanka Hiking TrailsSaarijärvi Trail