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Karttimojoki kayaking route

—•Kayaking Routes

14.8 km

Route

P 1

Description

Itärajan retkeilyreitti – Martinselkonen–Raate+

Description

Karttimojoki melontareitti is a roughly 15 km river run on Karttimojoki in eastern Suomussalmi, threading old-growth forest and mire country between Hossa National Park and the Martinselkonen conservation area. The line follows a clear river corridor where Metsähallitus maintains lean-tos and campfire sites along the wider Itärajan retkeilyreitti network. For regional planning, Visit Suomussalmi groups Karttimojoki with Hossa’s other canoe and kayak corridors and points paddlers to Luontoon.fi for mapped water routes and services in the national park. A detailed on-the-water account by Jouni Laaksonen on Retkipaikka describes a multi-day style trip launching from Peuro on Pirttivaarantie and running downstream toward Taivalkoski, with an overnight at Lintulammen autiotupa and several rapid passages where the group chose to line or portage rather than run. That trip matches the kind of staging you can build around the stops on this page: Taivalkoski access with parking and campfire facilities, the Karttimojoki venelossi boat-drag for moving craft past a ledge, and Lintulammin autiotupa with a nearby campfire ring and woodshed or toilet buildings for a sheltered night. Expect a mix of quiet lake-like pools, meanders, and named rapids whose difficulty depends strongly on water level; the same author notes that the reach between Pystykoski and Lintulampi can be too shallow for paddling in mid and late summer in dry years, while sustained rain can bring high, runnable flows. The Hossa.fi melonta page classifies local rapids broadly in class I–II+ and stresses scouting harder drops from the bank before committing. On Karttimojoki, Laaksonen highlights Taivalkoski as a ledge rapid that is not run in an open canoe, with a marked stop and a wooden boat-drag to the road beside the bridge, plus easier water such as Nivonkoski on lower sections. The Itärajan retkeilyreitti association lists a Metsähallitus lean-to at Karttimojoki on the Martinselkonen–Raate segment, reinforcing that this river is embedded in a long-distance hiking and water-access network.

Length & route

The mapped paddling line is about 14.8 km along Karttimojoki. The river alternates between narrow meanders, short pools, and rapids whose class and portage needs shift with water level; trip reports describe lining or walking several named rapids in high water and very low flows on some mid-summer reaches. Metsähallitus provides a boat winch (venelossi) along the corridor for moving craft past a short land section.

Getting there

Road access for shuttles and take-out is concentrated at Taivalkoski, where parking, a campfire site, and dry toilets sit beside the river–trail–road junction used by both paddlers and Itärajan retkeilyreitti hikers. A common touring pattern described in the field literature is to put in farther up Pirttivaarantie at Peuro and paddle down to Taivalkoski, then walk the blue-marked hiking connection toward Teerilampi if you are linking canoe and foot legs of a longer tour. Visit Suomussalmi lists regional outfitters that rent canoes and kayaks for Hossa waters if you need boats delivered or staged.

Good to know

Check flow and hazard conditions before committing to rapids; Hossa-wide guidance treats many drops as class I–II+ with real scouting on harder lines. If you fish from the boat, confirm Eräluvat permits for the relevant water bodies and seasons. Carry throw line, helmet, and solid whitewater judgement on any rapid.

Itinerary

At about 14.8 km on the water, many parties treat Karttimojoki as a full day with one night out, or a relaxed two-day trip with short days. Using the kilometre hints on this page: from Taivalkoski access, the Karttimojoki venelossi falls near the middle of the line at about 7.6 km, and Lintulammin autiotupa sits near 9–11 km—natural half-way or overnight points if you match that spacing on the river. Combine with a foot segment on Itärajan retkeilyreitti if you are staging a vehicle at Peuro and walking back along the blue route described in regional trip reports.

Where to rent kayaks

Visit Suomussalmi lists canoe and kayak rental for Hossa waters through operators such as Kainuun Luontoretket (Joukojärventie, Ruhtinansalmi), Hossa-Kylmäluoma at Hossa Nature Centre (Jatkonsalmentie), Camping Hossan Lumo (Lumontie), and Kieppituvat (Varisahontie, Suomussalmi)—confirm models, seasonal hours, and delivery options when booking.

Managed by

Suomussalmi

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

River paddling with the current from headwater lakes toward Taivalkoski is the usual touring direction described in trip literature; the mapped 14.8 km line follows Karttimojoki through venelossi and Lintulampi stops. Confirm put-in and take-out against seasonal water levels.

Route direction

Open / Good Condition

Retkipaikka – Koe Kainuun kirkkaat vedet (Jouni Laaksonen)

Activities allowed

Kayak / Canoe

Activity

Terrain & conditions

14.8 km

Distance

Typically one long day or two shorter days with an overnight at Lintulammin autiotupa; exact time depends on flow, portaging, and scouting.

Est. Time

Point-to-Point

Route Type

Has Portages

Portage

Class I (Easy)

Rapids class

Class II (Moderate)

Rapids class

River Paddling

Water type

Location

65.20486°N, 29.67423°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

KainuuRegion

SuomussalmiCity

JuntusrantaVillage

Kayaking RoutesCategory

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Suomussalmi, 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 Suomussalmi Kayaking RoutesKarttimojoki kayaking route