Susitaival is about 91.7 km as a multi-day hiking route in North Karelia, linking the Patvinsuo national park area near Ilomantsi with the Möhkö ironworks village and lake-and-ridge country in between. Ilomantsin kunta maintains the trail, its rest spots during the hiking season from late May through October, and the c...
City of Ilomantsi – hiking trails and paths+
Description
Susitaival is about 91.7 km as a multi-day hiking route in North Karelia, linking the Patvinsuo national park area near Ilomantsi with the Möhkö ironworks village and lake-and-ridge country in between. Ilomantsin kunta maintains the trail, its rest spots during the hiking season from late May through October, and the cable ferries on the same seasonal schedule. Current ferry status and winter notices are published on the municipality’s outdoor pages. The Susitaival route page on Luontoon.fi lists the trail in Finland’s national outdoor database. Visit North Karelia gives a full stage-by-stage description, transport hints, and safety notes for the whole route.
You can walk the route in either direction. From the Patvinsuo end, the Teretti peninsula cluster comes first: Teretti tulentekopaikka, Teretti laavu, Teretinniemen laavu, Teretti luontotorni, and Teretin lintutorni sit within a few kilometres of each other—good for a first break, a view over the mire, and birdwatching. A little farther along, Kurkilahden keittokatos and Kurkilahti pysäköintialue support day visitors driving to the shore. Here Susitaival meets Patvinkierto retkeilyreitti, Kurkilahti - Teretti reitti, and Suomunkierto retkeilyreitti, so you can stitch shorter loops or link to Suomu rental sauna and other Suomunkierto stops if you are combining networks.
Farther south, Suomunjoen laavu and the Jokivaarankangas parking and toilet sit along the forest link toward Majaniemi tulentekopaikka, Majaniemi telttailualue, and Majaniemi kuivakäymälä. The ironworks harbour Möhkön satama and Möhkön laavu mark the Möhkö end of the cultural landscape—services, museum, and food in season are described from Möhkö toward the trail. The long middle crosses Pohjoisen Pitkäjärven autiotupa, Kontiovaaran laavu, then Särkkäjärven uimapaikka Ilomantsi and Särkkäjärven autiotupa with swimming and well water noted by hikers. Teponsärkän kota, Kaunisjärven laavu, Jorhon autiotupa, Jorhon laavu, and Petrokankaan laavu are the main overnight and lunch anchors on the northern two-thirds; Retkipaikka’s group singled out Kaunisjärvi for clear water and sand, and Latu&Polku describes the cable ferries after Jorho and the Naarva ridge views.
Where Susitaival reaches Patvinsuo, it connects to Karhunpolku (retkeilyreitti), which continues far to the north as part of a roughly three-hundred-kilometre network together with Pogostan kierros on the shared Möhkö–Särkkäjärvi section. Ilomantsi lies at the eastern edge of North Karelia; Lieksa and Patvinsuo anchor the north, while Möhkö sits in Ilomantsi’s forests toward the Russian border. Expect quiet forest, ridges, mires, and some forest-road and gravel transitions; mobile coverage is patchy and some climbs are steep with a full pack. Retkipaikka and Latu&Polku both note occasional unclear markings near clear-cuts—carry a map or GPX.
Length & route
The trail is about 91.7 km on our map. Visit North Karelia quotes about 93.6 km, about 1200 m ascent and descent, highest point about 275 m and lowest about 130 m, and roughly 26 hours of moving time in their route card—your pace and breaks will stretch that across several days. Latu&Polku and Retkipaikka often round the distance to about 95–97 km in articles. Allow roughly five to seven days on foot with normal day distances, or plan shorter shuttled sections as in Retkipaikka’s four-day sample.
Getting there
You can start from Möhkö in Ilomantsi or from Patvinsuo National Park on the Lieksa side; Visit North Karelia summarises bus and train access via Joensuu, Ilomantsi, Lieksa, and Uimaharju, plus rideshare and taxi options toward trailheads. For Patvinsuo access and parking, follow the national park arrival pages linked from the same source. Möhkö contacts and local lifts are pointed from mohko.net in the regional guide. Along Susitaival, Kurkilahti pysäköintialue and Jokivaarankangas pysäköintialue are practical car access points mid-route. Ilomantsin kunta links a map portal entry for Susitaival for junction checks.
Good to know
Cable ferries: Visit North Karelia and Latu&Polku describe four pull-cable ferries for river crossings, operated in the warm season when water levels allow. Ilomantsin kunta posts seasonal notices when ferries are lifted for winter. Open-fire rules follow general wildfire warnings; steep and rocky steps can be awkward with a heavy pack. For feedback on the trail, the municipality publishes instructions as PDF from the same outdoor hub.
Itinerary
Example five-day split using kilometre marks along the route: day 1 Teretti cluster to Kurkilahti–Suomu area (~7 km) or extend toward Majaniemi (~21 km); day 2 Majaniemi toward Pohjoisen Pitkäjärven autiotupa (~11 km from Majaniemi); day 3 Pohjoisen Pitkäjärvi to Särkkäjärven autiotupa via Kontiovaaran laavu (~12 km); day 4 Särkkäjärvi to Jorhon autiotupa via Teponsärkän kota and Kaunisjärven laavu (~25 km); day 5 Jorho to Petrokankaan laavu and north toward Teretti (~15 km). Adjust for fitness, weather, and whether you use a car shuttle as in Retkipaikka’s shorter four-day sample on a mid-section. Latu&Polku suggests alternative day chunks between the same huts.
Our data was researched from Ilomantsi, 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.
Susitaival is about 91.7 km as a multi-day hiking route in North Karelia, linking the Patvinsuo national park area near Ilomantsi with the Möhkö ironworks village and lake-and-ridge country in between. Ilomantsin kunta maintains the trail, its rest spots during the hiking season from late May through October, and the c...
City of Ilomantsi – hiking trails and paths+
Description
Susitaival is about 91.7 km as a multi-day hiking route in North Karelia, linking the Patvinsuo national park area near Ilomantsi with the Möhkö ironworks village and lake-and-ridge country in between. Ilomantsin kunta maintains the trail, its rest spots during the hiking season from late May through October, and the cable ferries on the same seasonal schedule. Current ferry status and winter notices are published on the municipality’s outdoor pages. The Susitaival route page on Luontoon.fi lists the trail in Finland’s national outdoor database. Visit North Karelia gives a full stage-by-stage description, transport hints, and safety notes for the whole route.
You can walk the route in either direction. From the Patvinsuo end, the Teretti peninsula cluster comes first: Teretti tulentekopaikka, Teretti laavu, Teretinniemen laavu, Teretti luontotorni, and Teretin lintutorni sit within a few kilometres of each other—good for a first break, a view over the mire, and birdwatching. A little farther along, Kurkilahden keittokatos and Kurkilahti pysäköintialue support day visitors driving to the shore. Here Susitaival meets Patvinkierto retkeilyreitti, Kurkilahti - Teretti reitti, and Suomunkierto retkeilyreitti, so you can stitch shorter loops or link to Suomu rental sauna and other Suomunkierto stops if you are combining networks.
Farther south, Suomunjoen laavu and the Jokivaarankangas parking and toilet sit along the forest link toward Majaniemi tulentekopaikka, Majaniemi telttailualue, and Majaniemi kuivakäymälä. The ironworks harbour Möhkön satama and Möhkön laavu mark the Möhkö end of the cultural landscape—services, museum, and food in season are described from Möhkö toward the trail. The long middle crosses Pohjoisen Pitkäjärven autiotupa, Kontiovaaran laavu, then Särkkäjärven uimapaikka Ilomantsi and Särkkäjärven autiotupa with swimming and well water noted by hikers. Teponsärkän kota, Kaunisjärven laavu, Jorhon autiotupa, Jorhon laavu, and Petrokankaan laavu are the main overnight and lunch anchors on the northern two-thirds; Retkipaikka’s group singled out Kaunisjärvi for clear water and sand, and Latu&Polku describes the cable ferries after Jorho and the Naarva ridge views.
Where Susitaival reaches Patvinsuo, it connects to Karhunpolku (retkeilyreitti), which continues far to the north as part of a roughly three-hundred-kilometre network together with Pogostan kierros on the shared Möhkö–Särkkäjärvi section. Ilomantsi lies at the eastern edge of North Karelia; Lieksa and Patvinsuo anchor the north, while Möhkö sits in Ilomantsi’s forests toward the Russian border. Expect quiet forest, ridges, mires, and some forest-road and gravel transitions; mobile coverage is patchy and some climbs are steep with a full pack. Retkipaikka and Latu&Polku both note occasional unclear markings near clear-cuts—carry a map or GPX.
Length & route
The trail is about 91.7 km on our map. Visit North Karelia quotes about 93.6 km, about 1200 m ascent and descent, highest point about 275 m and lowest about 130 m, and roughly 26 hours of moving time in their route card—your pace and breaks will stretch that across several days. Latu&Polku and Retkipaikka often round the distance to about 95–97 km in articles. Allow roughly five to seven days on foot with normal day distances, or plan shorter shuttled sections as in Retkipaikka’s four-day sample.
Getting there
You can start from Möhkö in Ilomantsi or from Patvinsuo National Park on the Lieksa side; Visit North Karelia summarises bus and train access via Joensuu, Ilomantsi, Lieksa, and Uimaharju, plus rideshare and taxi options toward trailheads. For Patvinsuo access and parking, follow the national park arrival pages linked from the same source. Möhkö contacts and local lifts are pointed from mohko.net in the regional guide. Along Susitaival, Kurkilahti pysäköintialue and Jokivaarankangas pysäköintialue are practical car access points mid-route. Ilomantsin kunta links a map portal entry for Susitaival for junction checks.
Good to know
Cable ferries: Visit North Karelia and Latu&Polku describe four pull-cable ferries for river crossings, operated in the warm season when water levels allow. Ilomantsin kunta posts seasonal notices when ferries are lifted for winter. Open-fire rules follow general wildfire warnings; steep and rocky steps can be awkward with a heavy pack. For feedback on the trail, the municipality publishes instructions as PDF from the same outdoor hub.
Itinerary
Example five-day split using kilometre marks along the route: day 1 Teretti cluster to Kurkilahti–Suomu area (~7 km) or extend toward Majaniemi (~21 km); day 2 Majaniemi toward Pohjoisen Pitkäjärven autiotupa (~11 km from Majaniemi); day 3 Pohjoisen Pitkäjärvi to Särkkäjärven autiotupa via Kontiovaaran laavu (~12 km); day 4 Särkkäjärvi to Jorhon autiotupa via Teponsärkän kota and Kaunisjärven laavu (~25 km); day 5 Jorho to Petrokankaan laavu and north toward Teretti (~15 km). Adjust for fitness, weather, and whether you use a car shuttle as in Retkipaikka’s shorter four-day sample on a mid-section. Latu&Polku suggests alternative day chunks between the same huts.
Our data was researched from Ilomantsi, 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.