Description
Kiehinen Trail is about 14.3 km as one path through the southern side of Koli National Park, linking Ylä-Murhi, lakeshore forest, Honkapirtti, Lakkala, Seppälä, Soikkeli, Rykiniemi, and the Herajoki wading cable at the south end. Joensuu is the nearest city in our data, and North Karelia is the home region, though trailheads also serve visitors arriving from Kontiolahti and Lieksa for day trips and weekend circuits.
Metsähallitus launched the branded Kiehisen kierros network in 2022 as a skills-building hike before committing to longer pack routes. For lengths, the three main car parks, winter camping rules at Ylä-Murhi, and how white circle junction signs work, Luontoon.fi is the right planning anchor. The Kiehisen kierros trail information boards go deeper on campfires, Pitkälampi drinking water, tent zones beside the Ylä-Murhi heritage yard, rental-hut etiquette, the Herajoki ford with the fixed wading cable, and why dogs must stay leashed in the national park.
Early on from the Ylä-Murhi cluster you have Ylä-Murhi telttailualue, Ylä-Murhi vuokratupa, Ylä-Murhi kuivakäymälä, and Ylä-Murhi tulentekopaikka together—dry toilets sit with the rental cabin and fireplace without turning them into a waypoint list. Retkipaikka’s Luontopolkumies notes describe steep openings, duckboard stairs on green slopes, Jauholanvaara views toward Herajärvi, and how the roughly 3.5 km Pirunkirkko day loop shares markings before longer arms peel south.
About 1.7 km along from a Ylä-Murhi-style start you reach Pirunkirkko pysäköintialue; Devil's Church Trail connects here for a short side visit to the fractured Pirunkirkko boulder cave that local coverage links with an Eero Järnefelt poem on the wall. Pitkälampi kuivakäymälä marks the pond rest pocket Retkipaikka used before dropping toward the meadow.
Roughly 6.7 km in, Honkapirtti varaustupa, Honkapirtti sauna, Metsäpirtti vuokratupa, Honkapirtti käymälä, and Metsäpirtti kuivakäymälä cluster around Honkapirtti—Path to Metsäpirtti is the direct spur if you want the smaller rental cabin without walking the whole saddle. Lakkala tulentekopaikka, Lakkala telttailualue, and Lakkala vuokratupa follow on the Lakkala rise.
Seppälän tie pysäköintialue gives another staging point; Seppälä tulentekopaikka, Seppälä vuokratupa, and Seppälä sauna sit slightly above the road bay. Soikkeli tulentekopaikka and Soikkeli vuokratupa continue the cottage-and-fireplace rhythm toward Rykiniemi tulentekopaikka, Rykiniemi telttailualue, and Rykiniemi pysäköintialue on Pielinen’s sandy shore. The line finishes at Herajoki kahluuvaijeri; you can bypass the ford via the Herajoentie bridge if you add about 1.7 km instead of using the cable.
Lake Herajärvi Circuit shares many of the same shelters and often frames multi-day plans; Soikkeli - Ylä-Murhi polku, Devil's Church Trail, Lakkala–Seppälä–Vesivaara trail, and Path to Metsäpirtti are the short spokes that stitch into this backbone when you want a variant day.