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Northeast Savo hiking route – Kaavi section

—•Hiking Trails

66.6 km

Route

P 1

Description

Kaavin kunta – Ulkoilureitistöt+

Description

The Kaavi section of the Koillis-Savon retkeilyreitti is a long-distance leg through forest and lake country between North Karelia and North Savo: on our map it is about 66.6 km as one continuous hiking path, point-to-point rather than a loop, starting from the Juuka area and running toward Kaavi. For the latest PDF maps and pointers to the wider Pohjois-Savon retkeilyreitistö, Kaavin kunta publishes outdoor route information and links to Retkikartta.fi for browsing regional trails. The Kaavi Vaikkojoki pages on the same site describe Vaikkojoen luontomatkailualue—forests, lakes, and marked walking and cycling threads from Rakkinekoski and Makkarasärkkä, with a kota and laavut and the Vaikkojoen uiton muistomerkki—useful context for the same river corridor this regional hiking line follows. Telkkämäen luonnonsuojelualue sits right on the trace near Kaavi kirkonkylä: Luontoon.fi presents Metsähallitus-managed Telkkämäen perinnetila slash-and-burn heritage, year-round access to the yard and nature paths, summer opening hours for the buildings, and the Rietulan kierto interpretive loop around kask landscapes. Yle reported in 2020 how North Savo’s four sub-regional networks—including Koillis-Savo—were built with major public investment roughly two decades earlier as part of a province-wide trail programme, then partly neglected; the story matters for expectations: some stretches rely on forest roads and local maintenance, and signage can be patchy between municipalities. Treat Kaavin kunta and Retkikartta.fi as the practical anchors for closures and local notes. Along the line, Luotosen uimapaikka offers a swimming spot a little off the main trace early on. Entering Kaavi, the route passes services such as Nuorisotalon liikuntasali Kaavi, Ulkoliikuntapuisto Kaavi, and school sports yards—handy if you stage a town resupply. The same block links Kaavin valaistu kuntorata and Paanalan latu where our geometry overlaps lit running and ski infrastructure. Near kilometre 10, Telkkämäki pysäköintialue is the natural access for Rietulan kierto, Telkkämäki kärrytie, and the short Retkeilypolku beside Telkkämäki lähde; dry toilets sit near Telkkämäki kuivakäymälä and Telkkämäki ulkohuussi. Further along the Vaikkojoki shore toward Kortteis, Kortteiskylän/Säynevirran uimapaikka marks another swimming pause. The same regional spine continues on our map as Koillis-Savon retkeilyreitti – Juankoski toward Pisa and Juankoski; plan joins and exits with both Kaavi and Kuopio-area pages when you stitch multi-day trips.

Length & route

On our map this segment is about 66.6 km as one continuous hiking route, not a loop. It is the Kaavi leg of the Koillis-Savon retkeilyreitti within the larger Pohjois-Savon regional trail programme described historically in Yle’s reporting. Kaavin kunta publishes Vaikkojoki-area walking and cycling distances separately—about 5 km between Rakkinekoski and Makkarasärkkä on easy marked paths, with a roughly 10 km there-and-back cycling option and a 2 km Rakkinepolku—useful scale for day trips that branch off the main regional spine. Telkkämäki adds short loops (Rietulan kierto and related paths) managed by Metsähallitus.

Getting there

For Telkkämäki, Luontoon.fi gives the address Kaiturintie 419, 73600 Kaavi, with signage from Kaavi kirkonkylä and the Kaavi–Juankoski road (no winter maintenance on the heritage farm road). Kaavin kunta publishes driving directions to Rakkinekoski along Vaikkojoentie and Vaikontie for the Vaikkojoki recreation block—helpful if you approach the river valley from Niinivaara or Juuka. For the wider Koillis-Savon network, use Kaavin kunta outdoor pages and Retkikartta.fi for staging points and PDF maps.

Good to know

Where the trace coincides with Juankoski-Poutilanmäki moottorikelkkareitti or other shared corridors, follow seasonal rules for motorised traffic. Telkkämäki farm buildings follow Luontoon.fi opening rules; the yard and trails stay open year-round even when buildings are closed. No YouTube result met the trail-overview quality bar for this exact 66 km segment; check Kaavin kunta and Luontoon.fi for updates.

History

In the late 1990s–2000s, North Savo built a province-wide hiking and outdoor network split across four sub-regions (including Koillis-Savo), with the state paying about half the cost as part of a jobs and tourism programme. Yle’s 2020 reporting notes that while routes, some signage, and maps were completed, long-term marketing and maintenance coordination lagged, leaving many corridors little known until renewed interest—especially from cycling—began to surface.

Itinerary

Suggested staging using kilometre hints from our sequence (adjust to pace and resupply): Day 1: From the Juuka-area start through Luotosen uimapaikka toward Kaavi services—roughly the first 10 km including Nuorisotalon liikuntasali Kaavi, Ulkoliikuntapuisto Kaavi, and school sports areas where Kaavin valaistu kuntorata overlaps the trace. Day 2: Telkkämäki cluster—Telkkämäki pysäköintialue, Rietulan kierto, Telkkämäki kärrytie, and Telkkämäki lähde with dry toilets nearby—then follow the Vaikkojoki shore thread toward mid-route swimming and rest points. Day 3: Continue along the regional spine past Kortteiskylän/Säynevirran uimapaikka toward the Juankoski section or exit via local roads per Kaavin kunta maps.

Managed by

Kaavi

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Either direction along the regional spine; match local loop descriptions when you join Rietulan kierto or Vaikkojoki day trails.

Route direction

Recreation Area

Lake

River

Vaikkojoen päiväreitit on merkitty paaluilla. Telkkämäen luontopoluilla on opasteita kaskijälkiin. Odota vaihtelua pitkällä 66 km:n käytävässä.

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Kaavin kunta – Vaikkojoki+

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

66.6 km

Distance

Most hikers spread 66.6 km over three days; fit groups sometimes compress to two long summer days with early starts.

Est. Time

Dirt / Gravel

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Partial Shade

Shade

Light Traffic

Traffic

Location

63.03816°N, 28.49340°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

North KareliaRegion

JuukaCity

Hiking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Luotosen uimapaikka

206 m

Free

Nuorisotalon liikuntasali Kaavi

394 m

Juankoski-Poutilanmäki moottorikelkkareitti

281 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Kaavi, 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 North Karelia Juuka Hiking TrailsNortheast Savo hiking route – Kaavi section