North Savo Biking Trails

Jouhimäenlenkki is an about 8 km mountain-biking loop in Lapinlahti, North Savo, on the forest-road and outdoor-route fabric north of Lake Syväri. For general access to the municipality’s outdoor areas and how it points visitors to national trail maps, start from the outdoor areas and trails overview maintained by the Municipality of Lapinlahti(1). The same countryside mesh continues toward Kuopio; route maps and network-level riding guidance for that side are published by the City of Kuopio(2). Hello Kuopio’s overview of mountain biking around Kuopio and Tahko is useful background because many riders link short forest loops with the wider gravel and track network once snow has melted(3). On the ground the loop meets several other maintained lines almost immediately: Jouhimäenkävelylenkki follows a very similar footprint on foot, while Ruokosenlenkki and Uskinsalonlenkki attach further along if you extend the ride. Where the line runs closest to Syvärinpää on Lake Syväri, snowmobile touring on Yhdysura Syvärinpää- TahkoMoottorikelkkaura passes nearby; day riders sometimes pause at Syvärinpään uimapaikka, Syvärinpään veneenlaskupaikka, or Syvärinpään vierasvenesatama on warm days—give sled traffic space whenever winter routes stay packed for multiple uses. Surfaces are typical North Savo outdoor hardpack: rolled gravel, sandier esker sections, and short softer spots after rain. Natural light only—carry lights if you might finish near dusk. No dedicated trail-overview video tied to this exact name turned up in open search; preview terrain from municipal maps and neighbour routes instead.

Pahkamäenlenkki is a ride of about 9.3 km as one loop around Pahkamäki and through edge-of-village links in Lapinlahti, North Savo. For operational details on local outdoor places, start with the City of Lapinlahti pages on outdoor areas and routes, which point visitors to Metsähallitus retkikartta.fi for marked hiking routes and lean-tos in the municipality and highlight facilities such as the Varpaisjärvi athletics field in the same outdoor network(1). Lapinlahti promotes varied do-it-yourself movement and notes that municipal sports venues are free for residents; the leisure services contact for maintenance and programmes is published under Liikunta(2). The wider Kuopio lake region, including Savo destinations around Kuopio and Siilinjärvi, is described on Hello Kuopio as a lake-rich touring area where forests and shorelines invite year-round activity(4). Jälki.fi lists regional road, MTB, and gravel circuits centred on Lapinlahti when you want to stitch longer weekends from the same roadbook(3). From the saddle you get a village-scale tour: the line passes Varsanpihan leikkikenttä almost at once, then works through quieter roads and paths before bending toward Varpaisjärvi’s sports cluster on Lukkarilantie and Kirjastontie. In that area, Solansuun beach volleyball court and Solansuun pallokenttä sit side by side, and a little further along the school streets you reach Petäjäniemen uimapaikka on the lake for a swim break. The same block includes Varpaisjärven liikuntahalli and Varpaisjärven monitoimiareena, street workout gear, tennis and ball fields, the outdoor ice rink, and Varpaisjärven urheilukenttä—useful if your group mixes riding with skating, training, or spectating. Riders who want more distance can join longer bike circuits without leaving the local network: Lukkarilanlenkki and Varpasen kierto overlap this corridor for multi-kilometre extensions. Varpaisjärven valaistu kuntorata is a lit fitness track nearby when you prefer footwork after parking the bike. In winter the same shoreline area includes Varpaisjärven valaistulatu and short school-side ski connectors; Lapinlahden moottorikelkkailureitti shares some road sections—stay alert in shared traffic.

Lukkarilanlenkki is about 20.7 km as one continuous loop on this map through Lapinlahti in North Savo, threading the Varpaisjärvi–Lukkarila countryside west of Highway 5. Expect quiet village roads, lakeshore and forest sections, and moderate links toward larger roads where you share space with motor traffic—plan lights and visibility for short connectors. Early on, you reach Petäjäniemi’s swimming spot on the lake; roughly mid-loop you pass Karjalainen’s swimming spot along Nilsiäntie. Approaching the finish, the line runs through the Solansuu sports pocket in Varpaisjärvi—ball field, beach volleyball, outdoor gym, and the village disc golf course sit within a short roll of the path, with indoor sports halls and winter sledding hills nearby. The Municipality of Lapinlahti lists free-to-use outdoor and trail access for the municipality and points hikers to Metsähallitus Retkikartta for wider trail maps(1). The Visit Lapinlahti nature page describes Lukkarila’s easy Hirvipolku walking loop with two lean-tos if you want a foot-oriented detour off the bike loop in the same village(2). Downloadable materials on the cultural trail map for Varpaisjärvi highlight the village museum and heritage buildings—handy if you walk part of the centre before or after the ride(3). Jälki.fi’s Lapinlahti hub shows how the area fits into regional MTB and gravel networks if you want to extend the day toward Tahko or longer road/gravel links(4). For piecing together approaches from Lapinlahti centre toward Varpaisjärvi and Lukkarilantie, the long-form route notes on Lapinlahti.net are a practical companion—same corridor many riders use before branching onto local loops(5). In winter the same geography overlaps maintained ski corridors such as Lukkarilan hiihtolatu and Varpaisjärven valaistulatu; confirm skiing and winter-bike rules locally before mixing uses. You can stitch in shorter bike loops that share this hub—Pahkamäenlenkki around the Solansuu–Varpaisjärvi facilities, Neulalammenlenkki through Karjalainen’s beach area, or Varpasen kierto for another compact tour of the village sports sites. Lukkarilan - Lammasahon pyöräilylenkki branches toward longer distances southwest; see our linked routes for detail.

Neulalammenlenkki is about 15.5 km on this map through Lapinlahti in North Savo, winding forest and village roads around Neulalampi and along Nilsiäntie near Varpaisjärvi. The route is not a closed loop on this map; expect mixed gravel, packed dirt, and short asphalt stretches where you briefly share space with motor traffic—carry lights and bright clothing if you ride near dusk or in murky weather. About 7 km from the start you reach Karjalaisen uimapaikka on Nilsiäntie 457, a natural place to swim or stretch beside the water before continuing. The Municipality of Lapinlahti describes free-to-use outdoor access for the area and points people to Metsähallitus Retkikartta for lean-tos and wider trail mapping(1). Visit Lapinlahti presents Lukkarila’s gentle Hirvipolku walking circuit with two lean-tos—handy if someone in your group prefers a foot outing in the same countryside(2). The cultural walking materials for Varpaisjärvi bundle the village museum route and built heritage on one downloadable map, which pairs well with a slow roll through the village centre(3). Jälki.fi’s Lapinlahti area listing shows how local rides connect to broader MTB and gravel options around Tahko and Lake Syväri when you want a longer day(4). For rules and habits when you share short road links with cars, read Liikenneturva’s cycling in traffic pages(5). You can string this segment with Lukkarilanlenkki—the two meet near Karjalaisen uimapaikka—plus Ruokosenlenkki, Varpasen kierto around Varpaisjärvi’s sports sites, or the shorter Uskinsalonlenkki walking loop where connectors allow.

Saarismäenlenkki is a short point-to-point bike route of about 7.7 km through the Saarismäki side of Lapinlahti in North Savo. It works as a neighbourhood link you can join with longer rides around the municipality rather than as a standalone destination trail. For the latest municipal word on outdoor areas, ski bases, and where hiking trails and laavu layers are shown on national maps, Lapinlahti municipality publishes a free outdoor recreation overview that sends visitors to Metsähallitus Retkikartta.fi for trail data(1). Around Lapinlahti, the volunteer-maintained Lapinlahti.net cycling pages collect loop and day-ride ideas starting from the town centre, with turn-by-turn strips and links to photos—useful context if you are stitching local roads and paths into a longer day(2). Regional route lists on Jälki.fi show Lapinlahti among municipalities that host marked MTB lines and long gravel rides toward the Tahko–Syväri lake district, which helps situate short connectors inside bigger ride planning(3). This connector meets Puolivälinlenkki, a longer biking trail toward Haminamäki. That longer trail passes Ketunlenkin laavu early on and, farther along, rest points such as Haminamäen kota, Haminamäen kuntoportaat, and the sports cluster at Hassilan hiihtomaa with Hassilan laavu nearby—worth knowing if you extend eastward for a half-day. Near part of the line you are also in the vicinity of the community snowmobile corridor Lapinlahden moottorikelkkailureitti, which is managed for motors; give sled traffic space where routes run close together. Ride predictably on short connectors: prefer marked cycleways where they exist, and check the municipality’s outdoor pages before you rely on winter or forestry detours(1).

The Kuopio–Tahko cycling route is a long point-to-point ride through the North Savo lakeland, finishing in the Tahko hill and holiday area. The route on our map is about 56.5 km as one continuous ride from the city waterfront toward Tahko Spa and the Tahko local recreation cluster. City of Kuopio describes the wider signed Kuopio–Tahko connection via Siilinjärvi, Muuruvesi, Juankoski and Nilsiä as roughly 110 km overall, and lists Makasiininkatu in the centre as a gateway address for planning that longer tour(1). Shorter and longer variants are normal on touring networks, so compare the day you are riding to the city’s description if you are following their full itinerary. For current route facts and how this fits Kuopio’s cycling network, the City of Kuopio’s cycling pages are the right place to start(1). Hello Kuopio adds context on mountain biking in Kuopio and Tahko, rental companies, and seasonal riding including eFatbikes in winter(2). At Tahko itself, Tahko.com highlights popular summer loops such as the roughly 20 km Rahasmäki circuit and the roughly 14 km Tahkomäki circuit, plus Bike Park and winter biking options if you extend your trip(3). From the harbour edge, the early kilometres pass ordinary Kuopio neighbourhoods and Iso-Valkeinen recreation: a beach, lean-to and campfire spot make a natural coffee stop before the line turns northeast into forest and village roads. About 31 km from the start, the Lastukoski shore band groups a kota, lean-to, landing spots and a swimming beach—one of the best places to refill bottles and pause before the Nilsiä approach. Through Nilsiä the surroundings become more village and holiday homes until the climb into Tahkovuori, where Nallelaavu sits in the woods and Tahkonlahti beach, Tahko Spa and Rantakota sit near the shore. Riders who want technical riding after the road tour can link into Tahko’s marked mountain bike network or the Tahko trails walking network for lookouts and shelters(3). North Savo offers strong elevation variation: Tahko markets slopes with up to about 200 m of vertical for mountain bikers(2)(3), so expect some climbs on the touring approach as well, not just flat lakeside pedalling.

Kivistönlenkki is about a 38 km cycling route in Lapinlahti, North Savo, aimed at touring or fitness bikes: it strings together the town belt near Matin ja Liisan railway stop, quieter village roads toward Kivistö, and a return leg along Highway 5 past Pajujärvi. Visit Lapinlahti gathers ideas for nature outings and local services around the municipality and is the natural place to check before you go(1). Lapinlahti.net’s long-running cycling notes describe essentially the same day ride as “Mäkikylä – Luhi – Pajujärvi”, roughly 38.4 km measured with a wheel sensor, leaving from the central roundabout of Linnansalmentie, Asematie and Pajuharjuntie, using regional road 582 toward Mäkikylä, gravel segments on Mäkikyläntie and Luhintie, and Highway 5 at Pajujärvi on the way back(2). Jälki.fi’s Lapinlahti area listing adds wider gravel and MTB ideas if you want a longer North Savo cycling day(3). From the first kilometres you pass Haminamäen’s sports cluster: Kuntokeskus Ripsakka, Parkour-puisto Lapinlahti, Lapinlahden jäähalli, tennis and skate facilities, and Lapinlahti Frisbeerata—handy if you want to warm up or break up the ride with something other than pedalling. Hassilan laavu sits a short detour from the busiest part of the route, and Haminamäen kota offers another sheltered stop before the route opens toward the south. About 14.5 km along you reach Karvasalmen kyläkenttä on Kivistöntie in the Kivistö village band—a reminder that this tour is as much about rural roads and lake shores as it is about the town. Later the line bends back toward the centre from the Mäntylampi side; near Haminamäen again you pass the artificial-turf pitch, outdoor calisthenics, the long fitness stair run, and the omnigym outdoor gym built in 2023 before rolling toward Mäntylahden jääkiekkokaukalo. The southern reach finishes at Pajujärven uimapaikka, a swimming spot off Ryynälänmäentie that makes a logical swim or picnic break before you rejoin busier connectors toward town. If you want to stitch networks together, Nerkoon pyörälenkki and Lammakkeen lenkki begin very close to the same sports belt, and Puolivälinlenkki stays in the Haminamäen–Hassilan corner for a shorter add-on.

Ruokosenlenkki is an about 16.1 km cycling loop in Kuopio, North Savo, threading the municipality’s forest-road and outdoor-route network where several other maintained lines meet. For how Kuopio presents its cycling network, trail mapping downloads, and the distinction between marked bike centres and wider countryside riding, start from the pages maintained by the City of Kuopio(1). Individual trailhead names for this loop are easiest to cross-check against the city’s outdoor and fitness trail listings, which group numerous routes, lean-tos, and campfire places across Kuopio(2). Hello Kuopio notes that beyond Puijo and Tahko, many riders use the same path and ski-track corridors once snow is gone—useful background when this ring shares alignments with walkers and winter route maintainers(3). Along the ride you repeatedly touch other published lines: the Uskinsalonlenkki walk, Jouhimäenkävelylenkki, and the shorter Jouhimäenlenkki bike loop make early junctions; farther around you cross winter ski routing on Reittiö / Kortteisensuon latu and meet long-distance snowmobile touring on Rahasmäki - Lapinlahden raja moottorikelkkareitti and Lapinlahden moottorikelkkailureitti—watch for mixed-season etiquette where tyres and sled tracks share hard-packed gravel. About two thirds into the circuit, Neulalammenlenkki joins the same mesh; riders who detour briefly on that bike loop pass Karjalaisen uimapaikka for a swim stop in warm weather. Near the Rahasmäki connectors, Vanhan kaivoksen laavu on the snowmobile line offers a sheltered fire break if you keep the detour short and respect sled right-of-way. The ring closes past Uskinlammenpisto, a short walking spur that illustrates how foot-only spurs sit beside rideable forest roads. Surfaces are typical North Savo forest roads and outdoor trail hardpack: rolled gravel, sand, and occasional softer patches after rain. Lighting is natural only; carry lights if you might finish near dusk. There is no dedicated trail-overview video online for this exact ring under its Finnish name, so preview terrain from city maps and neighbour routes instead.

Ylä-Savo cycling route is about 65.6 km as one point-to-point ride across lake shores and settled stretches in North Savo, listed for cyclists on Luontoon.fi(1). Plan closures, maintenance, and the exact signed itinerary on that trail page before you go. At the northern end, Runni is a long-established recreation village on the Porovesi waterway; the City of Iisalmi describes kayaking, rural fitness trails in summer and winter, and the historic spa and canal settings visitors use as a base(2). A regional programme led by the North Savo ELY Centre in 2022 framed how seven Upper Savo municipalities, including Iisalmi, intend to strengthen walking and cycling networks, town-centre comfort, winter upkeep of paths, and communication about active travel—useful background for why signed corridors like this continue to matter locally(3). From Runni you work along services such as Runnin retkisatama and the swimming spot, then toward Koljonvirra and Mansikkaniemi, where the line brushes beaches, a kota, and stables before entering Iisalmi’s denser sports zone. Savonia University of Applied Sciences’ short Koljonvirta shore ride illustrates how lake-edge gravel and harbour frontage feel through town: carpets, beaches, and views over busy piers on the way toward the battle-history area(5). That description is only a few kilometres; your day is much longer, mixing similar lakeshore character with quieter public-road links south. After the Kankaan sports park cluster and harbour-side blocks—full of arenas, gyms, and stadiums you pass rather than as the main destination—the corridor returns to open water at Venakkolahden retkisatama and continues through farmland-style segments toward the Akkalansalmi bridges. The southern end reaches Nerkoo in Lapinlahti, where the City of Lapinlahti lists village-level sports pockets such as Santurin recreational pockets alongside schools and winter tracks(4). If you want forest singletrack or strict MTB-only trails, pair this road-bike touring style corridor with Maastopyöräreitti Koljonvirta-Runni on our map; paddlers can stitch rest days using Iisalmen venereitit or Venereitti Kiuruvesi-Runni where those networks touch the same landings. Most fit road or gravel riders budget a full day for the whole distance, or split it with an overnight near Iisalmi or Lapinlahti. For a bike in town without your own wheels, Donkey Republic city bikes run in Iisalmi with summer-season access explained on the Kaupunkipyörät service page(6); they suit shorter legs around the city rather than the entire 66 km unless you plan carefully. There is no fee stated for using the public cycling corridor itself—confirm any local parking or service charges at stops you choose.