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Koljonvirta–Piilampi hiking trail

—•Hiking Trails

30.3 km

Route

Description

Iisalmi – Ulkoilureitit+

Description

The Koljonvirta–Piilampi hiking trail is about 30.3 km one way between the lean-to end at Piilampi and the Koljonvirta lakeshore and equestrian-centre side near Iisalmi in North Savo, threading forest, lake shores, and local recreation infrastructure rather than remote wilderness. Iisalmi groups this line with the wider Koljonvirta and Soidinvuori walking networks and points hikers to Metsähallitus Retkikartta plus Fluent Outdoors for city-maintained ski, campfire, and lean-to details on Iisalmi.fi. The Iiranta–Partala village pages spell out how the long-distance connection links hiking, skiing, mountain biking, and riding routes from Koljonvirta through Tirisen cliffs and Tervalammi toward Iimäki, with reservable kota shelters at Tervalammi and Piilampi along the corridor. From Piilammen kota at the northern end you soon pass Hanhilammen kota Iisalmi and the Hanhilammen ampumakeskus complex—treat the range as an active facility and keep to public trail access rather than wandering on competition grounds. Around 14 km into the hike, Sikokallion laavu ja kota sits where several other trails meet: the short Sikokallion luontopolku nature trail, winter Sikokallion latureitit, and the long Maastopyöräreitti Koljonvirta-Runni mountain-biking circuit all share this knot, so expect occasional bikes or skiers depending on season. Iisalmen Latu ry maintains the Sikokallion maja area and explains that the open lean-to and kota are for general day use except when a private booking displays a closure sign, and that the site has video surveillance. Farther south the line reaches Tervalammen kota by Lake Tervalampi, then spreads onto the Mansikkaniemi and Koljonvirran swimming spots with a campfire site between the beaches—handy for a long lunch or swim on calm days. Keskimmäisen tulipaikka and Keskimmäisen lintutorni Iisalmi cap the wetland-and-lake transition before the final approach to Koljonvirran Ratsastuskeskuksen kenttä ja maneesi near Porovesi. That end zone also intersects Ylä-Savon pyöräreitti and Iisalmen venereitit if you want to extend toward town by bike or packraft another day. Independent trip logs on AllTrails often label the circuit as strenuous and plan most of a daylight day for similar distances, even though their loop wording differs from this point-to-point geometry.

Length & route

The trail is about 30.3 km along the route mapped here as a single point-to-point leg between Piilampi and Koljonvirta rather than a short museum loop. Terrain alternates between forest tracks, lake shores, and short connector roads near recreation fields. Third-party GPS aggregators sometimes describe a longer loop variant with similar total kilometres.

Getting there

Most through-hikers stage two vehicles or a pickup because the kota anchor at Piilampi (63.6356°N, 27.0534°E) lies well north of the Koljonvirta beach addresses. For the south end, Koljonvirran uimapaikka lists Ylemmäisentie 6 and Mansikkaniemen uimapaikka Ouluntie 37 as shoreline access points you can combine with the riding-centre yard at Porovedentie 14. Municipal copies stress checking Retkikartta and Fluent Outdoors parking icons rather than improvising on private yards. Tourism staff for the historiapolku list tourism@iisalmi.fi if you need event-date congestion advice near Juhani Aho Museum.

Good to know

Winter travellers share corridors with Iisalmen moottorikelkkaurat Moottorikelkkaura and Sikokallion latureitit near Hanhilampi; stick to the marked hiking line whenever snowmobile traffic is open. Fluent Outdoors lists firewood notes and photos for each city campfire point if you need to confirm supplies before lighting a fire. User-submitted difficulty on AllTrails skews hard for the aggregate trail network—carry water filtration or bottles for the full 30 km day.

History

The Koljonvirta shoreline near Iisalmi is inseparable from the 27 October 1808 battle during the Finnish War, when Swedish and Russian forces fought in these narrows. The Koljonvirta history trail starting at Juhani Aho Museum unpacks trenches, artillery positions, and stories locals remember as Iisalmen veriyö, with optional AR clips on interpretation signs. That kilometre-scale museum path is a separate short walk from this long-distance trail, but the shared place name helps orient why the wider recreation area is curated with heritage signage as well as outdoor sports.

Itinerary

Sample full-day pacing using the kilometre posts along the line: 0–4 km from Piilammen kota across Hanhilampi facilities; 4–15 km through Sikokallion laavu ja kota and optional detour onto Sikokallion luontopolku; 15–22 km lakeshore marching past Tervalammen kota into Mansikkaniemi and Koljonvirta beaches; 22–30 km wetland viewpoints at Keskimmäisen tulipaikka ja lintutorni, finishing near Koljonvirran Ratsastuskeskuksen kenttä. Shuttle bikes or two cars simplify the one-way logistics.

Managed by

Iisalmi

Official Maintenance

040 350 4217

Trail info

Walk either direction between Piilampi and Koljonvirta; arrange transport at the far end because the kota anchors differ by nearly 30 km.

Route direction

Recreation Area

Lake

Marked Route

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Activities allowed

Ski

Activity

Hike / Walk

Activity

Bike

Activity

Terrain & conditions

30.3 km

Distance

About 8–11 hours of steady walking for the full distance, faster if you bike-pack sections or slower with heavy packs and photo stops.

Est. Time

Dirt / Gravel

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

Location

63.63561°N, 27.05377°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

North SavoRegion

IisalmiCity

Iiranta-PartalaVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Hanhilammen ampumakeskus

232 m

Koljonvirran Ratsastuskeskuksen kenttä

135 m

Mansikkaniemen uimapaikka

333 m

Free

Koljonvirran uimapaikka

266 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Iisalmi, 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 Savo Iisalmi Hiking TrailsKoljonvirta–Piilampi hiking trail