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Päijätsalo Nature Trail

—•Hiking Trails

6 km

Route

P 1

Description

Luontoon.fi – Päijätsalo Nature Trail+

Description

Päijätsalo Nature Trail is about 6 km of marked hiking on Päijätsalo island beside Lake Päijänne in Sysmä, Päijät-Häme. Metsähallitus lists the route on Luontoon.fi, and the City of Sysmä’s Päijätsalo recreation area page describes road access from Sysmä, information boards, and the separate BikePolku Päijätsalo mountain-bike circuit marked in blue. The area lies partly in Päijänne National Park and within the Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark. Starting from the Pyydysniemi shore, you soon pass Pyydysniemi nuotiopaikka, then about a kilometre along Pyydysniemen tulentekopaikka with Metsähallitus-supplied firewood at the site and Pyydysniemi puucee close by. Roughly midway you reach Päijätsalon näkötorni on the hilltop—the island’s best-known landmark. Visit Lahti warns that from April 2025 the tower has stayed closed because of rot in load-bearing timbers; check their Päijätsalo page and the City of Sysmä news for updates before planning a climb. A spring 2025 notice on the City of Sysmä site quotes Metsähallitus confirming you can still walk the nature trail normally while specialists assess the tower. Toward the end of this line you reach Päijätsalo pysäköintialue, where many drivers start or finish. By boat, the City of Sysmä notes a small-craft dock at the Pyydysniemi campfire site and a second, larger-vessel dock about 100 m north. Retkipaikka’s walk-through describes blue and red paint blazes, a stiff climb toward the tower, a rocky stretch nicknamed Kivikkopolku on the return leg toward parking, and roughly two hours on foot for a parking–tower–Pyydysniemi loop. If you also mountain-bike, BikePolku shares part of the island’s facilities—see our page for that route.

Length & route

The trail is about 6 km as one continuous marked path on Metsähallitus material cited by the City of Sysmä. Visit Lahti additionally describes a longest circular option around 4.1 km and quotes about 4 km for a common walking circuit when combining shoreline and forest. Expect forest and lakeshore sections, noticeable elevation gain toward Päijätsalon näkötorni, and rockier tread on parts of the return toward parking. The City of Sysmä documents BikePolku Päijätsalo as a two-part MTB loop with blue field marking and typical root-and-stone forest tread.

Getting there

By car from Sysmä village, follow signs toward Päijätsalo; the City of Sysmä directs drivers from Päijätsalontie to Päijätsalo pysäköintialue beside Päijätsalon näkötorni, with the nature trail starting next to that lot. The address Sorolantie 28 appears on municipal material for the Pyydysniemi shoreline facilities. By boat, land at the Pyydysniemi dock or the larger dock slightly north per the City of Sysmä.

Good to know

Carry out all litter—there is no waste collection on site. When the tower reopens, posted advice has sometimes capped groups at five people on the stairs at one time; until then stay outside the fenced closure. Dedicated YouTube searches did not surface a trail-overview video that clearly focuses on this exact route. For group arrangements near the shore, the City of Sysmä mentions Majatalo Gasthaus Kivitatti as a nearby host.

History

The wooden Päijätsalo lookout was built in 1899; local sources describe wartime use as an air observation post and a Metsähallitus repainting project in 2020 before extensive rot was found in load-bearing members in 2025, leading to an indefinite closure pending expert assessment.

Managed by

Sysmä

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Walk in either direction along the marked path; Retkipaikka chose the nature-trail junction clockwise from parking toward the tower first, then descended to Pyydysniemi before returning toward parking.

Route direction

blue and red paint

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Retkipaikka – Päijätsalo nature trail blog

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

6 km

Distance

Allow about 2–3 hours for the full 6 km and photo stops; Retkipaikka spent just under two hours on a shorter loop variant.

Est. Time

Dirt

Surface

Point-to-Point

Route Type

Partial Shade

Shade

1899

Construction year

2020

Renovation years

Retkipaikka – Päijätsalo nature trail blog

Location

61.48399°N, 25.58455°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

Päijät-HämeRegion

SysmäCity

Hiking TrailsCategory

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Sysmä, 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 Päijät-Häme Sysmä Hiking TrailsPäijätsalo Nature Trail