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Ruohosaari circuit kayaking route

—•Kayaking Routes

19 km

Route

Description

GoSaimaa – Melontareitit Saimaalla (Imatra and Lappeenranta region)+

Description

Ruohosaaren kierros is a day-scale kayaking tour on Lappeenranta’s Pien-Saimaa waters: the mapped line is about 19 km as one continuous track. GoSaimaa’s South Karelia paddling overview describes the city harbour as lively for motorboats and cruise traffic—give commercial fairways a wide berth and time bridge passages with care. The Etelä-Karjala retkeily catalogue entry for Ruohosaari lists the island as a landing with lean-to, campfire place, and a small sandy beach; Saimaan Latu’s Tuesday-evening paddling page documents how club evenings leave from Myllysaaren melontakeskus and normally run roughly five kilometres one way toward Ruohosaari along Pikisaari and Voisalmi, with Karhusaaren laavu as a common bad-weather alternative for the snack stop. Tourism route listings summarise the full circuit as starting from Myllysaari past the harbour toward Pikisaari, passing under bridges into Sunisenselkä, and naming swim beaches at Sammonlahti, Korkkitehtaanranta, and Tyysterniemi as optional landings where you keep craft to the edges so swimmers stay safe. Along our mapped trace, the water corridor threads Voisalmen uimaranta early, then passes Sammonlahden uimaranta, Kuusimäen uimaranta, Korkkitehtaan uimaranta, and Tyysterniemen uimaranta before reaching Ruohosaaren laavu on the island’s northeast shore. Karhusaari veneenlaskupaikka and Karhusaaren laavu sit toward the eastern leg for a second sheltered break. Myllysaaren uimaranta sits where many paddlers finish after looping back toward the city shore. Independent trip galleries describe continuing toward Naurissaari in calm conditions, but treat that as optional exploration beyond the signed circuit. The lean-to at Ruohosaari was a long-standing rest point maintained with Etelä-Karjalan virkistysaluesäätiö and Saimaan Latu; Yle Etelä-Karjala reported in early 2025 that the structure burned and a police report was filed, and replacement timing remained open while volunteers offered help—plan breaks on the island without relying on a kota structure and check local notices before counting on a fire. Lappeenranta is the South Karelia hub for this route; longer through-paddles link logically to Väliväylän reitti, Etelä-Karjalan osuus when you want multi-day Saimaa mileage. Our route page mirrors the same mapped line for trip planning.

Length & route

The mapped kayaking route is about 19 km along one continuous line. Published tour listings often quote nearer 23 km and about six hours for the full urban island circuit with harbour and bridge legs; treat that as the same water room with slightly different trace rounding. Saimaan Latu documents a roughly five-kilometre one-way leg from Myllysaaren melontakeskus toward Ruohosaari for its weekly group paddles—shorter than the full circuit because the club returns the same way after a shore break.

Getting there

Most independent paddlers launch from public beaches and boat ramps along the Rantaraitti shore or stage boats at Myllysaaren melontakeskus when joining Saimaan Latu hire or club evenings. Karhusaari veneenlaskupaikka supports an eastern approach if you shuttle cars to that side. For harbour logistics and city-side services, start from GoSaimaa’s Imatra–Lappeenranta paddling pages.

Good to know

Harbour fairways and cruise quays demand active lookout; avoid crossing in front of moving ships and expect wake near channels. Landing at busy swim beaches requires keeping craft clear of the swimming zone. After the Ruohosaari lean-to fire, Etelä-Karjalan virkistysaluesäätiö and volunteers discussed rebuilding, but funding timelines remained open at the time of news coverage—confirm locally before planning large group fires. Forest-fire warnings apply to any improvised cooking ashore; Saimaan Latu cancels group fires under wildfire alerts.

Itinerary

At about 19 km, plan a full day in touring craft or a brisk half day for fit crews in calm wind. A typical reading of the stop list groups the first hour along Skinnarila and university shore noise, then opens toward Sammonlahti and Kuusimäki beaches before the Rantaraitti arc past Korkkitehtaan and Tyysterniemi. Mid-route, Ruohosaari (about 14 km along the line) is the namesake island stop—carry lunch ashore even without the former lean-to. The Karhusaari landing pair gives an alternate picnic bench if easterly chop makes Ruohosaari awkward. Finish toward Myllysaaren uimaranta where city services concentrate. If you extend onto Väliväylän reitti, Etelä-Karjalan osuus, treat this circuit as the warm-up day before multi-day mileage.

Managed by

Lappeenranta

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Usually paddled as a circuit from Myllysaari through Pikisaari and Voisalmi toward Ruohosaari and Karhusaari, returning along city beaches; wind and harbour traffic may make clockwise or counter-clockwise preferable on the day.

Route direction

Archipelago

Lake

Open / Good Condition

GoSaimaa – Melontareitit Saimaalla (Imatra and Lappeenranta region)+

Activities allowed

Kayak / Canoe

Activity

Terrain & conditions

19 km

Distance

Roughly five to seven hours for independent paddlers completing the full mapped circuit in calm conditions; Saimaan Latu’s guided evening uses about one hour each way plus a shore break for the shorter out-and-back leg.

Est. Time

Lake Paddling

Water type

Saimaan Latu – Tiistaimelonta+

Location

61.07606°N, 28.14583°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

South KareliaRegion

LappeenrantaCity

Lappeenranta (Pien-Saimaa)Village

Kayaking RoutesCategory

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Lappeenranta, 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 South Karelia Lappeenranta Kayaking RoutesRuohosaari circuit kayaking route