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Paukaneva duckboard trail

—•Hiking Trails

7.7 km

Route

Description

Visit Seinäjoki Region – Paukaneva+

Description

For background on the mire, wildlife, and how Paukaneva fits into the landscape west of Nurmo, start with Visit Seinäjoki Region’s Paukaneva page. Retkeile Lakeuksilla publishes practical details on parking, the lean-to, and leave-no-trace rules for the same trail network. Seinäjoki lies in South Ostrobothnia, and the Paukaneva mire sits within easy reach of the city. The Natura 2000 site description summarizes the SAC boundaries, habitat codes, and conservation aims for the bog. Paukanevan pitkosreitti is about 7.7 km as one walking line through that raised bog reserve. The route is a linear, point-to-point path (not a closed loop); roughly five kilometres run on duckboards, with shorter sections on needle forest floor and other natural tread. The terrain is open bog and wooded fringe typical of raised bogs: sphagnum, short sedge fen, dwarf-shrub pine bog, and lawn-level bog. The area is important for breeding and migrating birds; bring binoculars especially in spring. From the west, the first stretch from the Highway 18 rest area is shared with the accessible boardwalk: about 700 m of wide plank path leads to a viewing platform, with an accessible dry toilet near the start. That segment connects conceptually to the very short barrier-free Paukaneva polku, esteetön polku loop beside the same trailhead. A little farther along the main line, around 1.5 km from the western end, you pass Paukaneva laavu and the Lehtisalo dry-toilet and woodshed building; Lehtisalon louhoksen uimapaikka offers a swimming spot off Kiikuntie for those combining the trip with a summer swim. Toward the middle of the route, roughly six kilometres from the western start, Paukaneva luontotorni and Paukanevan lintutorni stand close together on the bog—two towers for views and birdwatching over the open mire. The same cluster is used by Isosalon valaistu kuntorata and Isosalon valaistu latu, so you may see runners in summer and skiers in winter on the overlapping lit tracks. Dry toilets serve the tower area; avoid listing them as named waypoints in your schedule—they are simply part of the facilities there. Toward the eastern end the line approaches everyday sports facilities: Seinäjoen kennelkerhon kenttä, then Nurmon koulukeskuksen lähiliikuntapaikka and Valkiavuoren koulun liikuntasali near Toukotie—handy context if you finish a one-way walk in the Nurmo school area. A civil-war memorial stands on the southern edge of the mire; the on-site information boards and the regional pages cover the history of the place. Pack out all waste; the site promotes litter-free hiking. There is no winter maintenance on the duckboard trail.

Length & route

The trail is about 7.7 km as one continuous line. Regional descriptions often round the duckboard portion to about five kilometres within a somewhat longer overall walk between trailheads. The shape is point-to-point rather than a closed loop; you may return the same way or arrange two cars. Composite duckboard sections appear in places along the bog.

Getting there

You can start from three main trailheads. Main parking is at the Highway 18 rest area between Seinäjoki and Vaasa (60420 Seinäjoki), coordinates about 62.8259 N, 22.8245 E—space for many cars and an information shelter with a map. The Isosalo start is on Karhitie 27 (60550 Seinäjoki), about 62.8303 N, 22.9075 E, with a small lot; the first 1.5 km follow a fitness trail before joining the duckboards. The Lehtisalo start is on Kiikuntie 307 (60420 Seinäjoki), about 62.8404 N, 22.8420 E, with a small lot near Kiikun quarry swimming area; it is roughly 500 m on foot to Paukaneva laavu from that parking. Check the city and regional pages for any access changes before you travel.

Good to know

Leave no trace: carry out all rubbish. There is no winter maintenance on the duckboard hiking line. Wood is supplied at the lean-to for the fireplace in the usual shared manner. For the latest reserve zoning and conservation context, see the Natura 2000 site description.

History

According to Visit Seinäjoki Region, duckboards were first built in the early 1700s together with Nurmo’s prayer house so that Seinäjoki residents without a local church could travel to Nurmo; a large forest fire destroyed the old duckboards in 1752. Peatland around Paukaneva was later drained for fields in phases from the 1700s onward; crown support for ditching could not overcome the wet peat. Modern duckboards, a lean-to, and the bird tower were built with EU funding, and the accessible structures were implemented with volunteer effort coordinated by Lakeuden Elämysliikunta ry. A memorial on the southern edge of the mire recalls twenty-seven people executed there in 1918.

Managed by

Seinäjoki

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Linear between western, central, and eastern access points; you may walk in either direction along the duckboard line.

Route direction

Recreation Area

Marked Route

Route Signs

Wheelchair Accessible

Accessibility

Stroller Friendly

Accessibility

Open / Good Condition

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

7.7 km

Distance

About 2–3 hours one way at an easy pace; allow longer if birdwatching or photographing. A return walk doubles the time.

Est. Time

Raised-bog duckboards for long sections; needle forest floor and natural soil paths elsewhere; short wide boardwalk at the western end is wheelchair-accessible.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Moderate Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

Location

62.82584°N, 22.82458°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

South OstrobothniaRegion

SeinäjokiCity

NurmoVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Lehtisalon louhoksen uimapaikka

267 m

Free

Valkiavuoren koulun liikuntasali

287 m

Nurmon koulukeskuksen lähiliikuntapaikka

358 m

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Seinäjoki, 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 Ostrobothnia Seinäjoki Hiking TrailsPaukaneva duckboard trail

Paukaneva duckboard trail7.7 km

Route

Paukaneva laavu

1.5 km|Free

Wilderness HutsLehtisalon Laavu

Paukaneva Lehtisalo kuivakäymälä-liiteri

1.5 km|Free

Outdoor Toilets

Paukaneva luontotorni

5.9 km|Free

Scenic Lookout Towers

Paukanevan lintutorni

5.9 km|Free

Scenic Lookout Towers

Seinäjoen kennelkerhon kenttä

7.6 km|Free

Dog Sports

Description

Visit Seinäjoki Region – Paukaneva+

Description

Length & route

Getting there

Good to know

History

Managed by

Seinäjoki

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Location

Linear between western, central, and eastern access points; you may walk in either direction along the duckboard line.

Route direction

Recreation Area

Marked Route

Route Signs

Wheelchair Accessible

Accessibility

Stroller Friendly

Accessibility

Open / Good Condition

Location

62.82584°N, 22.82458°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

South OstrobothniaRegion

SeinäjokiCity

NurmoVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

7.7 km

Distance

About 2–3 hours one way at an easy pace; allow longer if birdwatching or photographing. A return walk doubles the time.

Est. Time

Raised-bog duckboards for long sections; needle forest floor and natural soil paths elsewhere; short wide boardwalk at the western end is wheelchair-accessible.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Moderate Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade