South Savo Biking Trails

An ice road on Lake Saimaa. When the ice is strong enough the road opens (Usually in January)

This is a bike route that goes from Puumala to Punkaharju.

Upea rengasreitti kiertää Saimaan Haukiveden ympärillä, joka sijaitsee Linnansaaren kansallispuiston läheisyydessä. Matkasi varrella voit tutustua viehättäviin kyliin, vierailla Varkauden kaupungissa ja nauttia hetkestä Rantasalmella Nature Hotel & Spa Resort Järvisydämessä. Halutessasi voit myös kulkea osan matkasta laivalla.

Pihlajaveden Polkasu Punkaharju on ollut kansainvälisesti arvostettu matkakohde yli kahden vuosisadan ajan. Järvien ja metsien ympäröimä alue tarjoaa upean ympyräreitin, johon sisältyy myös ainutlaatuinen risteily Saimaan järvellä. Reitin mahdollinen lähtöpiste on Punkaharjun kylä, johon on hyvät junayhteydet. Reitti alkaa Punkaharjun matkailualueelta, jossa majoitusvaihtoehdot vaihtelevat aamiaismajoituksesta mökkeihin ja hotelleihin. Harjunportista on myös mahdollista vuokrata polkupyöriä. Matkan varrella voi nauttia virkistävästä uintimahdollisuudesta Saimaan järvessä ja pysähtyä monilla mielenkiintoisilla kohteilla. Reitin kokonaispituus pyöräilyosuudelta on noin 65 kilometriä, ja siihen sisältyy noin 15 kilometrin mittainen rauhallinen laivamatka, jonka aikana voi tarkkailla norppia Saimaan kirkkaissa vesissä.

A huge 30 km biking loop around Ylä-Enovesi. You start in Enovesi (free parking) and go around very rural landscape.

This is about a 6.8 km point-to-point ride on forest and shoreline tracks between the Vuohimäki–Soininmäki trailhead west of Savonlinna and the Aholahti recreation hub on the Saimaa shore. For where to leave a car and how the signed Soininmäki nature-trail start is laid out beside Vuohimäki riding-centre buildings, Savonlinnan kaupunki’s Luontopolut pages are the clearest official starting point(1). Luontoon.fi lists the wider Vuohimäki–Kuikankolo–Tervastupa cycling corridor that continues past Aholahti for riders who want a longer day(2). Along the way you pass Pullinlahden laavu roughly six-tenths of a kilometre from the Vuohimäki end, then drop toward Aholahden kilpahiihtokeskus, where the city’s cross-country stadium, summer disc golf and lakeside parking cluster together(3). If you want to extend the ride, Vuohimäki–Mustalampi–Tervastupa pyöräilyreitti and Vuohimäki–Kuikankolo–Tervastupa ulkoilureitti branch from the same trail family, and Soininmäen luontopolku shares the Vuohimäentie 40 parking and early orientation boards(1). A user-submitted MTB trace elsewhere on Vuohimäki warns that forest paths can cross horse-training or riding corridors—ease off and expect equestrians where side trails meet(5). Visit Savonlinna summarises regional cycling ideas and rental hubs around Lake Saimaa(4).

For route facts and cycling rules toward Repovesi National Park, start with the mountain bike route page on Luontoon.fi(1). The Municipality of Mäntyharju describes this corridor as a point-to-point mountain bike trail with both easier prepared sections near town and more demanding forest, gravel, and rock sections further south; follow blue paint marks on trees and crossing guide posts, while orange marks belong to parallel hiking guidance(2). Visit Mäntyharju promotes the same award-winning network from downtown toward the national park, with roughly ten kilometres between rest stops on the long haul and optional return legs by gravel roads or summer train links from Hillosensalmi(3). The mountain bike route is about 24.2 km as one continuous ride from the Kisala sports area toward the Matkoslampi lean-to by lake and forest—the municipality rounds the full Mäntyharju-side leg to about 22 km toward Mouhu before the Kouvola link, and quotes about 33 km to national-park-side destinations such as Olhava for riders continuing on the wider network(2)(3). From the start you soon leave the busy sports blocks behind; after a few kilometres the terrain trends to mixed singletrack and forest roads with regular free shelters. Uutelan laavu is an early break spot with a fireplace and shelter, then Sammalisen kota offers a well for refill (carry plenty of water—sources stress how dry the ride can feel in warm weather). Pitkäjärven laavu - Mäntyharju sits farther along the harju shores, and Matkoslammen laavu is the famous stop with a free wilderness sauna by the pond—exactly the kind of reward Retkipaikka’s ride story builds toward(2)(4). Mountain biking inside Repovesi National Park is only allowed on designated connections; the municipality points to Metsähallitus materials on MTB link routes to parking areas and reminds riders that ordinary park foot trails are off limits for bikes(2). If you meet hikers where routes overlap, faster riders should yield(2). Fillaristi’s account adds practical colour: compacted and stone-studded trail, occasional boardwalks and ditches, and very steep pushes on some climbs with a pack—worth knowing if you are planning a loaded bike(5). Together with the hiking-oriented Mäntyharju–Repovesi hiking route on our site and the paddling line on the lakes, this bike corridor is the main human-powered link from Mäntyharju toward Repovesi. The region is South Savo; Mäntyharju is the home municipality at the north end of the ride.

Current services, winter jumping-hill notes, and the main link to Kotkatharju area information are on the outdoor pages of the City of Joroinen(1). The municipality also publishes a downloadable Kotkatharju trail map PDF that covers the marked path network beside Highway 5(2). Kotkatharju.fi summarizes the wider recreation bundle—golf, frisbee golf, ski jumping, shooting range, restaurant, and Bomila lodging—and states that Kangasvuokon kuiskaus is an outdoor loop of about 7 km where mountain biking is allowed along sections of the disc-golf fairways(3). The cycling route is about 3.7 km point-to-point, not a loop, linking Joroinen village’s school and sports block with the Kotkatharju–Kartanogolf shore. In the first few hundred metres you thread past perhepuisto Hui-Maa, schoolyards, Ulkokuntoilupaikka Joroinen, ball fields and the indoor sports hall—expect foot traffic on shared paths. Roughly 2.6 km in, the ride reaches the Kotkatharju activity pocket: Kotkatharjun kuntoportaat, the ski-jump hills, Kotkatharjun laavu, Kanavan frisbeegolfrata and bookable Kotkanmaja. Drivers often use Kanavan parkkipaikka off Kotkatlahdentie as the main hub for the Kanava frisbee courses and trails. Toward the Kartanogolf end you pass Karhulahden kotiseutumuseo, Kotkatharjun parkkipaikka on Golftie, Kotkatharjun frisbeegolfrata and finish near Bomila Resort beside the course. The tread is mostly wide gravel or smooth forest track with modest climbs as the corridor leaves the village grid and enters harju woodland. At the village end, Rauhaniemen lenkki and Muurinkosken lenkki share the same sports cluster for longer rides. Deeper into Kotkatharju, Kangasvuokon kuiskaus (including its 2.8 km variant) and Kotkanpolku branch around Kotkatjärvi. Kanavan latu is a winter ski line overlapping the Kanava shore; in snow-free months the open alignments still help orient walkers and riders. Luontopolkumies’ report on Kotkanpolku highlights the well marked lake circuit, kilometre posts, spacious parking at Kotkatlahdentie 186 and rolling harju scenery in the same recreation block—the long walking loop is the closest parallel for terrain feel(4). Check the PDF map for the latest marking refresh and any seasonal closures before you go(2).

The trail is about 2.1 km. It is a short, linear forest ride in Savonlinna’s Pihlajaniemi recreation area in South Savo, beginning at the Kuikankolo wilderness hut and running toward the Kaukalomäki end of the mapped segment. Metsähallitus publishes this cycling connection on Luontoon.fi(1); pair that with Visit Savonlinna(3) and the City of Savonlinna’s Luontopolut hub(4) for parking, seasonal services, and how this leg fits wider walking and skiing lines around Lake Suurijärvi. Kuikankolo sits where several marked legs meet: the foot-oriented Kuikankolo polku(2), the short Suurijärvi–Kuikankolo connector, snow-focused Kuikankolon yhdyslatu, and longer circuits such as Laavujen kierros and suurijärven kierros are all part of the same recreation cluster on our map. If you want a bigger cycling day, Vuohimäki–Mustalampi–Tervastupa pyöräilyreitti and the parallel Vuohimäki–Kuikankolo–Tervastupa outdoor routes pick up the same trail family toward Mustalampi and Tervastupa; Kuikankolo–Timonlammentie heads the other way along the shore-side paths. Independent walkers who circled Suurijärvi describe switching to blue paint marks after choosing the branch toward Aholahti and Kuikankolo, with rockier lake-edge tread, duckboards, and an overnight lean-to at Kollaa Laavu slightly before Kuikankolo on their loop(5). That terrain character is typical of the lake margin you cross when threading hut-to-hut outings here, so expect mixed dirt, roots, and short pinches even though this bike segment is only a couple of kilometres. Equipment-wise, Matkailukeskus Harjun Portti in Punkaharju advertises e-mountain bikes, fatbikes and gravel bikes through its rental desk(6), and Visit Savonlinna lists additional partners around Lake Saimaa(3).

For the latest access tips, parking, and who the route suits, start with Visit Mikkeli’s Kaihun kierros page(1). The Kaihu circuit is a short, easy outdoor round through ice-marginal ridges and gentle heath between Mikkelipuisto park and the Urpola countryside centre, with lake views and Saimaa Geopark interpretation along the way(1)(2). On this page the mapped line is about 2.6 km as one continuous path. It is not drawn as a closed loop in our data, but on the ground it behaves as a compact outing you can start from several points: Visit Mikkeli recommends the free car park by Kaihun kota off Pursialankatu 5 and notes boards and short descriptions at Kaihunharju’s south end and along the western shores of Kattilanlahti and Kaihunlahti(1). Walking time is often quoted at about 35 minutes for the roughly 2.5 km circuit in visitor material(1)(2), so a leisurely ride on a city or trekking bike is usually quicker on the paved and wide sections. From the Urpola side, Urpolan luontokeskus nuotiopaikka and Urpolan luonnonsuojelualueen nuotiopaikka lie close to Kaihun kierroksen nuotiopaikka, while Kuntokeskus Liikku Mikkeli and EasyFit Mikkeli Setri are a few hundred metres away along Setrikatu if you arrive by car in that block. Mid-route near Kaihun you pass Kaihun frisbeegolfpuisto, Kaihun beachvolleykenttä, and Kaihun uimaranta, where Marin Matkassa highlights the shallow sandy beach, changing cubicles, beach volleyball, and a small playground for a summer swim break(3). Kaihun vuokrakota offers a bookable shelter for groups; check Saimaa Central Park’s kota page for current fees and reservations(3). The line finishes through Mikkelipuiston grillipaikka, Mikkelipuiston beachvolleykenttä, and Mikkelipuiston ulkosalibandykenttä, with Pursialan ulkokuntoilupaikka Mikkeli and Pursialan ulkokuntoilupaikka Pursiala along Pursialankatu for a strength station after the spin. Walkers often pair this outing with Urpolan luontopolku for a quieter nature line on shared shores, while Urpolan latu and Urpolan kuntopolku/latu 2,5 km share winter and running-loop traffic nearby on other mapped routes(1). Visit Mikkeli mentions partial wheelchair access on the easiest, wide segments from the kota parking but advises skipping the hillier parts of the full circuit for mobility users(1). Polkupyörä Etappi in central Mikkeli rents mountain and trekking bikes by the day if you did not bring your own(4).

Otson oikaisu is the middle-distance option among three year-round, colour-marked winter multipurpose loops on Kalevankangas in Mikkeli: City of Mikkeli and Visit Mikkeli list it at 4.2 km alongside Karhun kiertämä (6.2 km) and the shortest loop published as Nallepolku (2.8 km)(1)(2). The mapped ride for this page is about 4.4 km as one continuous loop through the Kalevankangas sport-and-forest edge. Official copy describes easy, mostly level pine-forest riding with small ups and downs, winding around the Hanhilampi nature side of the hill, passing a lean-to, varied woodland, and small waterlines(2). Summaries aimed at visitors note leashed dogs are allowed, horse riding is not, and surfaces can be slippery or uneven—use care(2). Winter care follows the same pattern as the sister loops: City of Mikkeli prepares the multipurpose corridors with a snowmobile and drag while the wider classic ski network stays a separate system—yield to skiers and avoid damaging tracks when you ride or run near latu corridors(1)(3). Velo Saimaa and the city launched the 2019 naming-and-marking project (club vote on cub-themed names, new field signs, three new wooden bridges)(3). The routes are unlit; bring lights if you start or finish in the dark(3). On the ground the loop threads practical waypoints from our map: you start from the Raviradantie sport block near racecourse pitches and Kalevankankaan school and daycare facilities, pass Kalevankankaan ulkokuntoilupuisto and Kalevankankaan kuntoportaat, cut toward Tuulikin hiekkakenttä, then swing through forest toward Kalevankankaan laavu before returning past Saimaa Stadiumi, ice-hall athletics areas, MAH ry fields and halls, Sport Forum and Padel X Mikkeli, and Kalevankankaan ulkokuntoilupaikka. For a longer pedal the same trailhead network adds Kalevankankaan monikäyttöreitti 6,2 km; for a separate marked nature circuit on foot consider Kalevankangas nature trail around Hanhilampi(1)(2). A Retkipaikka report on Kalevankangas captures wide winter corridors, bridges toward Hanhilampi, and busy intersections where several route types meet—useful context before mixing bikes and skis on the same hill(5). On Velo Saimaa mountain-biking pages you will find regular Tuesday departures from Polkupyörä Etappi and Thursday meetups off Raviradantie if you want company on nearby forest loops(4).

MTB Tuoppu is a technical forest loop of about 6.5 km around Tuopunkangas near Pieksämäki in South Savo, tied into the wider Vedenjakaja trail network. The dedicated MTB Tuoppu page on Vedenjakajareitistö(1) describes it as the most demanding mountain-bike line in that system: rocky ground, wetland crossings, and lines that expect solid bike-handling and a proper mountain bike rather than a city hybrid. The same source places the recommended car park at P18 on Naiskankaantie 315 (about five spaces and a picnic table) and notes you can also reach the loop by bike from Nikkarila and Partaharju along the Nikkarila–Tuoppu connector. Sport Pieksämäki’s Vedenjakaja hub(2) collects PDF route summaries, parking sheets, map-legends, maintenance contacts, rental partners, and distances from Pieksämäki station to network gateways—useful when you plan how to reach the forest. Along the ring, official copy highlights two rest clusters: at Pikonniemi (guide-map point 18) a laavu, fire place, picnic table, and dry toilet; Kotiniemi (point 19) adds a second break spot with shelter and fire, plus a table in the field instructions(1). Network etiquette from the programme FAQ(4) is worth noting before you go: cyclists may use hiking routes and walkers may use bike routes, markings simply steer people onto the most sensible tread, and pushing through awkward steps is normal when the rocks or bogs bite. The FAQ also reminds riders that MTB Tuoppu specifically rewards experience where gentler loops such as MTB Nikkarila stay rolling on lighter bikes, and it welcomes the route as a walking circuit too when you want to move on foot. If you want to stitch rides together, the mapped line meets the same network’s Mtb Ukonkangas loop and aligns with the Nikkarila-Tuoppu yhdysreitti walking connector that vehicles the Nikkarila approach(1). A long user trace on Jälki.fi for the whole Pieksämäki Vedenjakaja collection praises how completely the trails are marked and how easy it is for newcomers to keep bearings while stronger riders can hold speed—helpful background even though that log blends many segments, not Tuoppu alone(5). For hardware, Kesport Kovanen in central Pieksämäki advertises about ten maintained fatbikes for rent, about €40 per day, with trail maps sold in the shop(3); Sport Pieksämäki additionally lists Crossfit Pieksämäki fatbike hire and Sagatrails for guided MTB if you want instruction or a packaged day(2). Trail upkeep and fuel-wood issues on the network go through PS-liikunta per the programme FAQ(4).

The Cycling route around Häkkilä is a long mountain-bike loop in the Kyyvesi lake countryside of former Haukivuori, now part of Mikkeli in South Savo. The mapped ride is about 41.7 km and forms a circuit. Haukivuori’s nature tourism pages describe it as roughly 42 km, following roads and paths that brush the signed Häkkilä hiking trail network beside Lake Kyyvesi(1). The described start is at the junction of Porsaskoskentie and highway 72(1), in the same general corner of the district as Pitkähiekan uimaranta on Porsaskoskentie 60. Early on the loop you pass Pitkähiekan uimaranta, a lakeshore swimming spot that works well as a quick swim or photo stop. Around eight kilometres into the ride you are near Vehkamäen kota, a wilderness kota on the walking and cycling corridor that links the northern and southern Häkkilä circuits. Near the northeast side of the loop, Laihalahti nuotiopaikka is a sheltered campfire point off Laihalahdentie—handy for a longer break. Several stretches run through forest, gravel roads, and lakeshore shoreline typical of Järvi-Suomi; where the line shares ground with Häkkilä retkipolku branches, expect a mix of blue-signed walking trail sections on the southern shore loop and yellow ribbon or square paint marks on trees along the northern trail as the land manager describes for those hiking lines(1). The route meshes with our mapped hiking corridor Häkkilä Trail, Northern Route, which shares lean-tos and viewpoints such as Keronlahden keittokatos and Keronvuoren näköalapaikka for riders who combine both networks in one visit(1). Visit Mikkeli gathers longer day-ride ideas around Haukivuori and the wider Mikkeli region if you want to extend toward Naarajärvi or add lakeside kilometres after this loop(3). For printed background on how the walking trails and fire places are arranged, Haukivuori still publishes brochure and map links from the same page block(1). Luontopolkumies captured a summer 2019 walk-through of the southern hiking branch with photos of Kapustasalmi parking, marker spacing, and path firmness in dry weather—worth reading even though the trip was on foot(4). Always verify campfire rules and any trail notices with the City of Mikkeli outdoor services pages before you ride; they carry map links and seasonal guidance for the wider municipality(2).

This is the shortest of three year-round, colour-marked winter multipurpose loops on Kalevankangas in Mikkeli—published as Nallepolku alongside longer Otson oikaisu and Karhun kiertämä on City of Mikkeli’s Kalevankangas outdoor pages(1) and on Visit Mikkeli’s trail overview(2). The trail is about 2.1 km for the line used here. On easy pine-forest terrain it is intended for mountain biking, walking, running, and snowshoeing when conditions allow; in winter the city clears snow from these corridors with a snowmobile pulling a small drag, while keeping skiers on the wider ski-track network separate(1)(3). The routes are not lit(3). Dogs may accompany you(3). Velo Saimaa cycling club and Mikkeli Sport Services planned the 2019 naming and marking project: trail names were chosen by club vote on a “bear cub” theme, the city marked the trails and built three new wooden bridges(3). For day-to-day questions the city lists the sports-facilities supervisor at Raviradantie 2(1); Visit Mikkeli also lists tourism contact details for the same area(2). Velo Saimaa’s mountain-biking pages describe an active local scene with regular group rides—Tuesday departures from Polkupyörä Etappi and Thursday meetups near Raviradantie—useful if you want company on nearby forest routes(4). Luontopolkumies’ Retkipaikka walk-through of Kalevankankaan luontopolku captures how busy and well-linked the harju outdoor hub feels, with wide winter ski corridors, foot bridges toward Hanhilampi, and clear signing where several route types meet(5). Along the route you pass practical fitness stops in the Kalevankangas sports campus: early on you are near Kalevankankaan kuntoportaat, then the corridor runs toward Rouhialan koulun pallokenttä and Tuulikin hiekkakenttä before curling past Raviradantie’s Sport Forum cluster—kuntokeskus, hall courts, and Padel X—and finishing near Kalevankankaan koulun liikuntasali, lähiliikuntapaikka, ulkokuntoilupuisto, and tekonurmi. For a longer ride the same hub offers Monikäyttöreitti Otson oikaisu and Kalevankankaan monikäyttöreitti 6,2 km, and for a separate marked nature loop on foot you can add Kalevankankaan luontopolku around Hanhilampi(1)(2). Kalevankankaan laavu on connecting routes sits a bit deeper in the forest network for a fire-pit stop when you combine trails.

The Aholahti–Tervastupa lisälenkki is about 4 km on our map as a summer mountain-biking spur west of Savonlinna in South Savo. Metsähallitus publishes the segment on Luontoon.fi as part of the Aholahti–Tervastupa recreation corridor beside Lake Saimaa’s Pihlajavesi basin(1). Treat it as an optional add-on to the longer Aholahti–Tervastupa bike connection when you want a short forest spin before joining laavu stops or lakeshore paths closer to Tervastupa. About 4 km from the start you reach the Kollaa Laavu shelter area—handy for a fire-ring break before continuing on other legs of the network. Visit Savonlinna’s winter hub for Aholahden hiihtokeskus describes a deep lit and unlit ski trail system radiating from the same hillside centre with café and rental sauna, plus bus line 2 access from downtown via Naistenlahdentie; daily grooming bulletins link from that page in season(2). The archived Pihlajaniemi recreation overview on Maaseutu.fi notes that Olavin Retkeilijät ry and the City of Savonlinna maintain huts, laavut, and the wider Pihlajaniemi–Aholahti winter-and-summer trail fabric around Tervastupa(3). Our page for the main Aholahti–Tervastupa bike line is about 5.8 km, a separate hiking-focused listing covers the same corridor, nearby Suurijärvi Lake Loop adds a lakeshore circuit, and Kuikankolo Trail lets you stitch a longer day toward Kuikankolo if you return eastward.

For route descriptions, stops, and practical notes for this touring bike loop, start with the Municipality of Mäntyharju’s Toivolan kierros page(1). Regional listings on Visit Mikkeli and Visit Lakeland Finland promote the same day ride as a fun, relatively easy tour on public roads: mostly asphalt with a roughly 6 km gravel section toward Pyhäniementie, following Pertunmaantie, Pyhävedentie, and Miekankoskentie with long views along the Pyhävesi shoreline(2)(3). The tour is about 38.2 km as a loop starting and finishing in Mäntyharju. Halfway around, many riders pause at the Neste Vihantasalmi service area for coffee, then cross Vihantasalmen silta. Tourism copy often calls it Finland’s largest wooden road bridge; Finnish Wikipedia and Puuinfo both summarise the glued-laminated timber highway structure, overall span figures, the 1999 opening, and the 3-metre walking and cycling lane beside the carriageway—worth a slow crossing for photos(4)(5). Farther on, Miekankoski offers a café and the free-admission Miekankosken uittomuseo log-floating museum in a historic timber-drive setting a short ride from church village(2)(3). South Savo museums outline the log-floating background and note free admission with hours tied to Miekankosken kahvila(6). After the lakeshore leg the loop returns through the main sports and outdoor area: the ride passes Mäntyharju DiscGolfPark and Leijonakota near the waterfront trails, then joins the same sports corridors used by Pyhäkosken ulkoilureitti and the Mäntyharju–Repovesi paddling route before sweeping the Kisala side of town. There you pass Kisalan tulipaikka, Kisalan kuntoportaat, and Urheiluhalli Kisala—the same blocks linked to the Mäntyharju–Repovesi mountain bike route (Mäntyharju) and Mäntyharju–Repovesi hiking route on our site. Around Kirkonkylän kierros and Retkeilyreitti Mäntyharju-Repovesi (Mäntyharju) the loop touches Pappilan frisbeegolfpuisto and Mäntyharjun retkiluistelurata beside schoolyards, so you can combine short extra spins if you want more distance. This is a road and forest-road tour, not a singletrack mountain bike line: expect motor traffic on highway sections—including the Vihantasalmi crossing on valtatie 5—and ride defensively. Winter riding is possible where roads are maintained, but ice, snow banks, and short daylight need suitable tyres and lights. An English brochure about local outdoor offerings is linked from the municipal tourism pages(2). Mäntyharju lies in South Savo; the municipality maintains the tour description.