Sulkava Hiking Trails

The Annikinniemen luontopolku nature trail is about 0.7 km and runs along the shore of Annikinniemi, a small peninsula on Lake Saimaa near Vekaransalmi. The route sits in Sulkava in South Savo, inside the Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark(3). For current access, winter parking, and the official trail description, check Visit Sulkava(1). Annikinniemi is esker country: the peninsula juts into Saimaa, and a small pond lies inside the landform where the water surface has fallen over time, creating a distinctive lagoon setting beside the open lake(2). The path is easy walking and suits families; the same pages describe a fireplace by the pond, a lean-to shelter at the tip of the peninsula, and toilet facilities there, plus swimming and fishing in Annikinlampi(2). Other local paths meet this shore in places; follow signage and maps on site if you link onward walks.

Yhdyspolku VH–KK is a short hiking segment in Sulkava, South Savo, at about 0.5 km as one continuous line on our map. It forms part of the same marked Yhdyspolku corridor that links the Vilkaharju nature-trail area with the Kuumatkivet and town-side access—together with the reverse segment Yhdyspolku KK–VH and the onward Kuumatkivet–Vilkalahti hiking line, it stitches the Geopark esker network to walking routes toward the centre. Visit Sulkava describes the full Yhdyspolku from Sulkava toward the Vilkaharjun luontopolku trails as about 3.4 km of forest path with duckboards across wet hollows and marking in red and yellow dots; the same page gives the town-side address Kuumienkivientie 14 for planning(1). For parking at the main Vilkaharju trailheads and the two loop options on the ridge, see Visit Sulkava's Vilkaharjun luontopolku page(2). Saimaa Geopark notes that the connector leaves Kuumienkivientie near a block of flats and uses the same red-and-yellow dot marking before you reach the yellow-dotted nature loops on the esker(3). The Municipality of Sulkava summarises Vilkaharju as longitudinal esker terrain with Stone Age sites, boulders, and Salpa Line anti-tank features in the wider area(4). From this connector you can continue into longer days on foot or by bike: Vilkaharju Läntinen and the Kuumatkivet–Vilkalahti line lie on the same network, Kolmen lossin kierros offers a long cycling loop through the municipality, and Vilkaharju MTB adds a dedicated mountain-bike circuit. Near Vilkaharju Läntinen, Hopeasaaren grillikota and Toivotuksenlahden laavu offer campfire and shelter stops on the nature-trail side—worth combining if you are already walking in from town. Retkipaikka captures in a walk report how the two nature loops feel on the ground around Pöllälampi and the Saimaa shore, with intermediate difficulty and small parking at Vekarantie 250(5).

Vilkaharju East is a hiking segment of about 2.9 km on the Vilkaharju esker in Sulkava, South Savo. It forms the eastern arm of the two-part Vilkaharju nature trail in a Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark setting of ridge forest, glacial landforms, and rocky Saimaa shoreline a few kilometres from the church village(1)(3)(4). Visit Sulkava describes the full nature trail as two marked loops you can walk separately: a shorter arm of about 3.1 km and a longer arm of about 3.6 km along the lake, past one of Finland’s largest glacial erratics, an old tar pit, Second World War Salpa Line tank obstacles, and Toivotuksenlahden laavu with a fireplace(1). This eastern line follows that Saimaa shore section: soon after setting out you reach Toivotuksenlahden laavu on the bay, with views toward Sulkava church village and the rowing stadium across the water. The Toivotuksenlahden laavu page lists a service building and dry toilet for hikers, and access by boat in summer or across the ice in winter from Alanteen(2). The ridge has been protected since 1978; open fires outside maintained fireplaces, camping, and similar overnight stays are not allowed on the reserve land—use the fireplaces at maintained stops such as Toivotuksenlahden laavu and nearby Hopeasaaren grillikota when you combine loops(1)(4). You can link this arm with Vilkaharju West, Hopeasaaren lenkki, or Vilkaharju MTB for a longer day, or pick up Kolmen lossin kierros from the same trail network(1). Parastasuomessa’s walk report by Päivi Auvinen highlights storm-sculpted forest, well-kept yellow markings, and information boards on geology and local history, and mentions wet ground in places on the eastern side after weather(5). Luontopolkumies describes the shore arm climbing from the bay past large erratics, viewpoints over Saimaa, and renewed trail boards by 2020(6).

Hopeasaari Circuit is a short hiking trail on Vilkaharju in Sulkava, South Savo, threading ridge-and-lake scenery on the edge of Lake Saimaa. The trail is about 3.5 km on our map. For signage updates, winter maintenance policy, and the shared Vilkaharju parking and information board at the Hopeasaari road fork, start with the City of Sulkava(1). Luontoon.fi publishes the dedicated Hopeasaaren lenkki entry for this same route name in Sulkava(2). Visit Sulkava describes a longer mountain-bike circuit of about 6 km around Hopeasaari and Pöllalampi from scenic road 438, with a road crossing and rest spots along the way(3); that description helps orient you to the same harju landscape even though hiking time and distance differ from this shorter hiking segment. Along the route you pass Toivotuksenlahden laavu after about 0.9 km—useful for a sheltered break off Toivotuksenlahti—and Hopeasaaren grillikota near the 1.7 km mark on Hopeasaarentie, where you can grill in a kota setting. The lean-to and kota sit in the same Vilkaharju network as the Vilkaharju West and Vilkaharju East hiking loops, the short Hopeasaari East segment, winter ski tracks on Jäälatu Sulkava, the large Kolmen lossin kierros cycling tour, Vilkaharju MTB, the Suursoutujen soutureitti paddling route, and the nearby Vilkaharju accessible trail—handy if you are stitching a longer day from Sulkava. Saimaa Geopark explains how Vilkaharju formed as a longitudinal esker from subglacial meltwater and why the south side opens toward open lake views while the north lies in moraine and kettle terrain(5). Out in the Nature’s walk on the second part of the Vilkaharju nature trail names the Stone-Age dwelling hollows, Salpa Line tank obstacles, cliff viewpoints over Sulkava and the rowing race course, and the big glacial erratic along the path—good context for what you may notice near the same trail system(4).

Huosionkorpi forest trail is about 3.6 km of hiking in Sulkava, South Savo. It lies in the Huosionkorpi woodland corridor between the town-side connector trails and the Vilkaharju esker nature network. From the first few hundred metres it meets Huosionkorpi Trail, so you can plan a longer day by combining both segments. For how the Yhdyspolku corridor links Sulkava with the Vilkaharjun luontopolku trails, and for the two ridge loop options, see Visit Sulkava(1)(2). The longer Vilkaharju loop option is published at about 3.6 km as part II of the twin nature circuits on the ridge, with shoreline boulders, a historic tar pit, and Toivotuksenlahden laavu among the described stops(1)(3). Saimaa Geopark explains the esker geology, ice-lake shorelines, and how the yellow-dotted nature routes cross the area, and notes the red-and-yellow-dotted Yhdyspolku from Kuumienkivientie(4). The trail is marked for hiking; duckboards and rooty tread appear on connecting sections toward the ridge. Luontopolkumies walked the Vilkaharju loops with clear arrow boards and renewed story boards by 2020, and notes that the eastern loop can feel wet in places after rain(5).

The Pisamalahti Hill Fort Trail is a short, marked hiking access path in Sulkava, South Savo, leading to Pisamalahti hill fort (Linnavuori) on Lake Saimaa. On our map the walk is about 0.7 km; local pages describe a marked route from the parking area within roughly half a kilometre of the fort, with narrow stairs up to the summit outlook. For geology, Iron-Age context, and how the place fits the UNESCO Saimaa Geopark story, start with the City of Sulkava’s Pisamalahti page(1) and the nearby Saimaa Geopark site article(3). Visit Sulkava adds practical detail on the guest harbour, services at the foot of the cliff, and driving directions from Sulkava church(2). From the lake, the fort reads as a rocky crag with scarps that climb about 55 metres above the water; the City of Sulkava notes bedrock fault zones and boulder caves near the quay(1). Saimaa Geopark explains the eastern stone embankments—among Finland’s best-known prehistoric fortifications—and that such forts were refuge sites, not year-round settlements(3). Visit Finland summarises legal protection under the Antiquities Act and states that campfires are prohibited at this fixed relic(4); always follow on-site instructions and treat structures and ground layers with care. Boaters on larger Saimaa journeys can tie in here: the site has a guest boat berth and coordinates are published for visitors arriving by water(2). The same lake landscape hosts long paddling corridors; for example Suursoutujen soutureitti is a major Saimaa kayaking route on our map if you are building a wider water-based trip. Maaseutu.fi’s archived travel feature on Pisamalahden linnavuori adds a compact history read on the 11th-century fortifications and the long stone wall on the east flank(5).

Yhdyspolku KK-VH is a short hiking segment in Sulkava, South Savo. The trail is about 0.8 km end to end in the KK-VH direction: it links the Kuumatkivet-Vilkalahti hiking line with the Vilkaharju trail network, alongside the reverse segment Yhdyspolku VH-KK and the longer Yhdyspolku corridor from the village toward the esker. Visit Sulkava describes the full Yhdyspolku from Sulkava toward the Vilkaharjun luontopolku trails as about 3.4 km of forest path with duckboards across wet hollows and marking in red and yellow dots; the same page gives the town-side address Kuumienkivientie 14 for planning(1). For parking at the main Vilkaharju trailheads and the two loop options on the ridge, see Visit Sulkava's Vilkaharjun luontopolku page(2). Saimaa Geopark notes that the connector leaves Kuumienkivientie near a block of flats and uses the same red-and-yellow dot marking before you reach the yellow-dotted nature loops on the esker(3). The Municipality of Sulkava lists the same markings and explains that you can also reach the nature trails from the church village along the connector, with duckboards on wet sections(4). From this leg you can continue on foot or by bike across the same network: Vilkaharju Läntinen and Kuumatkivet-Vilkalahti meet the connector, Vilkaharju itäinen lies nearby on the ridge, Kolmen lossin kierros offers a long cycling loop through the municipality, and Vilkaharju MTB adds a dedicated mountain-bike circuit. On Vilkaharju Läntinen, Hopeasaaren grillikota and Toivotuksenlahden laavu provide campfire and lean-to stops—natural add-ons after you join the nature trails. Luontopolkumies describes walking the two Vilkaharju loops with good signage, renewed information boards by 2020, and occasionally wet ground on the eastern loop in some seasons(5).

Huosionkorpi Trail is about 3.4 km point-to-point on our map through Sulkava, South Savo. The municipality sits in lake country east of larger Saimaa towns, and many of its walks use forested harju terrain between waterways. For the best overview of where this route sits within Sulkava’s wider walking and cycling network, start with Visit Sulkava’s routes and paths hub(1) and the City of Sulkava’s outdoor routes index(2), which is where managers publish maps and seasonal guidance for local trails. From the first metres, the line almost meets Huosionkorven polku, a parallel hiking path about 3.6 km long on our map that shares the same staging area—handy if you want a slightly longer forest loop or wish to compare two short segments in one outing. Shorter forest hikes elsewhere in the municipality illustrate how Visit Sulkava presents local harju nature to visitors; Visit Sulkava’s Vilkaharju nature trail materials connect those experiences to the Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark story and can inspire add-on walks after you finish this segment(3). Dedicated web lists reviewed for this entry did not spell out surface types or winter service for Huosionkorpi specifically; treat conditions as typical unmanaged forest path until you confirm on site or through updated municipal notices.

Hopeasaari East (Hopeasaari itä) is a short shore link on Hopeasaari in Sulkava, South Savo, along the eastern side of the Vilkaharju outdoor area. The trail is about 0.4 km as a point-to-point walk between Hopeasaaren grillikota and Toivotuksenlahden laavu on Lake Saimaa. For the official trail page, maps, and Metsähallitus updates, use the Luontoon.fi entry for this route(1). From Hopeasaaren grillikota the path follows the forested shore toward Toivotuksenlahden laavu, which sits where the eastern nature-trail section meets Saimaa. Visit Sulkava describes the wider Vilkaharju esker as a roughly four-kilometre ridge landscape in the Saimaa Geopark, with a two-part nature trail marked in yellow on trees; the eastern part is about 3.6 km and finishes at Toivotuksenlahden laavu(2). This 0.4 km segment is the short east-side connector that ties the grill shelter into that same laavu end of the network. You can continue onto Hopeasaaren lenkki for a longer loop around the island area, or explore Vilkaharju itäinen and Vilkaharju Läntinen for other hiking options; Vilkaharju MTB and Jäälatu Sulkava pass the same laavu and kota on their lines when you want wheels or winter skiing. The Toivotuksenlahden laavu service page(3) lists views toward Sulkava church village, a WC and service building for visitors, and year-round access by water via Alanne—in summer by boat and in winter across the ice. Sulkava-lehti describes families using the Hopeasaari campfire at Toivotuksenlahti near the nature trail, about a 400-metre walk from the parking area, with views across the water toward the church village(4). South Savo offers dense lake shoreline and esker scenery; Sulkava is a practical base for combining this walk with boating on Suursoutujen soutureitti or cycling Kolmen lossin kierros when you are planning a longer day.

Vilkaharju West (Vilkaharju Läntinen) is a hiking loop of about 3.4 km on the Vilkaharju esker in Sulkava, South Savo. The trail sits in a Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark landscape of ridge forest, glacial landforms, and Saimaa shoreline, a few kilometres west of the village centre(2)(3). Visit Sulkava describes the Vilkaharju nature trail as a two-part marked route: a shorter arm of about 3.1 km and a longer arm of about 3.6 km that runs partly along Lake Saimaa’s rocky shore and passes Toivotuksenlahden laavu and a campfire spot(1). This western loop matches that longer shore-and-laavu side of the system; you can pair it with Vilkaharju itäinen for the other arm or stitch longer days via Hopeasaaren lenkki, Vilkaharju MTB, or Kolmen lossin kierros when you want more distance. Early on the loop you pass Hopeasaaren grillikota and Toivotuksenlahden laavu, where Visit Sulkava highlights a rest by the bay with a chance to swim in Saimaa in summer(1)(4). The ridge area has been a nature reserve since 1978: open fires outside maintained spots, camping, and similar stays are not allowed on the reserve land itself(4). Use the fireplaces at the maintained stops along the trail. Terrain along the western section includes narrow forest path, some sandy track, and steeper short climbs toward cliff viewpoints over Saimaa and the Sulkava rowing race course area, as described in a walk-through on Out in the Nature(5). Information boards along the routes summarise local forest and history; the trail marking uses yellow paint on trees on the main nature trail, with the connecting path from Sulkava centre marked in red and yellow dots(1)(4).

Kuumatkivet–Vilkalahti is a short hiking connection in Sulkava, South Savo, that links the town centre toward Vilkalahti bay and the Vilkaharju trail network beside Lake Saimaa. The trail is about 2.1 km end to end and is not a loop. For the latest route description and any service updates, start from the Kuumatkivet-Vilkalahti trail page on Luontoon.fi(1). This segment is part of the same marked connector that Visit Sulkava describes as Yhdyspolku: a marked path from central Sulkava to the Vilkaharju nature trails, with duckboards through wet hollows and forest-edge walking; the municipality gives the full connector from town at about 3.4 km and lists the start address Kuumienkivientie 14, 58700 Sulkava(2). City of Sulkava describes access from the village along Kuumienkivientie near the Saimaa shore, with marking in red and yellow spots on the connector, matching the yellow-and-red marking style used on the wider Vilkaharju system(3). From this route you meet or can branch to Yhdyspolku VH-KK and Yhdyspolku KK-VH, then onward to Vilkaharju Läntinen, Vilkaharju MTB, the large Kolmen lossin kierros cycling loop, summer kayaking on Oravareitti/Sulkava, the Suursoutujen soutureitti, and winter skiing on Jäälatu Sulkava where those routes run nearby. Retkipaikka’s walk-through of the Vilkaharju nature trail system gives a feel for the ridge forest, boardwalks, and Saimaa shoreline character you reach after using the connector—useful background even though that article focuses on the longer loops at Vekarantie(4).

For up-to-date barrier-free trail information from Metsähallitus, check Luontoon.fi(1). Vilkaharju accessible trail is about 1.4 km as we map it—a compact loop on the forested Saimaa-side ridge of Vilkaharju, roughly five kilometres from Sulkava village in South Savo. The Vilkaharju landform is a Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark site; the City of Sulkava’s introduction sketches how the esker formed in a subglacial meltwater tunnel and surfaced as the continental ice retreated, with Salpa Line anti-tank obstacles and Stone Age dwelling traces nearby on the longer circuits(4). Visit Sulkava explains the shared Vekarantie trailhead, how the two main nature circuits are marked with red and yellow spots on trees, and what you pass if you extend the day onto those routes(2)(3). The reserve itself has been protected since 1978; open fires, camping, and other camping-style stays are prohibited on the ridge(3), so plan picnics and shelter use according to posted rules and the managed facilities on linked trails. If you want more distance after the accessible loop, the same parking serves Vilkaharju Läntinen, Vilkaharju itäinen, Hopeasaaren lenkki, the Vilkaharju MTB line, and the long Kolmen lossin kierros bike circuit along Lake Saimaa—all entries you can explore on our map. Toivotuksenlahden laavu and Hopeasaaren grillikota sit on those neighbouring routes and are popular breaks when you stitch loops together. Päivi Auvinen’s Parasta Saimaalla walk report on Vilkaharjun luontopolku highlights gentle family pacing on the marked nature trails, a few steeper pitches where small children may want a hand, and strong signage plus Geopark story boards before an outing that ended at Toivotuksenlahden laavu—useful colour even though that outing followed the longer marked circuits rather than this short barrier-free ring(5).