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Hopeasaari Circuit

—•Hiking Trails

3.5 km

Route

Toivotuksenlahden laavu

0.9 km|Free

Campfire SpotsLaavu, lisäksi wc ja huoltorakennus.

Hopeasaaren grillikota

1.7 km|Free

Campfire Spots

Description

City of Sulkava – Vilkaharju nature trails+

Description

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. Luontoon.fi publishes the dedicated Hopeasaaren lenkki entry for this same route name in Sulkava. 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; 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. 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.

Length & route

The trail is about 3.5 km on our map. Visit Sulkava quotes about 6 km for a mountain-bike circuit around Hopeasaari and Pöllalampi on the same esker, including a road crossing. The City of Sulkava divides the wider Vilkaharju nature trails into two main parts of about 3.1 km and 3.6 km that you can walk separately. Terrain mixes forest paths, sand roads, occasional duckboards, and short steeper climbs on the nature-trail sections described for Vilkaharju.

Getting there

The City of Sulkava places the shared Vilkaharju information board and parking at the fork toward Hopeasaari at Vekarantie 250, 58700 Sulkava; Saimaa Geopark lists the same address with map coordinates for the trailhead area. Visit Sulkava also references Vekarantie 440 for the Hopeasaari–Pöllalampi cycling description—check both when navigating by car. You can reach the Vilkaharju trails from Sulkava centre along the Yhdyspolku connecting path beside Kuumienkivientie near the lakeshore flats, marked with red and yellow dots, then join the yellow-marked harju trails. Scenic road 438 gives asphalt access to the MTB start described by Visit Sulkava.

Good to know

The City of Sulkava states there is no winter maintenance on these nature trails. Open-fire rules follow normal everyman’s rights and any forest-fire warnings in force; use established fireplaces when you stop at the lean-to or kota areas. Tourism information for the area is available from Visit Sulkava listings. Matkailuneuvonta tel. +358 44 417 5215 appears on the municipal Vilkaharju page.

Managed by

Sulkava

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Recreation Area

Lake

The City of Sulkava describes Vilkaharju trails marked with arrow signs and yellow spots along the route.

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

City of Sulkava – Vilkaharju nature trails

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

3.5 km

Distance

About 1–1.5 hours on foot for most walkers, longer if you use Toivotuksenlahden laavu or Hopeasaaren grillikota for a meal.

Est. Time

Duckboards / Dirt / Gravel / Sand

Surface

Single Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

Location

61.77871°N, 28.41468°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

South SavoRegion

SulkavaCity

Hiking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Suursoutujen soutureitti kayaking route

390 m

Free

Vilkaharju accessible trail

362 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Sulkava, 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 Savo Sulkava Hiking TrailsHopeasaari Circuit