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Kaarina Heritage Forest nature trail

—•Hiking Trails

1.7 km

Route

Lausteen ulkokuntoilulaitteet

0.0 km|Free

Outdoor GymsLausteen kuntoradan vieressä vanhan hiihtomajan kohdalla. Vapaasti käytettävissä. Hiljaisuus klo 22-7.

Description

City of Kaarina – Nature trails+

Description

The Kaarina Heritage Forest nature trail is a short hike through a city-owned nature reserve beside Lauste in Kaarina, in Southwest Finland, straddling the municipal border with Turku. The trail is about 1.7 km long and is not a loop. For closures, seasonal rules, and the downloadable PDF map, the City of Kaarina’s nature trails page is the place to start. The route crosses the Kaarina Heritage Forest reserve, where the City of Kaarina describes bedrock outcrops and pine on rock, fresh herb-rich forest, mires with duckboards south of Niinisvuori rock, and substantial deadwood—especially toward the north—with old aspen, silver birch, and pine. Tammireitit notes the same mosaic and highlights the duckboards through wet grass mire south of Niinisvuori. Flying squirrel occurs in the area, and the reserve hosts species and fungi typical of older forest. Marking is interim: yellow ribbon along the nature trail, while the Turku Paavon trails connector through the area uses blue markings. South and west of the reserve you can link into the wider cross-municipality outdoor network; on the Turku side the same recreation cluster includes Lausteen kuntorata and Lausteen latu, and the long Paavonpolut hiking network passes through. Near the trail line you also pass the Lauste sports area: Lausteenkenttä and Lausteen luistelukenttä sit a short detour from the path, and Lausteen ulkokuntoilulaitteet lies toward the outdoor-gym end of the same neighbourhood—useful if you are combining a forest walk with errands in the Lauste exercise zone. Suomi.fi repeats the City of Kaarina’s parking directions and contact routing for visitors who prefer the national service directory. Turun Sanomat reported in 2005 when Kaarina committed municipal forest north of the motorway to WWF Finland’s heritage-forest programme to keep a slice of typical southwest Finnish forest intact for future generations —background that explains the reserve’s name and protection emphasis.

Length & route

The trail is about 1.7 km long. Official descriptions often round the nature-trail distance to about 2.1 km for the marked walking line through the reserve. Terrain mixes forest footpaths, rock, and short duckboard sections over wet ground.

Getting there

The City of Kaarina directs drivers to a small car park at the intersection of Assessorinkatu and Rakentajantie beside the central sports field and motorway corridor; from there it is roughly 900 m on foot to the nature trail. Suomi.fi lists the same Kaarina-side parking and notes that on the Turku side the nearest parking is at the Lausteen kuntorata car park on Ketunkatu 1 a, before a private plot—use that bay only as marked. You can also approach on foot along the Kurkelantie light-traffic bridge over the motorway or from the Lauste school area on the Turku side.

Good to know

On the nature reserve, the City of Kaarina lists prohibitions: dogs must not run loose; no littering; no open fire or camping; do not pick or damage plants (mushroom and berry picking is allowed); do not disturb wildlife; do not collect invertebrates. There is no dedicated trail-overview video on YouTube that clearly meets the bar for this specific path; rely on the city map PDF and pages for planning.

History

In 2005 Turun Sanomat reported that the City of Kaarina would set aside about 36 hectares north of the motorway in Lauste as a WWF Finland heritage forest, a voluntary owner agreement intended to keep typical southwest Finnish forest from intensive use. The article noted mixed forest, rocky forest, a small ancient shoreline, wetland, and reforested highway fill within the block, and listed mammals and birds recorded in surveys, including flying squirrel, woodpeckers, and eagle owl.

Managed by

Kaarina

Official Maintenance

02 588 4000

Trail info

Walk either direction along the marked line; the published line is not a closed loop.

Route direction

Nature Reserve

Area

Recreation Area

Interim yellow ribbon for the nature trail; blue for the Paavon trails connector through the area.

Route Signs

Dogs (On Leash)

Dogs

Open / Good Condition

City of Kaarina – Nature trails

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

1.7 km

Distance

Allow about 30–50 minutes on foot, longer if you stop to read terrain or connect to nearby tracks.

Est. Time

Dirt

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Partial Shade

Shade

Light Traffic

Traffic

Location

60.42623°N, 22.35494°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

Southwest FinlandRegion

KaarinaCity

LausteVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Kaarina, 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 Southwest Finland Kaarina Hiking TrailsKaarina Heritage Forest nature trail