Repovesi National Park guides the visitor through mossy forests to majestic cliffs offering breathtaking views over the lakes, framed by pine trees. In mid-winter, the pines are covered in frost, and in early spring, the icefalls glisten in the sun.

Repovesi is an excellent year-round hiking destination, just a couple of hours from Helsinki. The national park's trails are suitable for short day trips of a few hours as well as longer hikes spanning a couple of days.

I embarked on a one-night winter hike in Repovesi in mid-March, following the western part of the Kaakkurinkierros Trail, which also includes the Korpinkierros Trail.

Nature of Repovesi National Park

The landscape of Repovesi National Park and its Aarnikotka Forest Nature Reserve is characterized by rugged forests and numerous lakes and ponds. The steep cliffs are mostly ancient granite. Wildlife in the remote areas of Repovesi includes the red-throated diver, the fox, and flying squirrels.

The history of the Repovesi region involves Stone Age hunting and fishing, slash-and-burn agriculture, tar production, and sawmilling. The national park was established in 2003, making Repovesi the largest forest nature conservation area in south-eastern Finland.

Repovesi is a popular destination for hikers of all ages. Especially in July and on weekends, the trails, viewpoints, and resting spots may be crowded, with tents pitched closely together. In winter, particularly in the middle of the week, you can enjoy the hike in peace.

Repovesi Trails

Repovesi offers over 40 kilometers of marked hiking trails. The starting points for the marked trails are Saarijärvi, Tervajärvi, and Lapinsalmi parking areas.

• Korpinkierros Trail (4.5 km): Circles Olhavanlampi Pond and leads to one of the finest viewpoints in the national park, Olhavanvuori Rock. The nearest starting point for Korpinkierros is Saarijärvi parking area.
• Kaakkurinkierros Trail (24 km): Takes you to all the attractions of Repovesi National Park. Resting spots are also conveniently located along the route, and there are multiple entry points to Kaakkurinkierros.
• Koppelonkierros Trail (8.3 km): Circles the eastern part of Lake Tervajärvi in the national park.
• Ketunlenkki Trail (3.5 km): Accessible from Lapinsalmi suspension bridge. The manually operated Ketunlossi ferry is closed in winter. At the moment, Repovesi suspension bridge is also closed as of January 17, 2024.

All trails are marked with orange paint on tree trunks. Additionally, there are kilometer signs at intersections indicating viewpoints, parking areas, and resting spots. The trails are not maintained in winter.

You can find a map of Repovesi on the Retkikartta service. The nationalparks.fi website has several maps and trail brochures that can be useful for trip planning. It's advisable to always have a printed map with you during your outdoor adventures.

Repovesi Ski Tracks: There are no ski tracks within the national park. The nearest ski tracks are in Orilampi. Keep in mind that there is a military shooting area on the eastern and northeastern side of the national park, accessing the area is prohibited.

Repovesi National Park Viewpoints

Repovesi National Park boasts stunning viewpoints, many of which can be conquered within a single day.

• Katajavuori Hill: Perhaps offering the most beautiful views of Repovesi. To reach the high peak, you need to climb Repovesi's longest and steepest stairs, consisting of 224 steps. The stairs might be icy in winter.
• Mustanlamminvuori Hill and Tower: At the top, you'll find a viewing tower revealing one of the most photographed landscapes in Repovesi. Ruskiasalmi waterway runs between two peninsulas. Mustanlamminvuori's slopes are steep, especially to the north. Climbing might be challenging in winter.
• Olhavanvuori Rock: Among Finland's famous rock climbing locations, with an almost vertical 50-meter wall rising from the lake. From the top of Olhavanvuori, you can enjoy forested views over Olhavanlampi Pond, where the cries of ravens or red-throated divers might echo. The flat rocky benches are perfect for a picnic at sunset.

You can experience the unique wilderness of Repovesi best while admiring the scenery from a high cliff or sitting by a lakeside campfire.

Accommodation and Camping in Repovesi

Repovesi offers numerous rest areas, grill shelters, campfire sites, tables, and lean-to shelters. Popular ones include Kuutinkanava, Lapinsalmi, Olhava, Katajajärvi, Kapiavesi, and Määkijä. Lean-to shelters are found in Olhava and Kirnukangas.

Camping is allowed near all fireplaces. Winter camping is also feasible. Repovesi has several rental cottages and four reservable campfire huts.

Drinking water is available from wells, and the water is safe to drink without boiling. The wells also work well in winter.

Getting to Repovesi

Repovesi National Park is located north of Kouvola, about 45 km from the center of Kouvola. The distance from Helsinki is approximately 180 km. In winter, the easiest way to reach the national park is by car.

Lapinsalmi parking area (address: Riippusillantie road 55) is the most popular entry point to Repovesi National Park. The Repovesi suspension bridge is currently closed, and the parking area is not cleared in winter.

In the northeast corner of the park is Saarijärvi parking area (address: Kuismantie road 990). Two rental cottages are located near this parking area.

Tervajärvi parking area (address: Kivisilmäntie road 720), located on the southern shore of Tervajärvi, is the smallest of the park's entry points.

Winter Hiking in Repovesi National Park – My Adventure

Kaakkurinkierros is the best trail in Repovesi if you want a proper hiking experience. Winter hiking may be a bit slow, so covering only half of the trail is sufficient for a one-night trip.

I set out from Lapinsalmi parking area. Since there was only 30-40 centimeters of snow in early March, I left snowshoes out and walked with winter boots and a backpack. I had snowshoeing experience from similar conditions e.g., in Pieni Karhunkierros Trail, Koli National Park and Valtavaara Trail in Ruka, and it was almost better without snowshoes. Around the same time, someone else set out on the trail with skis and a sled.

It felt like most of the snow was on the Ketunlenkki trail before Lapinsalmi suspension bridge. The ice had made the stairs useless, and I had to hike in deep snow on the cliffs. The bridge made funny sounds in the cold, I crossed it quickly.

There were clear paths in the snow: one turned down towards the shore of Lake Kapiavesi and the cooking shelter, one went straight ahead towards Lake Katajajärvi, and the third curved left towards Katajavuori Hill. Katajavuori's summit is about two kilometers from Lapinsalmi's gate.

Katajavuori – Most Beautiful Scenery in Repovesi

The trail to the base of Katajavuori Hill traversed rocks before descending to the forest on the shore. The duckboards were icy, but luckily the steep stairs leading to Katajavuori were clear from ice. The trail became icy again on the upper plateau.

I sat for a moment at the summit of Katajavuori in bright sunshine and mild wind. Hillosensalmi and Ruskiasalmi, where I had paddled a couple of summers ago during a kayaking trip, were not visible behind the trees.

I returned to the trail junction and peeked at impressive icefalls on another rock ledge. Then the trail descended from the east side of the rock through the forest. I arrived at the shore of Lake Katajajärvi and began going around the lake from its south side.

At the northern end of Lake Katajajärvi, there is a fantastic fireplace. Next to the fireplace, there is a table with benches, the woodshed and toilet are found up the slope. This was the perfect moment for a lunch break. Here I also met the first hikers since Lapinsalmi.

Heading towards Kuutinkanava Canal, a narrow path started to ascend, which may have turned into a maintenance path at some point. Hikers were coming from the opposite direction, and I stepped aside, sinking knee-deep into the snow. Soon, the Kuutinkanava bridge peeked through the trees.

Kuutinkanava – Historical Log Floating Flume

On the shore of Kuutinkanava site, someone was chopping firewood. Kuutinkanava was originally built as a log flume. Nowadays, the canal has been restored as a historical attraction. There is a campfire site right on the shore of Kuutinkanava.

I continued uphill. Fortunately, there was a railing as the slope was very slippery and snowy. The views of the shining landscapes of Kuutinlahti bay opened from the top of the cliff.

Despite the slight frost, the sun warmed the slopes, and there were wet spots in places. Walking through the forest, the landscape looked quite similar everywhere: white ground, light blue sky, and densely packed trees in between.

The trail followed along the shore of Kuutinlahti bay. If there was no slush, there was ice. I passed the campfire site, woodshed, and the Mustavuori rental hut. The trail up the rocks was easy to navigate, and a sign indicated a viewpoint waiting 500 meters ahead.

Mustalamminvuori Viewing Tower – Most Photographed Sight

I climbed the tower as the stairs were completely dry. The view was spectacular, even though it was 4 p.m., and the sun shone directly from the clear sky, making it necessary to squint even behind sunglasses. It wasn’t really the perfect time for photography. I planned to return to the tower on a beautiful summer morning.

I descended from Mustanlamminvuori hill from its north side. The slope was very steep, and the snow was deep. I circled around the south side of Mustalammi pond because there was a trail. From the trail, you could also reach the Kuutinkämppä rental cabin with a sauna.

Walking on the road was swift. From the intersection, the road continued to the right towards the Saarijärvi parking area and to the left towards Karhulahti. Crossing the road straight ahead led to Olhavanvuori trail.

Olhavanvuori Rock and Olhava Lean-to Shelter

I had planned the day's route to end up at Olhavanvuori Rock viewpoint to admire the sunset. I had just enough time to check out potential tent spots first. Right below Olhavanvuori Rock, there is a fireplace, an information board, and a map, along with a lot of flat ground. The terrain felt a bit too open, so I walked towards the nearby lean-to shelter.

Next to Olhava lean-to shelter, the terrain seemed somewhat uneven, and the proximity to the road didn't entice me to stay right in the spotlight. Below the hill, by the shore, I found a sheltered spot among the trees – a light-colored tent wouldn't easily stand out or be visible to the lean-to shelter, so there was my place.

After setting up the tent, I returned to the trail junction and climbed up Olhavanvuori. The slope didn't seem challenging. At the top, there was a warning sign: be careful near the steep edge of the cliff. If there are climbers on the walls, be especially cautious not to accidentally drop anything off the cliff.

The timing was absolutely perfect, and even more perfect was the golden sun in the calm evening of March. I parked myself on the smooth rock benches, sipped hot cocoa, and listened to the evening silence until the deep orange gradually faded to blue.

I retraced my steps back to the lean-to shelter along the same route. Descending a snowy and steep slope was much more challenging in the dark. However, even an hour after sunset, I managed without a headlamp.

On the way, I made firewood in the woodshed and lit a fire at the lean-to shelter. The fireplace was so far from the lean-to shelter that it didn't provide much warmth, but the atmosphere was just right under the starry sky with the echoes of ravens' hoarse calls in the treetops. It was absolutely quiet at night.

Korpinkierros Trail in Winter

In the morning, I lit a small fire at the lean-to shelter and dried most of the moisture from the sleeping bag. After porridge and coffee, I set out to walk the slightly over four-kilometer Korpinkierros Trail clockwise. The first few hundred meters could be walked on the road before the trail turned right into the forest.

This section was really the first stretch where I had to wade through the snow. The entire two-kilometer straight forest road was deep snow and exhausting to walk. The dense forest covered all the sights towatds Olhavanvuori Rock.

As the trail turned towards the north shore of Olhavanlampi pond, there was noticeably less snow on the path, and it was hard in some places, making it easier to walk. There were fresh large paw prints in the snow.

Gradually, the trail curved towards the Olhavanvuori slopes and started ascending the rocks. If there had been more snow, walking without snowshoes would have been quite challenging.

Soon, I stood again on Olhavanvuori Rock, gazing at the forest landscapes bathing in the sun. Climbing from the north, there are several great viewpoints before reaching the marked viewpoint on the map. The edges of the rocks may be icy in winter.

I descended from Olhavanvuori, filled my water bottle with well water, and continued from the south side of Mustalamminvuori hill towards Kuutinkanava canal. Originally, I planned to also hike the Koppelonkierros Trail to see Lake Tervajärvi, but especially the first part of Korpinkierros had drained my energy. I stopped for lunch at the Kuutinlahti bay campfire site.

Although the sun was still shining from a clear sky, the weather forecast predicted clouding and snow. And it didn't take long before the blue sky was just a memory. The advantage of a smaller and easier destination is probably that you can quickly head towards the parking lot and the journey home as soon as you feel like it.

I navigated straight from Kuutinkanava towards Lapinsalmi, practically retracing my own tracks to the south shore of Lake Katajajärvi. After a few icy slopes, I walked on the Lapinsalmi suspension bridge. A perfect 25-kilometer and one-night winter hike – fresh air, the tranquility of nature, and batteries fully charged!

Winter in Repovesi – Tips for Hiking

• Check the snow conditions in the area before your hike (nationalparks.fi or Ilmatieteenlaitos): if there isn't much snow, sturdy winter boots will suffice. Especially as the days get longer and the number of hikers increases, many trails have trodden paths. However, Repovesi trails are not maintained in winter.
• It's difficult to climb stairs and icy slopes with snowshoes, and skis won't get you far in rocky terrain. If you still decide to use some equipment, plan the route accordingly.
• Changing weather (sometimes warm and sometimes freezing) can turn paths, especially those near rocks, into icy and extremely slippery surfaces.
• The ice on Repovesi's lakes can be unpredictable, as there are many currents in the water bodies. Do not go on the ice, especially if you are alone on the trip.
• There is less daylight in winter, and hiking can be very slow. There is no lighting in Repovesi. Be prepared for darkness with a headlamp.
• All trails are marked with orange paint spots. The marks are visible even in winter.
• All lean-to shelters have chemical toilets. Do not dispose of bio-waste in them. Bring your own toilet paper.
• There may be areas with mobile phone coverage in the national park, but also areas without.
• Repovesi has several private cottage shores – keep a sufficient distance so as not to disturb the peace of the cottage owners.
• When the Repovesi suspension bridge is closed, I recommend starting from the Saarijärvi gate, especially when heading towards Olhavanvuori.
• If you haven't hiked in winter before, learn the basics of winter hiking, especially for safety reasons.