Susitaipale mountain biking route

Susitaival is a long hiking route suitable for mountain biking from Möhkö to Patvinsuon National Park. Bright dry forests, majestic ridges, beautiful waters, and vast swamp landscapes invite travelers to explore the wilderness nature of North Karelia.

The southern section of Susitaipale from Möhkö to Särkkäjärvi Wilderness Hut shares the same route with the Pogostan Kierros. In Patvinsuo, Susitaival joins the Karhunpolku, which continues 140 km north via Ruuna to Teljo. Together, these three routes form a hiking network about 300 kilometers long.

Susitaival is marked in the terrain with orange paint marks. A special feature of the route is four ferries that help travelers cross water bodies.

The southern end of the route is Möhkö village, with food and accommodation services, and at the northern end are the services of the Patvinsuo nature cabin. Along the route, there are several lean-tos, wilderness huts, and campfire sites. All rest stops, tourism businesses, and local area routes can also be found in the map service.

• Note that there may be mobile phone coverage gaps.
• Emergency number: 112 (also download the free 112 Finland app on your phone).
• Carry first aid supplies with you.
• There are some very demanding parts along the route, such as steep ascents and descents, which require special attention and may be challenging with a heavy load. 
• Be careful - do not leave fire unattended. The last to leave, ensure the fire is extinguished.
• Open fires are prohibited during forest fire warnings and strong winds.

• See transport connections via Patvinsuo: luontoon.fi/patvinsuo
• See transport connections via Möhkö: https://mohko.net/yhteystiedot

• You can reach Ilomantsi and Lieksa by bus from Joensuu (matkahuolto.fi). Lieksa also by train (vr.fi). Further connections from Lieksa
• By carpooling (carpool) or by ordering transport service or taxi. 

• Free parking

The route can be started, for example, from Ilomantsi's Möhkö or from Lieksa's Patvinsuon National Park. 

Möhkö-Särkkäjärvi Wilderness Hut 24 km

In Möhkö there are accommodation, café services, and a museum. After Möhkö, the journey continues along Susitaival, which passes through variable dry and swamp forest terrain, offering occasionally magnificent ridge landscapes. The beginning of the route features alternation between an easy trail and a gravel road. From Möhköntie, the route first turns left onto Jokivaarantie, from which it turns right at the first intersection and then continues right again onto a trail. The trail crosses Viinivaarantie and gently ascends. The trail occasionally deviates into a gravel road through the forest and then turns left again. The trail is mostly easy. The route reaches Korkeakangastie and turns left. It continues on an easy trail and crosses a few swamps on boardwalks. The route reaches a gravel road, continues for a while, and then turns left again onto a trail. This section begins with a trail, followed by a rocky steep spot, which may be somewhat challenging especially when carrying a heavy load. After that, the route continues on boardwalks. The route follows roads, then turns left onto a wide trail. The route reaches a gravel road intersection (from this intersection, you can turn right to visit the historical military area of Öykköstenvaaran, which also has a sheltered campfire site and a toilet). The main route, however, turns left from the gravel road. It turns right onto a trail and begins to ascend towards the ridge. On the ridge, there are more demanding rocky parts, but also easy and moderately difficult trail sections. While walking the narrow ridge, you can admire beautiful lake views. The trail continues through rolling ridge landscapes.

To the north, you can detour to Pitkäjärvi Wilderness Hut by turning right at the trail junction along the shore, while the main route ascends left. The main route continues for a while on the ridge terrain and then descends steeply. It continues on a trail and soon turns into a gravel road. At this point, the route follows the road, turning left onto a road that it follows to a turning point, from where the route continues into the forest on a trail. The trail is easy to moderately difficult with heather along the edges. The route crosses a road and arrives at Kontiovaaran, where at the trail junction the route continues left, while to the right is Kontiovaaran campfire site. The route descends from Kontiovaaran on a trail, crosses a gravel road, and continues towards Kivilampi. The trail has some boardwalk sections but is mostly easy to travel. From Kivilampi, the route crosses a boardwalk bridge and continues on a sometimes boardwalked trail. The route reaches Kivilammentie, from where the route continues right and then left at an intersection along a gravel road. The route continues on the gravel road, finally turning right onto a road and then quickly left onto a trail towards the ridge. The ascent to the ridge is steep and sandy in places. The trail on the ridge is mostly easy to travel. The narrow ridge trail offers beautiful ridge views with swamps and ponds decorating the landscape on both sides of the ridge. The route descends steeply from the ridge to a clear-cut area, from which the trail continues through a young forest towards Särkkäjärvi Wilderness Hut.

Särkkäjärvi Wilderness Hut-Naarva 36 km

The route continues from Särkkäjärvi Wilderness Hut northward along a trail. Expect easy trails through varied dry forest and ridge landscapes, with some rocky sections. After the sand extraction area with Teponsärkä's lean-to, the route dives into the forest and returns to a gravel road before crossing Hatuntie. After crossing Hatuntie, the route continues on a mainly easy needle pine needle trail atop ridges, punctuated by short gravel road sections. You can cross the Hepojoki river dry-footed over a bridge. Before Kaunisjärvi lean-to, the trail ascends quite steeply to a ridge, where the trail is rocky in places. From the trail, the route briefly returns to the road, from where there is guidance to the lean-to on Kaunisjärvi's shore. After the road, the route turns left onto a trail which continues as a technically easy or easy needle pine trail. The trail ascends the ridge between Louhilampi and Pyörälampi, offering splendid views. The trail on the ridge is rocky in places. Leaving ridge landscapes behind, the route proceeds towards forest roads, which lead to Isonpalonkangas. After crossing Hattujärventie, the trail passes through more open terrain in a young forest before a more undulating ridge landscape. There are a few steep but short ascents and descents. The trail is sometimes demanding but mostly easy to travel.

After Luotolampi, the trail ascends Luotolamminsärkä, which offer challenges from elevation changes and rocky sections. Before Jorho, the route returns to a gravel road, at the end of which it continues on a trail. From the trail, there are beautiful views of Harkkojärvi. The route descends to a sandy shore, then continues through Jorho Wilderness Hut on an easy trail ahead. On the journey, there are two water crossings, which you can pass dry-footed using ferries. After the second ferry crossing, the trail gradually ascends towards Pahakalansärkkä, offering magnificent hill views. On the ridges, you walk on an easy trail admiring the scenery, until the trail turns steeply left down to the road. The route continues briefly on the road and then passes through a sand extraction area, ascending right beside the sand extraction site and forest edge. The route continues through varied terrain, arriving at Petrokangas lean-to site. From the lean-to, the route continues winding through dry forests. At this point, be careful with signs not to get lost on a forestry machine track. The trail finally turns left onto a gravel road. Continue about 2.5 km on the gravel road until the route turns right onto a trail. The trail is mostly easy to travel. As you ascend to Naarva, the swamp changes into dry forest and the soil becomes more fertile. The route passes easy trails and forest roads through a nature reserve. From Naarva, magnificent North Karelian hill landscapes open up.

Naarva-Patvinsuo 31 km

From Naarva, the route descends on a trail to a gravel road, which is followed for about 3.5 km to Köpönvaara. From there, the route continues mainly on easy forest trails via Piippulammet to Korkeakangas, from where there is a steep descent to a swamp. After the swamp, the trail is sometimes slow to travel and has heather (cyclists can detour this part on the road). After crossing the swamp, there is a short stretch of gravel road, from which the route continues left onto a trail leading to Lutinjoki and Saarikoski shores. This section is mostly easy but sometimes wet. After walking for a short while on the east side of Lutinjoki, you reach a ferry that takes you across the river. The beginning of this part is mostly easy to travel. Long sleeves and pants may be needed as the trail is bordered by tall heather and vegetation, with branches reaching the trail. Along the way, there are several places which can be very wet in early summer or other damp times. The trail continues as a wider needle trail and then curves away from the river, continuing mostly as an easy needle trail. This area has some ditch crossings.

The route reaches a gravel road, from which it first continues left onto a trail, then to the right side of the road as a trail. The route again follows the road, then dives into a forest trail. To cross Suomunjoki river, there is a ferry on the riverbank. After crossing the river, the route continues on a wide trail until Suomunjoki lean-to. From the lean-to, the route continues on a forest road to a parking area, from where it turns sharply slightly diagonally left onto a forest trail. The route crosses the road, continuing as an easy trail towards Patvinsuo. As you approach Patvinsuo, the number of boardwalks increases. Majaniemi campfire site on the Koitere shore is about a kilometer from the route, with signs at the trail junction. After the junction for Majaniemi and Susitaipale, the terrain is mostly easy to travel. The route continues through forest and swamp environments. Teretinniemi lean-to is very close to the trail. After the lean-to, you can admire the surroundings from the Teretinniemi birdwatching tower. The trail and boardwalks continue all the way to Kurkilahti parking area. At Kurkilahti, there is a lean-to shelter and a swimming place.

• Traditional map and/or GPX track on device (the route is marked in the terrain with orange paint marks)
• Weather-appropriate clothing and equipment
• Fire-making tools
• Sufficient drinks and snacks