Kinnula: Hiking Trails, Nature and Culture

An ancient deadwood pine, a hiking trail about 9.9 kilometres long and winter ski trails give Kinnula a varied profile. There are also outdoor activities and a church with a distinctive cruciform shape. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Kinnula, you can choose the focus of your trip based on whether you want to include mainly trails and nature, outdoor activities or culture as well.

Discover hiking trails and nature

The Suurijärven retkeilyreitistö hiking trail network includes trails in the areas of Kinnula, Reisjärvi and Pihtipudas. In Kinnula, one trailhead is on Jääkoluntie, where there is a car park. Including the network in your travel plans gives you a specific starting point in Kinnula. The Nielujärvi Trail is about 9.9 kilometres long and forms part of Peuran polku and the Hirvaan kierros loop in Salamajärvi National Park.

Blue markers provide guidance along the Nielujärvi Trail. The Nielujärven lintutorni bird tower is also located along the route. The trail can therefore be described not only by its length but also by a named landmark along the way. Consider including the route as one of the longer nature experiences in Kinnula.

Another distinctive natural attraction is Kinnulan Pyhä puu in Tikkakangas. This ancient, protected deadwood pine is also known as Tikkakankaan Karhupetäjä or Uhripetäjä. There is a shelter nearby. If you are interested in natural history and distinctive trees, you can make this place a focus in its own right alongside hiking.

The Nielujärven laavu shelter lies on the shore of the Matkusjoki River, along the Nielujärvi Trail. The trail and shelter offer different options for planning your trip: you can focus on the route itself or also include the named shelter in your plans.

Outdoor activities in different seasons

In addition to its hiking trails, Kinnula’s outdoor recreation area offers other ways to spend active hours. The disc golf course has 18 holes, ranging from 51 to 220 metres in length. The varying hole lengths and number of holes make the offering easy to describe without assuming any particular pace of play.

The outdoor recreation area also has a fitness staircase with 104 steps. There is also a dog park on Palolaitoksentie, which is free for everyone to use. These facilities appeal to different interests: disc golf, a staircase with a set number of steps and a place for dogs add to the options if you are considering activities beyond hiking for your trip.

In winter, the outdoor recreation area has a three-kilometre illuminated ski trail and another trail that is five kilometres long. There is also a sledding hill next to the fitness staircase. A kota hut stands by the hill and can be used, for example, to grill sausages and warm up. The ski trails, sledding hill and kota hut offer different winter activities to consider depending on the kind of day you have planned.

Church and local heritage museum

Kinnula’s church adds its own cultural touch. Completed in 1867, it is cruciform, with the bell tower attached to the west arm. The church was built by church master builder Otto Korkiakoski from Sievi. A visit can be arranged by contacting the staff. This is an important part of planning if you intend to visit the interior.

The church has two wheelchair spaces, accessible via a wheelchair ramp. The grounds can be reached via Kirkkotie, where there is ample parking. Kinnula is also home to the Kinnulan kotiseutumuseo local heritage museum. When choosing what to include in your trip, you can therefore consider the church and local heritage museum alongside nature and outdoor activities.

When looking for a holiday rental in Kinnula, it helps to decide what you want to focus on during your trip: hiking, outdoor activities and cultural visits each offer a different experience.

More destinations

If you would like to explore other destinations too, you can find PetäjävesiPetäjävesi, JyväskyläJyväskylä, JuokslahtiJuokslahti, KivijärviKivijärvi, UurainenUurainen, JoutsaJoutsa, ToivakkaToivakka and KarstulaKarstula.

For the broader travel overview: Central Finland.