Hakasuon nature and local heritage trail 6 km, Paltamo

Hakasuon nature trail is a 6 km long circular route located 18 km from the center of Paltamo. The route starts at Hakasuon mill, where there is parking, a campfire site, and an outhouse. There are no challenging ascents or descents on the trail, but there are many roots, stones, and windfallen trees on the paths, which require stepping over.

The trail is marked on trees with light pink and orange paint marks.

You can access the trail by crossing the bridge to the left from the mill courtyard to Manamansalontie. Both sides of the bridge have starting points, so the route can be walked clockwise or counterclockwise. This route description is made for walking counterclockwise, starting from the starting point on the right side of the bridge. From the starting point, you descend to the Varisjoki river upstream. In the beginning, the trail has many roots and small bridges crossing streams, which are especially slippery in autumn. At 0.5 km, you encounter the first rapid through which Kivesjärvi drains into the Varisjoki river.

After the rapid, the journey continues about 200 m in an old forest, and after walking 0.7 km, there are well-maintained boardwalks over a bog. After the boardwalks, the trail continues to the left according to the signposts to the local heritage trail. To the right, there is a side trail about a couple of hundred meters long leading to a scenic spot on top of a small hill, offering views of Kivesjärvi. After the first kilometer along the heritage trail, you will encounter the old Tervaranta on the shore of Kivesjärvi. From the shore, the route continues past a wind damage clearing gently uphill. After 1.2 km, the scenery changes to old spruce forest, and soon there is a cottage road, at the end of which a red cabin looms on the right.

The route continues up the cottage road in the direction of approach, turning left according to the light pink marks. After 1.5 km, the old Hakasuon school remains on the right, and at 1.65 km you cross Manamansalontie. From the road, turn right towards the uphill, and after about 100 meters, the route continues from the main road left back to the heritage trail according to the signposts.

Note that the route can also be started from here (address of the old Hakasuon school Manamansalontie 97, Paltamo).

The journey continues mostly uphill towards pine forest. After 2 km, you will reach a forest road where you turn left in the direction of approach. On the right is an ancient shore made of rounded stones forming a rocky area. On the forest road, you walk 800 m, so after 2.8 km the route turns left from the forest road back to a narrow and quite rocky path leading through pine-dominated mixed forest. At 2.9 km, there are boardwalks and a heath, and at 3.2 km, a logging clearing after which the route continues through beautiful pine forest. After 4 km, you cross Variskyläntie, after which the route continues along the forest road through Hotellinkangas.

After 4.4 km, turn right from the forest road into old spruce forest, where the ruins of the main building of Kiveksen Ruukki and the bottom of the blast furnace stand. After 4.6 km, descend to the shore of Varisjoki and the Varisjoki blast furnace. At 4.7 km, in the forest shade at Hotellinkoski on the bank of Varisjoki, there is a well-maintained picnic table, a nice place to take a break. The journey continues along the river through a sparse mixed forest. On the way, there are several short and well-maintained boardwalks, which can be challenging to walk on in autumn due to slipperiness. At 4.9 km, there is a bridge over Varisjoki to the right, but the route continues on the same side of the river without crossing the bridge. Finally, the route returns back to Manamansalontie and the Hakasuon mill.