Respect Nature
Pets
Getting around in National Park
Camping
Lighting Campfires
Litter-free Hiking
Fishing
Picking Berries, Mushrooms and Wild Herbs
Flying Drone
Biking
Horse Riding
Other Rules and Instructions
Forbidden Activities
Safety
Respect Nature
The outdoor activities in the Leivonmäki National Park are guided with the rules and regulations. When getting around in nature, let’s show respect for it. Take a look at the Outdoor Etiquette.
Please don’t share any such contents on the Internet that break the rules of the national park.
Letting pets running at large is forbidden. Dogs and other pets are welcome in the national park but only on a leash.
Getting around in National Park
In the Leivonmäki National Park, you may freely walk, ski, row and canoe, except in restricted areas:
Camping
Temporary camping is permitted in camping areas, lean-to shelters, campfire sites and their immediate vicinity.
Lighting Campfires
Campfire is only allowed at sites marked for this purpose. Please note that when the forest fire warning or the grass fire warning is in effect, fire lighting is allowed only in the campfire site of Harjujärvi cooking shelter, that has a flue. Check the current warnings (en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi). The person who lights the campfire is always responsible for the fire.
The use of a camp stove is permitted wherever hiking is permitted.
The use of hobo stoves is not permitted during forest and grass fire warnings due to the risk of sparking.
Litter-free Hiking
There are no waste-bins in the area. Measures should be taken in advance to avoid taking unnecessary waste into the area.
In the Leivonmäki National Park, there are two types of toilets: dry toilets (Lintuniemi, Joutsniemi and Niinisaari) and suction toilets (Selänpohja, Harjujärvi and Soimalampi). In a dry toilet, you can recycle any biowaste produced along the way, but no waste other than human is to be put into a suction toilet. Any excess waste in the suction tank will cause problems and increase the cost of waste treatment.
Small amounts of clean paper and cardboard can be used as kindling in a campfire. Other waste, such as packages that contain aluminium foil or plastic, may not be burned in a fireplace, as they may form non-biodegradable waste and toxic gases.
Read more about Hiking without littering.
Fishing
Hook and line fishing and ice fishing are allowed under everyman's rights, except where specific restrictions apply.
Lure fishing with a single rod is permitted, except in the restricted areas. Persons aged 18-64 years must pay the fisheries management fee (eraluvat.fi). Fishing permits are available from Metsähallitus' online shop (eraluvat.fi).
The water areas of Rutajärvi Lake are not part of the national park. More information about fishing on Lake Rutajärvi is available from Leivonmäki fishing collective (kalapaikka.net, in Finnish).
The water areas of River Rutajoki are not part of the national park. Further information on fishing on the Rutajoki River (rutalahti.fi, in Finnish).
Fishers need to check the restrictions on fishing sites at kalastusrajoitus.fi (in Finnish).
Picking Berries, Mushrooms and Wild Herbs
Picking berries and edible mushrooms is allowed, taking access restrictions into consideration.
Taking or damaging trees, bushes, other plants or their parts, or mushrooms other than edible ones is forbidden. Picking wild herbs is therefore forbidden.
Flying Drone
Flying a drone is prohibited in the Haapasuo Mire restricted area during bird nesting season, which runs from 15 April to 15 July. Flying a drone is allowed as long as its operation does not disturb people or wild animals. Special care should be taken during the bird nesting season.
Biking
Mountain biking is allowed according to everyman's rights except in the restricted areas. Always stay on clearly visible tracks and pay attention to other hikers. There is a 22 km long mountain biking trail in the National Park.
Horse Riding
Horse riding is allowed only on the roads.
Other Rules and Instructions
As a rule, a permit issued by Metsähallitus is required for activities other than those included in everyman's rights, which may include research, organised events and the shooting of films or advertisements in the terrain. Further information on required permits: research and access permits (metsa.fi) and permits and notifications related to events (metsa.fi).
The use of the trails and structures of Leivonmäki National Park for business activities is always subject to a fee, and for frequent business use, a contract with Metsähallitus (metsa.fi) is required. The right of use fees for specific days are paid at the Eräluvat webshop (eraluvat.fi).
Other Forbidden Activities in the Leivonmäki National Park
- Damaging soil or rock, and extraction of earth material or minerals.
- Killing, catching or disturbing wild vertebrates, or damaging their nests.
- Catching or collecting invertebrates.
- Driving motor vehicles, except on roads designated for motor vehicles.
- Leaving waste in the area, or damaging structures.
- Covering, changing, damaging, removing, violating or excavating in archaeological sites.
- Other activities that may adversely affect the natural conditions, landscape or conservation of species in the area.
- Activities that disturb other people.
Rules and Regulations for Leivonmäki
The rules and regulations of Leivonmäki National Park (pdf 350 Kb, julkaisut.metsa.fi, in Finnish), ratified on 28 June 2010.
Safety
It is important that you get as much information as possible about your hiking destination in advance and prepare for your trip thoroughly. Knowing your route and sticking to it and knowing what the weather and warnings in effect (en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi) has in store, will help make your trip a success.
- Make sure you pack a first-aid kit. If you face an emergency on your hike, e.g. get lost, get injured or observe wildfire, call 112 and report an emergency. More information on how to act in an emergency.
- Mobile telephones work quite well in Leivonmäki National Park, except in some areas in the park where cliffs or forest block signals. Download the 112 Finland application (112.fi) to your phone.
- Dress for hiking in colorful clothes and according to the weather.
- Drinking water and food need to be carried, as there are no cafés or shops with regular opening hours in the area. There are no places to get drinking water in the forest either. The nearest shops are in the village of Rutalahti (about 9 km) and in the centre of the municipality of Leivonmäki (about 12 km).
- The terrain is not difficult in the national park, so the trails are suitable for family day trips. The trails mostly go into dry pine forests, and the mire sections have duckboards.
- Outdoor Guide
