Destination tips for an active road trip to Himos-Jämsä
Palvia nature trail
The first day of our adventure. Beautiful autumn weather makes it hard to resist a short hike with a friend. We pack a lunch and set off for Haavisto and the Palvia nature trail. The 4-kilometre Palvia nature trail is one of Jämsä’s marked hiking trails. When we leave the parking area and enter an old spruce forest, everything around us simply disappears – leaving just two friends and the surrounding nature. The trail leads us to old-growth forests and one of our personal favourites: duckboards that run through magnificent mire areas.
There’s a hut and campfire site along the way, where we enjoy the highlight of any hike: a great picnic! Today, we were able to build a fire and have some real campfire coffee. Remember that this is not always possible when hiking. Hikers should follow the valid warnings, especially in spring and summer – never light a fire during grass and forest fire warnings. Fortunately, there are many other ways to prepare food without a campfire. We often carry hiking stoves, which make it easy to make many different snacks. You can also heat up your meal and keep it warm in a food thermos.
The Palvia trails are classified as easy, and the site is particularly suitable as a day trip destination for families with children. Walking along the trails provides peace of mind – it’s always good to spend time in nature. Like all other hikes, this one also comes to an end and it’s time to go home as dusk arrives. However, the local adventure continues!
Synninlukko gorge
We decided to continue with the hiking theme the next morning, because Himos-Jämsä now has its first accessible nature destination! We start driving from Jämsä towards Jämsänkoski. Halfway through the journey, we turn onto a gravel road that leads us to the parking area at Synninlukko gorge.
From the parking area, we walk along 400 metres of accessible gravel path and then go through a magnificent wooden gate. The gate leads us to a beautiful 65-metre-long winding wooden pathway that ends at a large nature platform. The tables on the platform at the end of the accessible trail are a great place to enjoy a cup of coffee. Stairs lead from the platform down to a trail that takes hikers into the breathtaking gorge. Measuring 50 metres wide and 10-20 metres deep, this shady gorge is surrounded by steep rock walls.
Magnificent icy waterfalls form on the rock walls during the winter, so we also recommend visiting the site at that time. Although there is no winter maintenance in the area, many hikers travel along the nature trail and it usually remains open even during snowy periods. However, snowshoes are a great way to walk through the forest in the winter and see this unique gorge during that season as well. You can also view the gorge from above, because there are clear paths on both sides that take you back to the nature platform. After a quiet and relaxing morning enjoying Finland’s amazing nature, we decided to try something a little faster-paced in the afternoon!
Sorvajärvi nature exercise trail
In the afternoon, we hop onto mountain bikes and head for Sorvajärvi, which is one of Jämsä’s marked nature exercise trails. We start at Särkijärvi fitness centre and ride up a wide ski trail base. The trail is accessible from several different locations, but there is plenty of parking space available for those arriving by car. After riding uphill for a while, we arrive at our destination.
Sorvajärvi nature exercise trail is a wide gravel mountain bike (MTB) trail where you can also walk or run. The trail is very diverse with hills, duckboards, speedy curves and jumps. You can go around the most challenging places, so the trail is also suitable for beginner cyclists. We’re taking it easy today, and we pass a few happy joggers who are also enjoying some autumn outdoor recreation. You can find mountain biking trails on, for example, the Bikeland website.
The route is clearly marked and there’s no risk of getting lost. The trail has a rest stop, with a lean-to shelter and a campfire site where you can enjoy a picnic lunch. Firewood is also available. We have a great time riding in the refreshing autumn weather – this is definitely one of our favourite activities!
Good to know: the Sorvajärvi trails connect conveniently with the Pukinvuori hiking trail. The trail is an illuminated ski track during the winter. A lot of smaller paths branch out from the trail and lead the visitor into a beautiful old-growth forest. If you want to try a more technical trail, it’s definitely a good idea to include some of these charming paths in your route – they really have something for everyone! The Sorvajärvi area also has an amazing winter biking trail maintained by volunteers. The Pukinvuori trail has a lean-to shelter that provides a great view of the scenery from above Jämsä. There’s a campfire site in front of the lean-to shelter, so remember to bring your own firewood.
After a few hours of biking, we turn back towards the Särkijärvi fitness centre and enjoy another wonderful loop. It’s absolutely amazing to have such great trails leaving almost from our front door!
Jämsänjoki River
To celebrate the last day of our road trip, we left the best for last – the lovely Jämsänjoki River. Many of you have probably heard about the Wanha Witonen paddling route, and we’ve already completed it several times. The route starts at Petäjävesi and ends in Lake Päijänne, for a total length of 75 kilometres. Many people leave out the last section – which is Jämsänjoki River – because the portage past the factory area is quite long. Wanha Witonen is open throughout the paddling season, but you should be prepared to portage past the rapids sections when the water level is low.
We grabbed some SUP boards and decided to get out on the water to enjoy this beautiful downstream section. It’s easy to start at Kellokallio pier, which is just over 12 kilometres from Hulkkio harbour in Lake Päijänne. There’s a lot to see on this route. Early in the journey, you drift past the lush forest in its autumn colours and pass under a railway bridge. More and more homes appear along the river, which is a sign that we’re getting close to the city centre.
The magnificent old steam boats lining one side of the river are a beautiful sight as you float down the river. After passing Seppola bridge, we’re delighted to see that Jämsä harbour is finally reaching its full potential. A container café with a large terrace area operated in the harbour during summer 2023, but the Joki riverbank café will be built there next summer.
A gentle current helps carry us along the route. Being on the water relaxes your mind and we have a great view of the Jämsä scenery from the river. After passing through the city centre, we gradually enter the countryside landscape. The magnificent cliffs of Virmapyhä hill rise up out of the river in front of you. Finally, we come to the Hulkkio harbour area and the amazing Lake Päijänne. Jämsänjoki River is really worth experiencing!
We’re tired but happy as we pack up the boards and agree that this area has plenty to see and do. We had a few wonderful days of adventure in our beloved home town. It was great to share our excursions with you, and we really hope that you’ll also find your way to these destinations for some fun activities!
