Discover fine sandy beaches and traces of history on these peaceful shores. Enjoy the eskers, shores, mires with hare's tail cottongrass and deep forests on foot, on skis or in a canoe.
Parts of the Tiilikkajärvi National Park are closed to the public during certain times of the year. Please respect the signs!
Hiking
Go wilderness trekking amidst the beautiful scenery of the Upper Savo region. There are approximately 27 km of marked trails in the Tiilikkajärvi National Park. The park's most popular trail, the Uiton kierto circular trail (7 km), runs through easy terrain around lakes Sammakkojärvi and Autiojärvi. On the way, you will cross duckboards, enjoying the beautiful scenery. You can also stop by at the Venäjänhiekka and Tiilikanautio tenant farm. The easy Aution kierto circular trail (3.4 km) runs across mires and most sections have duckboards.
Skiing and snow shoe walking
In early March, the national park hosts the Tiilikan hiihto ski event which attracts a couple of hundred skiers each year. The route is made up of two classic cross country ski routes ( 7 km and 17 km). The starting point of the ski trails is at the Sammakkoniemi information point and a snack break is enjoyed at the Uitonkämppä rental hut. The ski event is open to the general public and free of charge.
Snowshoeing and skiing with forest skis are excellent ways to explore the winter in Tiilikkajärvi National Park. Since the snow layer protects the terrain from wear and tear, it's possible to travel off the marked trails with snowshoes or skis. However, please note that there are no specific marked snowshoeing trails or ski tracks at Tiilikkajärvi
Canoeing
Why not enjoy the magnificent scenery of Lake Tiilikkajärvi in a canoe or row boat? As the lake does not have any wide open areas or currents, it is ideal for beginners in canoeing. Canoes can be launched by the Sammakkotammi information point or Pohjoisniemi parking area, from where the canoe must be carried along duckboards to the lake for a distance of around 30 m. There is a boat stage by the Uitonkämppä rental hut. Landing places within the restricted area are marked on the terrain and on the map of the park.
Water conditions permitting in May and June, visitors can canoe all the way from Sammakkotammi to the River Tiilikanjoki, which flows into the beautiful Lake Älänne. The stretch of river leading to Lake Tiilikanselkä is around 36 km long. After the small rapids along the first part of the route, the river mainly flows outside the boundaries of the National Park. Lake Tiilikkajärvi is part of the Northeastern Savo canoeing route (70 km), which is ideal for long canoe expeditions.
Other activities
- Geocaching: Explore the natural environment around Lake Tiilikkajärvi and look for geocaches.
- Fishing:
- Hook and line fishing and ice fishing are allowed under everyman's rights, except where specific restrictions apply.
- However, hook and line fishing and lure fishing from the shore are prohibited in the parts of Pohjoisniemi and Venäjänhiekka beaches where restrictions apply.
- Persons aged 18-69 years must pay the fisheries management fee (eräluvat.fi). If you fish with more than one rod, you also need Metsähallitus' angling permit no 7413 for Southern Finland (eräluvat.fi). These permits can be purchased in the web shop (eräluvat.fi).
- However, hook and line fishing and lure fishing from the shore are prohibited in the parts of Pohjoisniemi and Venäjänhiekka beaches where restrictions apply.
- Trap fishing in Tiilikkajärvi Lake is only permitted for the residents of Rautavaara municipality. In addition to paying the fisheries management fee, Metsähallitus' trap fishing permit no 7001 for Ylä-Karjala/Ylä-Savo (eräluvat.fi, in Finnish) is also needed for trap fishing. Permits can also be purchased by phone at +358 (0)20 69 2424.
- Fishers need to check the restrictions on fishing sites at kalastusrajoitus.fi (In Finnish).
- Hook and line fishing and ice fishing are allowed under everyman's rights, except where specific restrictions apply.
- Pick berries and mushrooms: Fill your bucket with cloudberries (Rubus chamaemorus) and bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus)!
- Sights and scenery: The idyllic yard of the Tiilikanautio tenant farm retains the features of the 1920s. A border stone standing in Lake Tiilikkajärvi, dating back to the days of the peace treaty of Teusina in 1595, commemorates both war and peace. The dam in Lake Sammakkojärvi and the loggers' cabin (rental hut for groups) are living reminders of the area's logging history.
- Swimming: Take a dip in the lake or a picnic break on its fabulous natural beaches, the most famous of which is Venäjänhiekka. The boat stage by the Uitonkämppä rental hut is also a good place to go swimming. There is no official beach.