Pieni Neulamäki – A nearby forest and outdoor recreation area in Kuopio

The forest area of Pieni Neulamäki has remained cohesive and biodiverse despite being located close to the city, and it is home to several species of significant conservation value, including the Siberian flying squirrel and the Glanville fritillary butterfly. The area contains a large number of aspens—known as a keystone species—some of which have grown to enormous sizes. The forest also features, among other things, a small stream and ponds, where you can enjoy the scent of wild rosemary by the shore or brew campfire coffee at a fire site.

The forest of Pieni Neulamäki and its network of gravel roads and forest paths offer diverse opportunities for outdoor activities such as jogging, mountain biking, trail running, dog walking, hiking, mushroom picking, and berry picking. Along the trails, you may catch glimpses of Lake Kallavesi, peek into a rocky cave, and marvel at glacial erratic boulders.