Helvetinjärvi National Park

The deep gorges of Helvetinjärvi National Park were formed millions of years ago by faults in the bedrock running right through the area. Today this rugged scenery attracts hikers for both day trips and camping. From the Park it is possible to walk all the way to Riuttaskorpi recreational forest and Seitseminen National Park on hiking routes called Pirkan Taival.

The landscape of Helvetinjärvi National Park is dominated by geological features created millions of years ago by mighty movements deep in the Earth’s crust. After admiring the rugged cliffs around Helvetinjärvi (Hell’s Lake) and Helvetinkolu (Hell’s Hole) you can relax on the sandy lakeshore at Haukanhieta.

Helvetinjärvi National Park is representative of the variable, wild forest landscape of the northern part of the former Province of Häme. Special features of the area include deep rifts, steeply sided lakes, small forest ponds and remote forests. Helvetinkolu, one of the gorges, has attracted visitors since 1800s, and it is still the most popular destination in the Park.

The special features of the park include two rift valleys, which have been formed 150-200 million years ago by displacement of the earths crust. Helvetinkolu Gorge, located northeast of the Lake Iso Helvetinjärvi, is the most famous gorge in the area. It is narrow, only a couple of metres wide cleft, which descends steeply to the lake side.

Lakes Kovero, Luomajärvi, Iso Helvetinjärvi, Pikku Helvetinjärvi and Pitkä Helvetinjärvi form a narrow steeply sided chain in the deepest fault, north of Helvetinkolu Gorge. At their highest points the fault-line scarps reach a height of 180-210 metres above the sea level. At some places the sheer cliff faces of the lakeshores rise up to tens of metres from the lake water level.

MORE INFO: www.nationalparks.fi/en/helvetinjarvinp/