Discover Hankasalmi

Hankasalmi can be explored through a variety of destinations: the church and neighboring museum village in the town, as well as nature and winter sports activities throughout the municipality. When planning your trip, it makes sense to consider destinations in the town separately from those elsewhere in the municipality.

Church and museum village in the town

Designed by Josef Stenbäck, Hankasalmi Church was built between 1889 and 1892. It is a Neo-Gothic long church with a gabled tower. Lower transepts and a sacristy adjoin the choir end. These architectural elements offer a concrete glimpse of the church building’s design: the long church is laid out lengthwise, while the transepts extend from the sides of the choir.

The Hankasalmi Museum Village is located directly beside the church. The restored Hallan tupa and its outbuildings form an authentic Central Finnish living environment from the 17th century. The grounds include, among other things, a windmill, a barn, and a drying barn. A museum of local history is housed in a former granary. The church and museum village thus represent different periods: the church was built in the late 19th century, while the museum village illustrates a 17th-century living environment.

Nature destinations in the municipality of Hankasalmi

At Keskisenlampi, an approximately three-kilometer nature trail passes a lush bog lake where birds can be seen. A birdwatching tower and interpretive signs add to the trail. The signs cover different types of bog, vegetation, and birds; the lake is part of Finland’s national conservation program for bird wetlands. Next to the nature trail is an accessible rest area with a campfire hut for groups of up to 40 people and an accessible toilet. This accessibility information refers to the rest area, not to the stated condition of the entire trail.

Pieni Kaihlanen is also a bird lake and is part of the Natura 2000 network. The lake is in the village of Niemisjärvi. A birdwatching tower stands on the shore, reached by a path from Niementie. Those particularly interested in bird areas will find a different experience here than at Keskisenlampi: Pieni Kaihlanen combines the lake with a shore path to the tower, while Keskisenlampi also has interpretive signs about bogs, plant life, and birds.

The shore area by the Korholankoski rapids is part of a shoreline protection program; the waterway is part of the Natura 2000 network. Another trail runs through the rapids landscape in the village of Kärkkäälä, on the municipality’s northern boundary. The Kärkkäälä Nature Trail is about two kilometers long. Some sections can be difficult in spring and during autumn rains—take these conditions into account when choosing a route.

The Häähninmäki outdoor recreation area has around 35 kilometers of winding cycling and hiking trails in total. They run on both sides of the municipal boundary between Hankasalmi and Konnevesi; the area can be used year-round. This distinguishes Häähninmäki from the two shorter nature trails at Keskisenlampi and in Kärkkäälä: here, the focus is on a longer network of routes for cycling and hiking.

Winter sports and seasonal activities

Häkärinteet is a family-friendly ski center in the municipality of Hankasalmi, with 13 downhill runs. The ski school offers professional instruction for beginners. Häkärinteet also provides access to 48 kilometers of groomed cross-country ski trails. Downhill equipment, cross-country skis, and snowshoes are also available for rent. The trails and rental services are seasonal; if you need either for your plans, check seasonal availability in advance.

The municipality therefore offers a range of ways to explore Hankasalmi, depending on your interests: architecture and a historic living environment in the town, bird areas and nature trails, and routes and winter sports in the municipality. To choose the right destination, it is worth considering their differences—for example, the bog and birdlife at Keskisenlampi, the rapids landscape in Kärkkäälä, or the seasonal activities at Häkärinteet.

Discover more destinations: Muhola, Jämsänkoski, Kannonkoski, Vaajakoski, Karstula, Kuhmoinen, Lannevesi, Vahanka.

For the broader travel overview: Central Finland.