According to Metsähallitus’ Parks & Wildlife Finland services, nature destinations recorded a total of approximately 7.6 million visits in 2025. While national park visits decreased slightly on a national level, individual destinations such as Southern Konnevesi National Park succeeded in clearly increasing their popularity.

Southern Konnevesi National Park is the youngest national park in Central Finland and is known for its rugged rock formations, expansive lake landscapes, and crystal-clear archipelago waters. The park offers visitors a peaceful and authentic nature experience where waterways, forests, and cliffs form a unique and harmonious whole. It attracts both day trippers and longer-staying travelers and is particularly popular among boaters and those who value the silence of nature. On the Konnevesi side, the park’s main gateway is Häyrylänranta harbor in Konnevesi.

The growth in visitor numbers reflects not only the area’s natural appeal but also long-term and determined development efforts. Tourism entrepreneurs, the Municipality of Konnevesi, and regional stakeholders have actively invested in increasing the visibility and recognition of tourism. Southern Konnevesi National Park and Konnevesi have been showcased at events such as the Finnish Travel Fair, in tourism marketing campaigns, and on the renewed Visit Konnevesi platform, through which the area has become familiar to an ever-wider audience. Visibility on national and regional platforms has strengthened Konnevesi’s image as an attractive and accessible nature tourism destination.

Improving Accessibility – Reaching Nature Without a Car Next Summer

Accessibility to Southern Konnevesi National Park will improve further next summer. The Outdoor Express service will operate on six different weekends, transporting visitors from the center of Jyväskylä to the national park via Revontuli Resort in Hankasalmi and Peurunka in Laukaa. Designed specifically for hikers, this service offers an easy and environmentally friendly way to reach the park without a private car. The connections are also timed to suit travelers arriving in Jyväskylä by train or coach, for example from the Helsinki metropolitan area or the Pirkanmaa region.

Improved transport connections lower the threshold for visiting Southern Konnevesi National Park and support sustainable tourism. Easy accessibility especially increases the number of day trips and shorter nature visits, which directly contributes to rising visitor numbers. For those traveling by car, services have also improved, including the introduction of new electric vehicle charging stations in Konnevesi.

Southern Konnevesi National Park offers experiences year-round. In summer, the area draws visitors onto the water and into nature; in autumn, the fall foliage transforms the landscape into a blaze of color; and in winter, the park provides a tranquil environment for enjoying the natural surroundings. Proximity to nature, silence, and diverse landscapes are key reasons why more and more people are finding their way to Southern Konnevesi.

The growth in visitor numbers supports the Municipality of Konnevesi’s goals of strengthening local vitality and developing tourism. Nature-based tourism brings visibility, energy, and opportunities for local businesses and services—while ensuring that Southern Konnevesi National Park remains a unique and valuable natural destination for future generations. This growing appeal has also been reflected in increased interest from businesses considering establishing operations near the national park.