Winter Trails Outside St. Petersburg: Best Nature Destinations

The Gulf of Finland

Although it may not be so apparent while you’re in the city, St. Petersburg does stand by the seaside – which makes the winter view of the Gulf of Finland a sight that you definitely have to see. Even on cloudy days, the view of this vast empty space soothes the eye, and if you’re lucky with the weather, the sunset there looks like something from a different world entirely. Just be sure to dress accordingly: in addition to the usual winter cold, you’ll also have to deal with a damp, chilly wind.

In terms of location, there are several destinations you can go to. One option is to travel to the northern shore of the gulf – a good choice if you want to combine this trip with a visit to the nearby eco-paths on the Komarovsky Coast or in the Lindulovskaya Grove. Another choice is to travel a somewhat further distance along the southern shore to the Shepelevsky lighthouse – a great spot for taking photos. Nevertheless, my personal advice would be to go to Kronstadt and make way for West Kotlin – nothing beats the view you get from the farthest end of this island.

Winter forest 

While I do adore the solemn beauty of the cold Baltic Sea, the classic winter trip for me is to one of the forests to the north of St. Petersburg. Taking a stroll among the snow-clad trees in the overwhelming silence of the winter woods is simply invigorating, and spending a night there beats any kind of rest you can get in the city.

Of the many possible places to go to for such an experience, I would recommend two locations. The closer one to St. Petersburg is the eco-path in the Gryada (ridge) Vyaryamyansel'kya not far from the Petyayarvi train station (and ITMO’s Yagodnoe sports and leisure camp) – a 12-kilometer trail winding up and down pine-covered hills. The other is the famed (and somewhat notorious) Ho Chi Minh trail, named so for its difficulty – this one starts near the Kuznechnoye station some distance to the north, and goes towards Lake Yastrebinoye, which is one of the most picturesque locations in Leningrad Oblast. 

The Oredezh river

One more favorite of mine is the Oredezh river to the south of the city. This one is famous for its steep banks composed of red devonian clay, which look especially great against the winter snow and dark cold water. The abundance of small caverns in the banks is another cool thing – just be careful not to slip into the stream, which is really cold even on summer days.

The best route along Oredezh starts in the Siversky settlement (Siverskaya railway station) and goes towards Vyritsa, another settlement some 15 kilometers downstream – although you should be prepared for the trail getting difficult to travel about halfway through.

Suburban parks

If you’re not ready for an outright nature experience but still want to get a breather from the city’s busy vibe, you can make your way to the parks in St. Petersburg’s suburban towns. My personal advice would be going to either Gatchina or Pavlovsk; for an overview of other options, you can read any of our guides to the smaller towns around St. Petersburg.

Another great option in this regard would be to visit the Monrepos park in Vyborg – despite being located much further away from St. Petersburg, it is easily accessible by a morning Lastochka train and boasts great views and fascinating landmarks.

Ruskeala

Much further than other destinations on this list, Ruskeala is located in the Republic of Karelia. A former marble quarry turned into a mountain park, it is not a natural landmark per se, but still a sight to see. While one of the main attractions – boat trips in the canyon – is canceled for the winter, the artificial lighting looks especially cool, and there’s still a lot to do in the park.

We hope you enjoy your winter adventures!