Särkiköngäs

Särkiköngäs ("Roach waterfall") is a small, but refreshing cascade, located in the area of Paljakka village in eastern Kuusamo. The waterfall flows in the middle of a forest in the upper reaches of Särkipuro River, that starts from the nearby Särkijärvi Lake. The height of this Paljakka village's "own waterfall" is less than three metres.

Särkipuro River is a short, but powerful little river, that has a total length (from the Särkijärvi Lake to the nearby Kuusinkijoki River) of just a few hundred metres. The waterfall is formed, when the river flows from a dense forest to a small valley, where it goes over a rocky cliff. Immediately after the waterfall, the stream widens and becomes shallow, and the riverbed breaks down into several smaller branches. About a hundred metres downstream of the waterfall, the Särkipuro River descends as a rocky stream to Kuusinkijoki River.

Even before the waterfall, the flow of the river is fast, and there are several white-foaming rapids in the river – at least during spring floods. It can be said that the waterfall is blended with the other rapids as one white-foaming stream, even if it's the only genuine waterfall in the river. The primary form of the fall, steep cascade, is quite a typical waterfall form in Finland. Visually, Särkiköngäs could also be described as a miniature version of the famous Kuerlinkka waterfall in Kolari.

The waterfall can be reached by walking along a well-maintained hiking trail for about one kilometre. You can leave your car to the parking area at the end of the nearby Kuusinkijoentie dirt road. By the hiking trail there is a campfire site, and you can admire the rugged forests and listen to the roaring of the Kuusinkijoki River, when walking in the area. For the rest of the trip to the waterfall (50–100 metres at shortest) you have to get off the hiking trail, and walk through the forest, north of the path. Although the forest is occasionally quite dense, the valley around the waterfall is fairly open. During the spring flood the river shore can be quite watery.

On the whole, Särkiköngäs is a refreshing waterfall, but at the same time it is nothing unusual. Because of this, I can't recommend you to travel to the area only because of the fall. But if you're going to hike in the Paljakka area in any case, Särkiköngäs could be an interesting place to visit. From the parking area it is also quite a short drive to the Oulanka National Park, which is famous for its large waterfalls.