In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The Great Ķemeri Bog Boardwalk (Lielais Ķemeru tīreļa laipa) inside Ķemeri National Park crosses an 8,000-year-old raised bog of black peat pools, stunted pines and carnivorous sundews. The boardwalk has a 1.4 km short loop and a 3.4 km great loop with a two-storey wooden viewing tower. Admission is free and open 24/7 year-round. Direct trains reach Ķemeri railway station from Riga in 50 to 55 minutes, followed by a 3.8 km forest walk or local transfer to the trail. Or book a tour: a Ķemeri Bog and seaside Jūrmala day tourad from €86 is sold on GetYourGuide; it saves the 3.8 km walk from the station.
⚠️ Choose the 3.4 km Great Loop. The short 1.4 km loop skips the two-storey timber observation tower. The great loop takes about an hour longer and reaches the tower, with views across the dark peat pools.
Understanding the raised bog ecosystem
Spanning over 6,000 hectares, the Great Ķemeri Bog (Lielais Ķemeru tīrelis) is a classic raised ombrotrophic peat bog that began forming more than 8,000 years ago following the retreat of the Baltic Ice Lake:
- Sphagnum moss: The bog is built of living peat moss (Sphagnum), which holds up to twenty-five times its dry weight in water. The old lower layers decay without oxygen in acidic water and compress into peat up to eight metres deep.
- The stunted pines: The bog water has almost no nitrogen or phosphorus, so the Scots pines stay small. Pines barely two metres tall are often 100 to 150 years old.
- Carnivorous plants: Look beside the boardwalk for the round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), a tiny plant with sticky glandular leaves that trap and digest gnats and midges.
- Birdlife: The bog lies on the East Atlantic migratory flyway. During spring and autumn migration you hear common cranes (Grus grus), and wood sandpipers, golden plovers and white-tailed sea eagles are among the birds that nest here.
Guided tours to the bog
Three tours cover the boardwalk, from a short bog trip to a day that adds Jūrmala. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices per person.
Ķemeri Bog and seaside Jūrmala
From €86 · 4.8 stars from 106 reviews · 6 hours · bog boardwalk plus seaside
Walks the Ķemeri Bog Boardwalk, then spends time in Jūrmala. Ķemeri Bog and Jūrmala tour on GetYourGuidead
Ķemeri National Park bog trail
From €75 · 4.8 stars from 40 reviews · 4 hours · boardwalk over the bog
A shorter trip built around the bog boardwalk and its views over the ecosystem. Ķemeri bog trail tour on GetYourGuidead
Jūrmala and Ķemeri sunset trip
From €65 · 4.9 stars from 133 reviews · 4 hours · Great Bog walk
Walks the wooden path in the Great Bog and sees Jūrmala’s architecture. Jūrmala and Ķemeri sunset trip on GetYourGuidead
The observation tower and loop options
The Latvian Nature Conservation Agency (Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde) built the boardwalk so visitors can reach the middle of the bog without stepping on the moss.
1. The Small Loop (Mazais loks - 1.4 km)
The inner circuit branches off to the right near the start of the trail, looping through the transitional forest zone and outer moss plains before returning to the car park.
- Distance: 1.4 kilometres.
- Walking time: 30 to 45 minutes at a relaxed pace.
- Best for: Visitors short of time, older travellers or young children. This loop does not reach the open peat pools or the observation tower.
2. The Great Loop (Lielais loks - 3.4 km)
The longer circuit goes into the middle of the bog:
- Distance: 3.4 kilometres.
- Walking time: 1.5 to 2 hours, allowing time for photography and viewing stops.
- The Observation Tower (Skatu tornis): At the midpoint of the great loop stands a two-storey timber lookout tower. From the upper platform you look over the dwarf pines to hundreds of black peat pools (akači) spread across the open bog.
- One-way sections: The boardwalk is two narrow pine planks wide. Some sections are signposted one-way; where the trail is two-way, step onto a passing platform to let oncoming walkers by.
Flora, wildlife and sulphur springs
Ķemeri National Park also has mineral springs:
- Hydrogen sulphide springs: Beneath the park, sulphur-reducing bacteria act on groundwater to produce over thirty mineral springs rich in hydrogen sulphide. The smell of sulphur (“rotten eggs”) is noticeable near the old spa pavilions in Ķemeri town.
- The spa town of Ķemeri: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Ķemeri was a health resort of the Russian Empire, visited for peat mud wraps and sulphur spring baths.
- The “White Ship” Sanatorium: In the middle of Ķemeri park stands the sanatorium built in 1936 in functionalist style by architect Eižens Laube, shaped like an ocean liner.
- Lūzumpuķe Spring Pavilion: In the resort park, the wooden “Islet of Love” (Mīlestības saliņa) pavilion has a spring where you can taste the sulphur water from a fountain shaped like a lizard’s mouth.
What to pack and trail etiquette
- Footwear: Flat walking shoes or light trainers are fine in dry weather; the boardwalk is level. The planks are slippery after heavy rain, damp snow or morning dew, so wear shoes with tread then.
- Layers: The open bog has no windbreak and is breezy even when the forest is calm. Pack a light windbreaker or fleece.
- Insect repellent: From late May to July, mosquitoes, midges and horseflies are out. Apply repellent before you set off.
- Sun and water: There is no shade on the boardwalk. Bring drinking water, sunglasses and sunscreen.
- Rules: Do not step off the planks, do not litter, do not smoke, and keep dogs on short leads.
Getting to Ķemeri from Riga: train, car and tours
The boardwalk trailhead (Lielā Ķemeru tīreļa laipa) is located roughly 45 kilometres west of central Riga:
1. By train, then on foot or by bicycle
- The Train: Board the regular electric commuter train towards Tukums II or Ķemeri from Riga Central Station (operated by Vivi -
vivi.lv). Trains run roughly once per hour. The journey takes 50 to 55 minutes. - Station to Trailhead: From Ķemeri railway station, the boardwalk car park is 3.8 kilometres away:
- Walking: Follow the signposted forest trail along Tukuma iela and through the woods. The walk takes roughly 45 to 50 minutes each way along a flat gravel roadway.
- Bicycle: During summer months, bicycle rentals are available directly at Ķemeri station or the nearby historical park, allowing you to cycle to the trailhead in fifteen minutes.
- Taxi: Local taxi services or ride-hailing apps (Bolt) occasionally operate from Ķemeri, although availability for return trips can be limited.
2. By car
Driving from central Riga takes approximately 45 to 50 minutes along the A10 highway (Ventspils highway). After passing the turn-off for Jūrmala and Ķemeri town, follow the brown national park signs reading Lielā Ķemeru tīreļa laipa. The paved car park at the trailhead charges a parking fee, payable by automated payment machine or via mobile parking apps (Mobilly).
3. By guided tour
A tour from Riga skips the 3.8 km walk from the station. Most combine the boardwalk with a stop in the seaside resort of Jūrmala.
What to see next
- Jūrmala Day Trip from Riga: After the bog, take the train about 20 minutes east to Majori for the quartz sand beach and wooden seaside villas.
- Sigulda and Gauja National Park: Medieval castles, a cable car and river valleys north-east of Riga.
- Rundāle Palace Day Trip: Rastrelli’s baroque ducal palace and its French-style gardens in southern Latvia.
- Day trips from Riga: Independent and guided excursions from the capital compared.
- Free things to do in Riga: Parks, waterways and viewpoints back in the city.
Common questions
How much does it cost to visit the Ķemeri Bog Boardwalk?
Nothing: the boardwalk and Ķemeri National Park are free. The car park at the trailhead charges a parking fee.
How long is the Ķemeri Bog Boardwalk trail?
The boardwalk features two marked loop circuits: the Small Loop (Mazais loks), measuring 1.4 kilometres (taking about 30 to 45 minutes), and the Great Loop (Lielais loks), measuring 3.4 kilometres (taking 1.5 to 2 hours). The Great Loop leads to the wooden observation viewing tower.
How do you get to Ķemeri Bog from Riga by train?
Take the regional train towards Tukums from Riga Central Station to Ķemeri station (roughly 50 to 55 minutes). From Ķemeri station, the boardwalk trailhead is approximately 3.8 kilometres away—a 45-minute walk along a signposted forest road, a short cycle ride with bike rentals available in summer, or a local taxi.
Can you walk on the bog without the boardwalk?
No. Stepping off the timber boardwalk into the wetland is strictly prohibited and dangerous. The peat surface is soft, waterlogged and up to eight metres deep, riddled with hidden acidic sinkholes (akači). Staying on the planks protects both visitor safety and the fragile moss ecosystem.
What time of day is best for Ķemeri Bog?
Sunrise and early morning, when ground mist hangs over the black peat pools. Sunset gives low-angle light and reflections across the water.
