Starting Points for Trails

Out onto the Fell Theme Trail 

Other Trails under 10 kilometers

Other Trails over 10 kilometers

  • Saariselkä starting point, Lutontie 10–12, Saariselkä (Inari). Coordinates: WGS84 lat:68° 25.0989' and lon: 27° 25.6173'
  • The starting Gate of Kiilopää in the north of the National Park.
    By the Road E75, Address: Kiilopääntie (road) 620, 99830 Saariselkä (Inari). Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 68° 20.7882' and  lon: 27° 27.7299'.

Trails under 10 km

Tankavaara's Urpiaislenkki, 1 km, Circle Trail

Available all year round. In Summertime hiking and in winter with snowshoes. The trail is quite easy and in Summertime the gravelled path is accessible by a wheelchair and with a pram.

Travel time 0,5 hour. Recommended direction of travel: anti-clockwise.

Starting point 

Tankavaara's parking area, Tankavaarantie (road) 11, 99695 Tankavaara (Sodankylä),(excursionmap.fi).

Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 68° 10.6613' lon: 27° 05.8279', ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7562678m E: 504029m

Hiking Structures

The trail is gravelled and there are information boards along the trail.

Route Description

Route markings: With green cone -symbol in green wooden poles.
Excursionmap.fi

In the beginning of the path there is three other paths in the same trakc, and markings are in a different colours. Urpiaislenkki is easy to walk and little variations in altitudes.

Please Note

Path is accessible by a wheelchair and with a pram.

Tankavaara's Warhistory Trail, 1,5 km / each way

Available all year round. In Summertime hiking and biking and in winter with snowshoes.

Travel time 1-2 hours.

Starting point

Tankavaara's parking area, Tankavaarantie (road) 11, 99695 Tankavaara (Sodankylä). (excursionmap.fi).

Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 68° 10.6613' lon: 27° 05.8279', ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7562678m E: 504029m

Hiking Structures

Information boards

Sights

Along the Warhistory trail there are information boards telling about Schutzwall (defence state), which was build in the Second World War by german soldiers in Tankavaara Area. There is a replica of dugout and an old artillery weapon. Please be carefull nearby the old structures, they may collapse down.

Route Description

Route markings: with black cone -symbols in wooden poles. Excursionmap.fi.
Biking it also allowed, but the trail is stony and roots make it challenging. Trail can be conect with Kuukkelilenkki Circle Trail, which has two fireplaces and on the latter fireplace there is dry toilet and a Campfire hut.

Please Note

Please be carefull nearby the old structures, they may collapse down.

Tankavaara's Koppelolenkki 3 km, Circle Trail

Available all year round. In Summertime hiking and biking and in winter with snowshoes. There is no maintenance from snow in winter. 

Travel time 1 hour. Recommended direction of travel: anti-clockwise.

Starting point 

Tankavaara's parking area, Tankavaarantie (road) 11, 99695 Tankavaara (Sodankylä) (excursionmap.fi).

Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 68° 10.6613' lon: 27° 05.8279', ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7562678m E: 504029m

Hiking Structures

Trails' halfway there is a Campfire hut along Hopiaoja -river, a campfire site, dry toilet and wood shelter. In wetlands there is duckboards.

Sights

The Trail takes you further into the quiet spruce forest. The trail runs in fresh woodforest at beginning. In a halfway comes a Hopiaoja -river's wetlands with forest flowers and berries. In Autum "ruska" colors glow in many red shades.

Route Description

Route markings: with blue cone -symbols in wooden poles. Excursionmap.fi.

In beginning of the trail three different trails are in the same track. After one kilometer Koppelolenkki trail turns towards Pikku-Tankavaara -fell. In the fell the trail is quite stony. In a halfway there is a campfire site for piknic. Before and after there is a duckboards, and the rest of the trail is gravelled.

Please Note

In winter it can be done with snowshoes or in summer montain biking, although one must beware of rundown duckboars. 

Tankavaara's Kuukkelilenkki, 6 km, Circle Trail

Available all year round. In Summertime hiking and in winter with snowshoes. There is no maintenance from snow in winter. The trail is also available for mountain biking.

Travel time 2-3 hours. Recommended direction of travel: anti-clockwise.

Starting point 

Tankavaara's parking area, Tankavaarantie (road) 11, 99695 Tankavaara (Sodankylä) (excursionmap.fi).
Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 68° 10.6613' lon: 27° 05.8279', ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7562678m E: 504029m

Hiking Structures

A sight seeing tower at Pikku-Tankavaara fell, duckboards on wetlands. At the end of Kuukkelipolku trail at Hopiaoja river there is two campfire sites and a dry toilet on the latter one.

Sights

Information boards from Warhistory trail and a sight seeing tower at Pikku-Tankavaara fell.

Route Description

Route markings: with orange cone -symbols in wooden poles. Trail rises through the spruce forest to Pikku-Tankavaara hill, which has a magnificent view of Nattastunturi Fells, the surrounding aapa bogs and the great fells of Saariselkä. The return route is through mire. After 4 kilometer there is Hopiaoja -river campfire site and after one kilometer more, the next campfire site and a dry toilet.

Excursionmap.fi

Please Note

In winter it can be done with snowshoes or in summer montain biking, although one must beware of rundown duckboars and ascent to Pikku-Tankavaara fell. 

Tankavaara's Geological Trail, 7 km, Circle Trail

Available all year round. In Summertime hiking and in winter with snowshoes. The trail is quite easy with likely no vincity. There is no maintenance from snow in winter. The trail is also available for mountain biking.

Travel time 2-4 hours. Recommended direction of travel: clockwise.

Starting point 

Tankavaara's parking area, Tankavaarantie (road) 11, 99695 Tankavaara (Sodankylä).(excursionmap.fi).

Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 68° 10.6613' lon: 27° 05.8279', ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7562678m E: 504029m

Hiking Structures

About a halfway trail is a campfire site, wood shelter and a dry toilet at Koiranjuomalampi -pond. A sight seeing tower at Pikku-Tankavaara fell, duckboards on wetlands. At Hopiaoja -river there is two campfire sites and a dry toilet on the latter one. Information boards about areas' geology.

Sights

Features the area's geology, the area's bedrock, the traces left in the area by the ice age as well as changes in surface formations.

Route Description

Route markings: grey cone -symbols in wooden poles. 
The beginning of the trail leads through forest landscape and climbs gradually to the slope of Jorpulipää. In a early summer  and after rain, one should have a rubberboots, while the trail crosses two times over Hopiaoja -river. There is a rest spot on the shore of the beautiful Lake Koiranjuomalampi. From there the trail leads to a hanging bog. The rest of the route follows Kuukkeli Circle Trail. Excursionmap.fi.

Please Note

In winter it can be done with snowshoes or in summer montain biking, although one must beware of rundown duckboars. 

Trails over 10 km

Rautulampi Hiking Trail, 22 km, Circle Trail

Available all year round. In Summertime hiking and mountain biking and in winter cross country skiing. 

Travel time 3-10 hours. Recommended direction of travel: clockwise.

The Rautulampi trail is the classic of hiking trails in Urho Kekkonen National Park with its spectacular fell landscapes and major height differences. 

Starting point 

Kiilopääs' starting gate, Kiilopääntie (road) 620, 99830 Saariselkä (Sodankylä), (excursionmap.fi).

Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 68° 20.7882' lon: 27° 27.7299', ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7581564m E: 519031m.

Hiking Structures

Day-use Hut Luulampi, campfire site and dry toilet, Rautulampi campfire site and dry toilet. Day-use Hut Niilanpää, campfire site, wood shelter and dry toilet. Bridge over Rautuoja -river.

Sights

Scenery from the top of Niilanpää - and Rautupää -fells, old traditional reindeer round-up site of Niilanpää nearby Niilanpää day-use hut.

Route Description

Route markings: Beginning black wooden poles and section Luulampi-Rautulampi-Kiilopää blue and red wooden X -signs.

Excursionmap.fi (excursionmap.fi) and Open Fell Biking (Pdf, 4,3 Mb, laplandnorth.fi).

The descent to Luulampi is steep, so bring your speed under control in time. There are no shortcuts on this route, and there is no mobile phone signal in some areas. For this reason, you should bring repair and first aid kits in addition to food and spare clothing. The weather may change rapidly in open fell areas and visibility may be lost. In the section between Luulampi and Rautulampi, the trail breaks up into several parallel narrow paths, the easiest one of which for bikers runs along the eastern side of the stream. The route has a couple of small stream crossings and a bridge across Rautuoja.  

Please Note

This route travelling through wilderness areas is not suitable for inexperienced bikers and requires careful preparation.  

Moitakuru Route, 25 km, Circle Trail

Available all year round. In Summertime hiking and mountain biking and in winter cross country skiing. Trail is long and due its' vincity quite demanding.

Travel time 3-10 hours.

A route for fit cyclists in the northern section of Saariselkä tourism region. The scenery of Kaunispää, Urupää and Palopää as well as the strenuous climbs and fast descents on this route tempt experienced mountain bikers. 

Starting points 

For hikers and cross country skiiers
Saariselkä's starting gate, Lutontie  (road) 12, 99830 Saariselkä (Inari). (excursionmap.fi)
Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 68° 25.0985' lon: 27° 25.6142', ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7589563m E: 517523m

For mountin bikers
Neste Saariselkä (gas station), Kiveliöntie (road) 8, 99830 Saariselkä (Inari). (excursionmap.fi)
Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 68° 25.3607' lon: 27° 24.5068' ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7590046 m E: 516763 m

For skiiers with dog
Saariselkä Ski resort, Kullanhuuhtojantie (road) 99830 Saariselkä (Inari). (excursionmap.fi)
Coordinates: WGS84 lat: 68° 25.5504' lon: 27° 27.2825' ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7590412 m E: 518659 m

Hiking Structures

Lutto day-use hut, campfire site, wood shelter and dry toilet, Moitakuru day-use hut, campfire site, wood shelter and dry toilet, Palo-oja Campfire hut, wood shelter and dry toilet. Bridges of Luttojoki -river and Lumipallokuru -gorge.

Sights

Views from Kaunispää and Palopää -fells, the old reindeer hut and round up site of Moitakuru and Karvaselkä's haunted hut in Saariselkä.

Route Description

Route markings: black wooden poles of hiking trail.
no markers on the first section (follow the power line); the snowmobile track from Urapää to Palopää is marked with wooden posts with crosses, and the hiking trail is signposted from Moitakuru towards Saariselkä.

As this route requires a good level of fitness and skills in mountain biking and map reading, it is not suitable for inexperienced bikers. Includes climbs where bikes must be pushed. To avoid the steep climb to Palopää, an alternative route further south can be followed.

Excursionmap.fi (excursionmap.fi) and  Open Fell Biking (Pdf, 4,3 Mb, laplandnorth.fi).

Please Note

It is allowed to ski with a dog in Moitakuru skiing track, starting point is then at Ski Resort. Please notice, that section to Kaunispää is not allowed to the dog skiiers. The dogs must kept on a leash and their droppings picked.