Recomended Trails
Lemmenjoki Nature Trail, 4.5 km, Circle Trail
When there is no snow on the ground, travel time 2 h. An easy daytrip trail.
The Lemmenjoki nature trail leads you through the shaded hills of the old-growth pine forest in the Lemmenjokilaako river valley. A part of the route follows the zigzag of the river, at times rising to one of the eskers typical in the area. A path further from the river leads you back to the starting point.
Starting Point
Parking area of Metsähallitus, about 1.5 km from centre of Njurgulahti village.
Coordinates: Euref-Fin (~ WGS84) lat: 68° 45.0984' lon: 26° 13.2005' ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7626869m E: 468453m
Hiking Structures
Campfire site at Muurahaislampi and information boards along the trail.
Sights
Scenery from Muurahaislampi and Lemmenjoki riverside. Old pitfalls for the Wild Forest Reindeer, and esker formations typical for the rivercourse.
Route Description
Route markings: The trail is marked with green paint in trees.
Recomended heading counterclockwise.
The Lemmenjoki nature trail leads you through the shaded hills of the old-growth pine forest in the Lemmenjokilaako river valley. Less than a kilometre from the starting point, you find the Muurahaislampi camping and campfire spot. Continue a few hundred metres and you’ll be greeted with a view of the grounds of Kaapin Jouni, the old homestead of a famous Sámi family located on the other side of the Lemmenjoki River that has both cultural and historical significance. Follow the trail by the river where it climbs to the next esker and follows the ridge of the esker up and down. About 2.5 kilometres from the starting point, the rail turns east and weaves though hilly pine forest back to the start.
Lemmenjoki Goldtrail, 25 km, Circle Trail
When there is no snow on the ground, travel time 2 -3 days.
The Kultareitti Trail at Lemmenjoki goes through changing terrain, intersecting with important gold-digging areas. Information tables along the trail tell the history and geology of gold and the methods of gold digging. The trail starts in the Lemmenjokilaakso river valley with a six-kilometre ascend to a hill called Hengenahdistusmäki (“Short-of-Breath Hill”). Before starting the hike, though, you have to catch a boat to travel the 22 kilometres to Kultahamina along the Lemmenjoki River.
Starting Point
Kultahamina or, alternatively, Njurgulahti, in which case you have to first hike along the river to arrive at Kultahamina.
Kultahamina Coordinates: Euref-Fin (~ WGS84) lat: 68° 39.1794' lon: 25° 51.9327' ETRS-TM35FIN N:7616094m E:453916m
Parking area of Metsähallitus Coordinates: Euref-Fin (~ WGS84) lat: 68° 45.0984' lon: 26° 13.2005' ETRS-TM35FIN 7626869m E:468453m
Hiking Structures
Campfire sites and camping areas at Kultahamina, Kapsuoja and Ravadasniemi. Mattit Ravadas day-use hut and Morgamoja Kultala open wilderness hut and rental hut, Ravadasjärvi open wilderness hut and Kullankaivajain Liitto ry:n open wilderness hut at Kultahamina. Information boards along the trail.
Sights
Guided excursions on the Kultareitti Trail: the Lemmenjokilaakso river valley from a boat, the discovery site of the first gold, Morgamoja wing dams, the Morgamoja Kultala Hut, Pihlajamäki, the Karhu-Korhonen library, the reconstruction of Korhonen’s automated gold-digging mine in Jäkälä-äytsi, Isola (outside the marked route)
Route Description
Route markings: The trail is marked with orange paint in trees and orange wooden poles.
The trail starts at the Kultahamina Hut and ascends steeply up a hill called Hengenahdistusmäki (“Short-of-Breath Hill”). After 800 metres, the trail turns north west. For the next 800 metres, the trail follows the slope to the site of the first discovery of gold at Lemmenjoki at the Morgamoja river. From here, the path continues north and starts to rise again. After about 700 metres, the trail leads to the camping area and campfire site at Kapsuoja where it turns west and continues uphill. For a little over three kilometres, the slope of the trail is more gentle than at the start, at times dipping down to follow fell rivers, until you reach the Morgamoja Kultala Hut. After the Morgamoja Kultala Hut, the trail leads up steeply for another kilometre before the birch-covered fells turn into open fells on the Pellisenlaki summit.
From the Pellisenlaki summit, the path runs for 8 kilometres over moderately easy open fell terrain until Pihlajamäki and from there to Jäkäläpää and the Karhu-Korhonen’s library, towards Jäkälä-äytsi. The one-kilometre section of the trail descends steeply to Jäkälä-äytsi through mountain birch forests following the old trail to Karhu-Korhonen. The ascend to the Gaskoaivi slope from the bottom of Jäkälä-äytsi is steep and doesn’t yet have an established trail. The descent and ascent to and from Jäkälä-Äytsi are steep and there may be loose rocks on the trail which makes this the most challenging part of the trail.
At the Gaskoaivi slope, the route turns north east and descends to the Mattit Ravadas day-use hut for a little less than two kilometres. The route follows the Mattit Ravadas river for 3 kilometres through moderately easy terrain on the edge of a pine forest to the campfire spot and camping area at Ravadasniemi. For the next 2 kilometres, the trail runs through hilly pine forest before descending for the last kilometre to the Ravadasjärvi Hut.
Notice
Outside of the marked attractions on the Lemmenjoki Kultareitti Trail, you can visit the grounds of Jaakko Isola Hut in Miessijoki. The hut is rented to the Gold Prospectors' Association of Finnish Lapland.
You can also start hiking the Kultareitti Trail at Lemmenjoki from the Njurgulahti village where the start of the trail follows the hiking path by the river. If you do, the starting point is a Metsähallitus parking lot, and the length of the trail is 22+25+15 km, in total about 62 km.
Other Trails
Lemmenjoki Riverside Trail, Njurgulahti - Ravadasjärvi - Kultahamina, 22 km/each way
When there is no snow on the ground, travel time 8-10 h / direction.
The trail follows the Lemmenjoki river through rolling old-growth pine forest. This route has some level differences and includes a few steep ascends and descends. The trail first follows the southern bank of the Lemmenjoki River before crossing it to the northern side. There are cable boats for crossing at Searitniva and Härkäkoski.
Starting Point
Parking area of Metsähallitus at Njurgulahti village.
Coordinates: Euref-Fin (~ WGS84) lat: 68° 45.0984' lon: 26° 13.2005' ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7626869m E: 468453m
Hiking Structures
Campfire sites and camping areas at Muurahaislampi, south of Searitniva, Härkäjärvi, Pitkäniemi and Morgamniva. Shelter and campire site at Sotkajärvi. Day-use hut at norht of Searitniva. Open wilderness hut at Ravadasjärvi and rental hut at Härkäkoski. Cabel boats for crossing at Searitniva and Härkäkoski.
Sights
Lemmenjoki valley, Ravadsköngäs, The Grounds of Kaapin Jouni homestead and Lemmenjoki’s Deer Pits
Route Description
Route markings: oranges paint at trees.
The trail starts in Njurgulahti from a Metsähallitus parking lot and follows the Lemmenjoki river through old-growth pine forest. This route has some level differences and includes a few steep ascends and descends. The route mainly runs through dry coniferous forest, although there are also some wetlands on the way. Use a cable boat to cross the river at Searitniva or Härkäkoski; the route continues in similar terrain on the other side. From Härkäkoski, the trail takes you to the Ravadasjärvi wilderness hut.
The trail length from Njurgulahti to Ravadasjärvi is about 15 km. From Ravadasjärvi, the trail first leads you to the beautiful Ravadasköngäs waterfall, and after six more kilometres you arrive at the Kultahamina Hut. The length of the trail between Njurgulanhti and Kultahamina is 22 km one-way.
Please Note
Boat transportation between Njurgulahti - Ravadasjärvi - Ravadasköngäs - Kultahamina (PDF, 77kt)
You can easily combine the hiking path by the Lemmenjoki River with other trails in the area.
The Joenkielinen loop, 16 km, Circle Trail
When there is no snow on the ground, travel time 8-9 h.
The trail starts at Njurkulahti towards Joenkielinen Fell, at 534 meters high. There on the top you get a great scenery over Lemmenjoki National Park and Hammastunturi wilderness area.
Starting Point
Parking area of Metsähallitus at Njurgulahti village.
Coordinates: Euref-Fin (~ WGS84) lat: 68° 45.0984' lon: 26° 13.2005' ETRS-TM35FIN N: 7626869m E: 468453m
Hiking Structures
Campfire sites and camping areas at Muurahaislamp and Sotkajärvi. Campfire site and shelter at Juurakko-oja and stairs of steel at Sotkajärvi.
Sights
Joenkielinen fell and scenery from there
The Joenkielinen loop begins at Njurgulahti, and in a counter-clockwise direction, the trail initially passes through an old pine forest by the Lemmenjoki riverside hiking trail. After about 5 kilometres, the trail continues south after passing an intersecting route to the Sotkajärvi camping site. The trail rises 300 metres in 3 km from Sotkajärvi to the summit of Joenkielinen. On the top, you’ll be greeted with views over the Lemmenjoki National Park and the Hammastunturi wilderness. From the top of the fell, the first 1.5 kilometres descend steeply, but for the last 6 kilometres the descent becomes a gentler downward slope.
Ravadasjärvi - Morgamojan Kultala - Kultasatama - Ravadasjärvi, 26.5 km, Circle Trail
When there is no snow on the ground, travel time 2 days.
The trail starts at lake Ravadasjärvi and continues via Gaskoaivi to Kultala by Morgamoja Brook, which is the 1940s-50s the center of the gold diggers of Lemmenjoki. From Kultala the trail returns via Kultasatama (Kultahamina) and Ravadasköngäs Waterfall back to Lake Ravadasjärvi.
Starting Point
Ravadasjärvi, where you can hike or take a boat transportation
Coordinates: Euref-Fin (~ WGS84) lat: 68° 51.3950' lon: 27° 7.5930' ETRS-TM35FIN: N: 7638404 E: 505075.
Hiking Structures
Campfire sites and camping areas at Kultahamina, Kapsuoja and Ravadasniemi. Day-use hut at Mattit Ravadas. Open wilderness hut at Ravadasjärvi and Kultala by Morgamoja Brook open wilderness hut and rental hut. Kullankaivajain Liitto ry:n open wilderness hut at Kultahamina. Information boards along the trail.
Sights
Lemmenjoki River Valley, Ravadsköngäs Waterfall, the Gold Area and Kultala by Morgamoja Brook.
Route Description
Route marknings: orange paint at trees and orange wooden poles.
The trails starts at Lake Ravadasjärvi heading to west and
Notice
The Lemmenjoki Kultareitti Trail partly follows the same route.
The Sallivaaranpolku Trail, 6 km / direction
When there is no snow on the ground, travel time 4 h.
The Sallivaaranpolku Trail leads you to a historical reindeer round-up site at Sallivaara where you can see old round-up huts and a renovated round-up paddock that isn’t in use any more.
Starting Point
Parking area in Repojoki, Inari-Kittilä roadside. Address: Kittiläntie 7426, Inari.
Coordinates: Euref-Fin (~ WGS84) lat: 68° 27.0017' lon: 25° 57.2897' ETRS-TM35FIN P: 7593403m I: 457158m
Hiking Structures
Sallivaara information hut and open wilderness hut, so called AT- duckboards.
Sights
Sallivaara Reindeer Round-up Site and Sallivaara fell.
Trail Description
The route goes along alternating forest and wetlands.
The Sallivaaranpolku Trail leads you from Repojoki, the highway between Inari and Kittilä, towards the reindeer round-up site at Sallivaara. The terrain is even with no significant level changes. The wetland part of the path is covered in duckboards for maintenance although water may sometimes rise up to the boards. Return from Sallivaara along the same route.