From Kiilopää to Luirojärvi

When heading into the wilderness, it is always a smart idea to carry a map and compass as well as emergency accommodation. A GPS device is also a good addition. The winter of the North brings its own challenges to hiking. The short days and pristine snow in the heart of the winter only allow short day trips. In early winter, the ice cover is weak, and in some places the ice cover does not form or strengthen at all during the winter. Exercise special caution when travelling on ice.

The gate to Kiilopää ski tracks and trails is a popular starting point for a hike to Luirojärvi. From here you can follow a marked trail/ski track in winter for the first 5.5 kilometres.

Adress: Suomen Latu Kiilopää, Kiilopääntie 620, 99830 Saariselkä (Inari)

• Niilanpää reindeer herders’ hut
• Suomunruoktu open wilderness hut and shared rental hut
• Tuiskukuru open wilderness hut and shared rental hut
• By the Lake Luirojärvi: Luirojärvi open wilderness hut and shared rental hut, Kuusela rental hut, Rajankämppä (open wilderness hut) and sauna
• Lankojärvi open wilderness hut and shared rental hut
• Rautulampi open wilderness hut and shared rental hut

From Kiilopää to Luirojärvi you hike through the fell area, and there are no swamps, only small wetlands. Along the route, there are natural attractions and cultural-historical sites.

• Open fell areas and grooves on fell slopes
• Niilanpää old reindeer separation fence
• magnificent Kotaköngäs rapids in the Suomujoki River
• the old Raappana hut on the northeast shore of Lake Luirojärvi

Kiilopää – Suomunruoktu (14 km)

The hiking trail starts from the yard of the Kiilopää Fell Centre. The early part of the trail passes along the marked Rautulampi Trail until it reaches the Niilanpää reindeer fence where is Niilanpää Day-use Hut. Follow the marked route for only the first 5.5 km. After the reindeer fence, head to the unmarked trail almost straight towards the south.

Once you have left the marked trail at Rautulampi, continue for close to 4 km until you arrive at an intersection of two trails. The Suomunlatva lean-to shelter is located about 200 metres from the junction where you can stop to rest. If you don’t want to stop at the lean-to shelter, the journey continues towards the south-east with approximately 4.5 km from this junction to the Suomunruoktu Open and Reservable Wilderness Huts. The trail is rocky in places.

After the fell tops, the trail follows the River Suomujoki along dry pine heaths. The trail is wide and easy to see. Crossing the Suomujoki river by the hut is easy.

Suomunruoktu - Tuiskukuru (13 km)

Från Suomunruoktu fortsätter leden till en början nedför älvstranden. I närheten av Aitaoja finns en bro över Suomujoki.

From the Suomunruoktu hut the trail continues further downstream of the Suomujoki river. There is bridge by river Suomuojoki at Aitaoja. After crossing the bridge on the Aitaoja, head towards Vintilätunturi. From the heads of Harrihaara, head towards Tuiskukuru.
An alternative route passes by the ponds of the Suomujoki River. On shore of pond Salonlampi you find a lean to shelter.
After passing the ponds, follow the Vintiläoja stream to the fell birch stands on the south side of the Pikkutunturi Fell, from where you will descend to Tuiskukuru. There is a open and reservable wilderness hut in Tuiskukuru. This route option runs north of the Vintilätunturi Fell.
The fell slopes clearly show Ice Age glacier channels which lead the visitor towards the large, wild mire areas in Sompio that open up in the south. The mysterious Nattanen Fells rise in the southwest.

Tuiskukuru - Luirojärvi (8 km)

Tuiskukuru hut is located at the bottom of the ravine. After an approx. three-kilometre climb to Ampupää fell, the rest of the way to Lake Luirojärvi is mainly downhill.

There are two open wilderness huts, a reservable hut, Kuusela rental hut and campfire sites on the shores of Lake Luirojärvi. You can also camp at marked camping sites on the lake.

Sokosti is the highlight of the trip for many hikers. This is why it is a good idea to set aside one day for climbing Sokosti and hope for clear weather. The distance from the shore of Lake Luirojärvi to the top of Sokosti along Jaurutuskuru ravine is around 6 km in one direction.

There is a mobile phone mast on the top of Sokosti. However, there are areas with no mobile phone signal in the wilderness, and the mast may also experience faults at times.

Luirojärvi - Lankojärvi (19 km)

To head out to Lankojärvi, follow the western shore of Lake Luirojärvi. The path leads between Vasanlyömäpäät and Joukhaispää fells to Palovanka. Another way is passing through Ampuoja and between Ampupäät and Vasanlyömäpäät fells towards Kaavitsalampi, after which you soon join the first route option. From Kaavitsanlammet ponds, the trail continues as a single path on the south side of the River Palovanganjoki.

You can cross the Palovanganjoki River about 250 m upstream from the river mouth, where the water will not reach above your knees in normal conditions. After this, continue downstream along the Suomujoki River. The Saariselkä - Sokosti map shows the wading points before the Lankojärvi Lake. At the time of a flood, it is advisable to avoid wading and, for your own safety, first walk upstream along the Suomujoki River for around 2 km and cross the river at Kotaköngäs bridge.

Lankojärvi–Rautulampi (8 km)

From Lankojärvi, an obvious path leads west along Rautuoja stream to Rautulampi Lake. Most of this route leads through the forest. At Rautulampi, there is a day hut, an open wilderness hut and a reservable hut.

• Rautulampi–Niilanpää–Kiilopää (11 km): From Rautulampi to Kiilopää, follow a path marked with wooden crosses through open fells. The path is rocky and wide, and there is a day hut and a campfire site along it at Niilanpää old reindeer fence.

Rautulampi–Niilanpää–Kiilopää (11 km)

From Rautulampi to Kiilopää, follow a path marked with wooden crosses through open fells. The path is rocky and wide, and there is a day hut and a campfire site along it at Niilanpää old reindeer fence.