Hiking & outdoor recreationLength8 km
Duration(3-4 h)
Degree of difficultyEasy
Laanilan kultareitti -summertrail is marked with orange posts, ut it´s partly unmarked. There are stream crossings along the trail, so waterproof shoes may be necessary. The trail is partly unmarked, so following the map will be essential. The trail mainly runs along dry pine heaths on the west side of Highway 4. With the exception of Kuivakuru, the elevation differences are relatively small. The trail passes through past and present gold prospecting lands, and along the trail gold pan shaped signposts explain the history of gold prospecting in the area between the 1800s and 1900s. On the Laanila Gold Trail, you can see attractions from the gold rush era: openings of mine shafts, Kerkelä mining village, Kuivakuru gold panning facility, the Shafts of Eversti (colonel) and Carl Gustaf and quartzrock of Laanila. Gold digging still continues in the vicinity of the trail.
The trail can only be used during the snow-free season
No dry toilet
Remember to bring a trash bagThere are no waste bins on the trail. Bring along your own trash bag and take your waste out with you when leaving.
Water pointStream crossing points, we recommend boiling the water.
Contact information
Starting pointKutturantie 160, 99830 Saariselkä
When leaving from the Laanilan kultareitti Trail parking area by the Kutturantie Road, you will first travel along a narrow trail. At the beginning of the trail, you can see the old Kaarle Kustaa Mine Shaft.
The trail continues from the mine shaft through a pine forest. This 3.3-kilometre-long section to the next attraction, the Eversti Shaft, is easy to hike but partly rocky.
From the shaft, continue down the slope for approximately 300 metres and then cross a stream. If the water level is high, you might get your shoes wet.
After the stream, there is a steep hill. Then, follow the edge of the Kuivakuru Gorge for approximately 700 metres towards the next wetland. You can see gold prospecting areas along the way. After this area, you can take a detour to the left to the shore of the Tolosjoki River, which is approximately 500 metres away.
If you continue to the right towards Laanila from the junction, you can find the Laanila quartz rocks by the trail after approximately 1.5 kilometres. Continue for a short distance from the information board at the quartz rocks and then turn right. The trail gets wider and goes past the Kerkelä settlement.
The distance from the Kerkelä settlement to the parking area is 922 metres.
End pointRovaniementie 3812, 99830 Saariselkä